Willow Court

Today Mum, my Aunt Gill and l headed off on an 'antique shop' day out! We drove to New Norfolk. Home of the huge Willow Court Antique Centre.'Willow Court' itself is a superb old stone building which was built as a military hospital in 1830-31.It was originally built as a location where invalid convicts could be housed.
It was named so because Lady Franklin planted a willow in the courtyard. Willow Court was part of the former Royal Derwent Hospital and was the oldest mental hospital in Australia.It closed only in 2000 and is said to be the most haunted set of buildings in the country. Most of it today is sadly derelict and falling into a worse state of disrepair as each year goes by. Broken windows, rotting verandas. It's all there and its such a shame as the whole enormous complex is just beautiful.

The Antique Centre as it stands today

A photo of it in the early 1900's

 Derlict and vandalised

The Antique Shop itself though is fabulous!Some of the stuff was just plain bizarre and weird.....

l liked this but maybe a tad too big?

 Now this l would SERIOUSLY love in corner of the garden

You can even come here and buy a motorbike!!

This lamp was my absolute favourite but would find it eternally difficult to justify spending $1550 on it!!!!

This amazing old Morris! Not sure how old it was but the cigarette smoking mannequin in the drivers seat made us all jump!

 Glassware galore............................

And of course the traditional antiques... the sort of stuff you would EXPECT to find in an Antique Shop!

Oh and Candles..................... lots and lots of candles...............didn't buy one though.....!!

All in all a lovely day out in a place where you can only imagine the sadness and horror that the walls within must contain.