Inside dark history of abandoned asylum that starred in blockbuster Hollywood thriller as it plans £22m transformation

The Sun

20-07-2025

A SINISTER abandoned asylum which has starred in several blockbuster films is set to receive a massive £22million make-over.
The creepy Medfield State Hospital was left rotting for years after it was set up in the 19th century to treat thousands of psychiatric patients.
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And the asylum turned filming location is now set to benefit from a multimillion-pound facelift which will once again change its purpose entirely.
When it was cosigned to the dustbin of history in 2003, the hospital in Massachusetts, US, seemingly shut down for good.
The nightmarish 128-acre site saw its 27 buildings closed down and boarded up.
But that was until its ruins were chosen by filmmakers to appear on the big screen.
The deserted asylum featured in Hollywood blockbuster Shutter Island, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, in 2010.
The eerie site made a perfect filming spot for Martin Scorsese's heartstopping psychological thriller.
The blockbuster film chilled viewers to the core - and the striking effect was only possible with the help of the historical site.
In the film, Ashecliffe Hospital is the fictional asylum used to house the Criminally Insane.
So Medfield Hospital, with its creepy and empty vibe, served as the perfect shooting location for the fictional asylum.
Brit explorer Ben Stevens travelled to the long-abandoned hospital - which used to be known as the Medfield Insane Asylum.
He ventured there after learning it was used as the shooting location for Shutter Island.
The Brit told What's The Jam: "It felt very cool to be there as I'm a very big film fan.
"I found out about it because I wanted to know where they filmed Shutter Island."
He added: "Obviously, they dressed up a lot of the building as a set for the movie.
"But I just liked the whole feel of the place, it felt very New England with the red buildings and the leaves."
And the list of Medfield's big screen appearances doesn't stop there.
The sinister island has provided ambient filming locations for movies such as The New Mutants and The Box.
Chilling images of the historical hospital, which once accommodated as many as 2,200 patients, have also been revealed by Stevens.
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After entering the former infirmary's haunted walls, Stevens came across lots of old equipment which were abandoned along with the hospital.
Dusty wheelchairs stood motionless in corridors, alongside derelict beds which hadn't been used for years.
Stevens, 31, detailed: 'I even found a patient's shoes. The whole place was very sinister because I know they conducted a lot of experiments on their patients.
"They also had a very high security wing, which apparently mobsters were sent to, which is pretty cool."
Medfield State Hospital opened in 1896 and was the first of its kind to adapt a cottage-style design - which ironically maximised daylight, fresh air, exercise and socialistion.
This image stands in stark contrast to its haunted and silent reputation today.
The location was used by local dog walkers - as well as film crews from across the country.
Its destiny is set to be reshaped again - as a local nonprofit is hoping to transform the site into a hub for music and education.
Seemingly unable to escape the entertainment industry, Medfield State Hospital is facing plans to become a brand new venue.
The nonprofit has already hosted a variety of live music and festivals on the hospital grounds.
The town of Medfield purchased the property in 2014, with discussions over what to do with it already ongoing.
There were also concerns over how to handle a contaminated portion of the location.
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After four years of collecting public input, the town completed a master plan in 2018.
And in 2020, the Bellforge Arts Center secured a 99-year lease with the town on two signature buildings at the core of the new campus.
Bellforge Arts Center programme director Paul Armstrong said: 'We're not here to copy what's being done, we're here to surprise, challenge expectations of a suburban art center and try to create something truly different for both the artists, the audiences, and the community.'
The nonprofit is still raising funds for the £22million megaproject, which will involve renovating the Lee Chapel and Infirmary, linking two buildings with a glass annex, and developing surrounding green space for outdoor performances and community events.
The groundbreaking performance venue will also feature a 300-seat auditorium for music, theatre, and dance.
The flexible space will accommodate lectures, films, readings, community and business meetings, as well as special events like weddings.
It will also hold indoor art exhibits, a kitchen and office space.
The construction is starting this summer and is set to last about 16 months.
Aside from the two buildings that will become an arts centre, the other 25 are set to become apartments.
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