We love hearing people’s experiences exploring abandoned places and were delighted to hear from Lewis Neilson. You can find him on Twitter at @neilson_lewis. Here’s his account of Caldwell House in Uplawmoor, East Renfrewshire, Scotland.
Caldwell House was built sometime between 1770 and 1773 although there’s conflicting reports on the exact date. The house was built for the Mure family, one of the wealthiest families in East Renfrewshire. The estate stayed with the family until 1909.
Caldwell House as it was in its heyday.
Around 1927, the Govan Health Board turned Caldwell House into a hospital for children with mental health issues and it remained as such until 1985. During this time additional buildings were added such as the main boiler house and nurses accommodation. The main staircase was also replaced with an elevator shaft.
After the closure of the hospital, the building was sold to a private individual with the intention to convert it into a care home for the elderly however this was never undertaken and the building fell into a dilapidated stated. In 1995, a serious fire ruined the whole interior and caused extensive damage to the roof. As a result, the council stepped in and undertook works to make the house safe. A lot of the building had to be demolished or reinforced to prevent it from collapsing.
The main entrance to Caldwell House as it looks now.
Caldwell House is now a hollow shell of what it once was with no roof, bare walls and only the steel beams holding it together. Graffiti covers the walls and local wildlife now shelters in the building.
You can see the extensive damage caused to the interior of the house and how little remains.
When I posted my photos up, a former boss of mine commented on the photo. It turns out when she was born (1960’s) she had a sister who was staying at the house at the time, back when it was a hospital of course. I wasn’t able to get much information due to delicate nature of the situation, but her sister died inside of the house. My first thought was “wow, amazing, she has a real connection to the building”. Of course it’s very sad that she lost her sister but now that she knows the building is still here, she plans to visit it and see where her sister lived. What a great way to end the story, don’t you think? Reconnecting with the past.
A fence erected to prevent trespassing has been knocked down.
Hope you guys find this of interest, I certainly love exploring and discovering the history of these old buildings.
Abandoned: 1985
Quite a lot of child deaths in the year 1957… seems suspicious in an unsettling sinister way.
The security company took over 1985 kids where taken by bus and everything was left they took nothing kids clothes toys beds etc down at entrance was nursery where cots all the paperwork was left too
It is very sad and strange to see several of the castles and estates my clann has created become ruines, from Ireland to Scotland to the United States. The histories and genealogies are very interesting as well.
Venja Caldwell of Caldwell’s Movers LLC in Oregon,United States.
I heard there was a fire which was suspicious there.. what all can anyone tell me about this? Was there an investigation, of any kind, any missing people, workers from there who later got into trouble with the law? I really have not been able to find out much about the place at all. Especially, there seems to be virtually no information on when the place was a hospital.
1927-1985 it was a hospital.
Fires in Scottish buildings happen with an uncanny ‘frequency’. At least when the Grosvenor Hotel in Great Western Road in Glasgow burned down the owner was ordered by the court to rebuild it with the excact facade it had had.. Otherwise protected buildings are only protected until a grredy developer finds its next investment.
The house burned down when my mother’s family lived there. They say the house burned when they here on holiday.
I heard there was a fire which was suspicious there.. what all can anyone tell me about this? Was there an investigation, any missing people, workers from there who got into trouble with the law?
that’s sad
I have just discovered my great, great grandfather made the gardens when it was first built. So sorry to see it as it is now.
Hi – can you provide any more information about your gg grandfather and the source of your information?
See erdlgg.org for more information on Caldwell
My cousin died here in 1954 aged just 2 years. A shame to see it like this.
sorry to hear that man
M R a 19 year old relative of mine died there on 14th April 1954. On the death certificate an 11 year old died the day after. Cause of death? ‘Idiocy’.
Such a shame to see a grand old mansion fell into such a pitiful state. I am a Caldwell and would love to see it put back to its original plan. I would imagine, it was an extremely beautiful place at one time. My family has even talked about trying to acquire the property to refurbish. But, it is in such poor condition, probably cost prohibitive.
Can you tell me if there was a major Caldwell my mother worked for them as house maid before marriage early 1900
I was up there today that is a nice piece of land and buildings. A really big project.
Must have been a stunning building in its earlier years.sad its falling apart
I worked in the house when it was a home for the kids, laying new floorcovering & repairing floors at different times, between 1978 & 1985. It opened my eyes to the suffering of so many children, but also to the unconditional love they could show. Its quite sad that this old house is an empty shell now. B Donnelly
Sorry to hear that
my brother died here age 10 in November 1957