Fulwood House was a health and social care building in Sheffield, built over the course of 100 years. It consisted of a mix of different buildings, from an old Edwardian house to a multistorey tower block, along with two and three-storey office blocks and some older flat-roofed buildings. It was home to NHS Health and Social Care services, but the trust has since stated that it no longer needs the site. After the NHS vacated the premises, it was slated for demolition to make way for 132 apartments and 29 houses.
All the buildings at the site are set to be taken down, except for the Edwardian Fulwood House – built in 1911 – which will be converted as part of the new development. It’s nice to hear they’re preserving some of the local history in a more modern way. Although I couldn’t find an exact date for when the building closed its doors for the last time, I believe it was sometime in 2020.
An open door to an eerie scene
Upon arrival at the site, I was met with metal Heras fencing as far as the eye could see, barbed wire, and anti-vandalism grease/anti-climb paint, all intended to prevent people from gaining access. However, it was immediately clear that people had found their way in over the years, as evidenced by smashed windows, litter, and general signs of vandalism.
Until recently, the site had an active security team on the grounds, but they’ve since disappeared, leaving only signs about the security team dotted around the perimeter. After a brief walk around the exterior of the premises, I saw an open door and decided to take a look inside.
I was greeted by an eerie, empty room with nothing left but carpet and radiators. After a brief look around, I continued through the hallway, peeking into all the rooms I came across. I saw empty desks, chairs, and filing cabinets as far as I could see.
The corridors were in particularly bad shape, likely due to vandals using the building on a semi-regular basis – there were holes in the walls, some graffiti, and litter scattered around. It even looked like people had been having fun with the wheelchairs that had been left behind. Much of this section of the flat-roofed, two-storey building was in the same condition until I found the doors leading into the main reception area of the multi-storey tower block.
Areas left immaculate and untouched
The reception area featured an empty desk with glass windows, left untouched as if everyone had just packed up and left yesterday. A collection of fire alarms lay on the desk, and more desks were piled up in the main entrance. I have to admit, I felt a little scared in this area. I was in pitch darkness in a massive building, unsure if I was the only person there or not. But I eventually moved out of the dark and into the light as I made my way up to the first floor.
The first floor was quite a sight – I presume it was a conference or meeting room, left in nearly immaculate condition, with a large six-foot wooden table and chairs tucked neatly into the corner. On the opposite side of the room, there were some glass jugs and cups. The next two floors, however, weren’t as interesting from an urban exploration perspective. The corridor ceilings were smashed up, with ceiling tiles on the floor and wires hanging down, making the area look uninviting.
Evidence of the building’s past use
The fourth, fifth, and sixth floors were more of the same, but slightly different. As you stepped off the stairway and onto the corridors, to your left and right were offices or consultation rooms with lovely glass windows and blinds for privacy, running the entire length of those three floors. Despite the conditions of the lower levels, these floors were in very good shape. There was some evidence of the building’s past use, like whiteboards with small notes in some of the rooms and a few clocks, but apart from that, the rooms were empty, offering nice views over Sheffield.
Now, onto the seventh – and my favourite – floor. As I came out of the stairway, I was met with double doors with glass windows. Peering through, I saw an open space with stunning views on either side, large wooden columns, and an interesting carpet design. Opening the doors, I found an electronic whiteboard and projector – those who went to school in the mid-2000s will know what I’m talking about, with the green, blue, black, and red pens you had to recalibrate every 10 minutes! Apart from that and the view, there wasn’t much else in the room.
Kitchen smells still lingering
As I continued down the corridor, I reached what used to be the kitchen, with a massive extractor fan still in place and the stench of old cooking oils lingering in the air. There were some old sinks still attached to the walls, a walk-in fridge/freezer, and an area to serve the workers or guests. I also found multiple signs saying, “Keep windows closed if no one’s in the room”, due to pigeons that would sometimes fly inside.
That’s about it for this building – just a couple more empty rooms on the seventh floor. Overall, the building was a fascinating explore for me, and I’m extremely happy with how the photos turned out. I hope that if this site does get demolished, they can at least preserve one of the original buildings and revamp it in a more modern way.
Editorial note: Yorkshire Bylines is grateful to UrbanEdge for highlighting the plight of this building but does not encourage urban exploration that may be in breach of the law.
