Whilst there’s no shortage of pools, lakes, and lidos in and around the capital city, if you’re looking for London’s most peculiar place to take a dip, there really is only one direction that you should be heading in. And that, my friends, is the London Borough of Redbridge.
Perched on the site of a former psychiatric hospital in Woodford Bridge is Repton Park. Claybury Hospital (also known as the ‘London County Lunatic Asylum’) was a Victorian mental health facility that operated between 1893 and 1997. Like many other London locales, it was converted into a fancy estate in the late nineties, complete with apartments, parks, and a rather hallowed health club.
Now, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but life in London can be pretty darn stressful at times. And so we city-dwellers are always on the hunt for those sacred spaces that allow us to kick back, relax, and let the chaos of the capital melt away. Very few of the city’s spots, however, take the meaning of the word ‘sacred’ quite so literally. Because inside what used to be the hospital’s chapel, you’ll find a 24-metre swimming pool right where the central aisle of the church used to be.
Guests can get their lengths in whilst gazing up at many of the chapel’s original Victorian features. There’s gothic arches, intricate stained-glass windows, and timber-vaulted ceilings. And inside the box where you could once confess your sins, you’ll find a sauna in which you can now sweat them out in instead. I told you this place was unique…
The health club, which is run by Virgin Active, comes complete with a steam room, jacuzzi, and gym – all of which are sat inside the gorgeous Grade II listed building. And so no matter how you would prefer to cleanse yourself of your sins – be it with sweat or sanctification – this place really does cover all bases.
You’ll find Virgin Active Repton Park at Manor Road, Woodford Green, IG8 8GN. You must be a Virgin Active member to be able to use the facilities. You can find out more here.
