text: These eerie photographs show the inside of an abandoned 19th century Victorian  asylum which has lay dormant for 20 years. Opened in 1818, the asylum once housed nearly 1,000 patients and expands over 350 metres in length overlooking the town of Stafford in the West Midlands. It closed in 1995 but is now set to have new life breathed into it after planning permission was granted to build 102 apartments in its place. Shattered doors, overturned bathtubs and crumbling floors dominate the Grade II listed St George's County Asylum where patients were restrained by means of 'the leather muff,' 'iron handcuffs' and 'restraint chair'. There are also reports of prevalent dysentery and syphilis. Scroll down for video . A mysterious past: The history of this 19th century asylum in the West Midlands saw patients being restrained by means of 'the leather muff,' 'iron handcuffs' and 'restraint chair'. St George's County Asylum first opened in 1818 and once housed nearly 1,000 patients . Run down: Shattered doors, overturned bathtubs and crumbling floors dominate the Grade II listed St George's County Asylum in Stafford . Empty room: The asylum was initially large enough for 120 patients but between 1879 and 1884 two extra wings were added. This included workshops and bakeries bringing capacity to just under 1,000. The hospital shut its doors in 1995 and 145 long-term patients were re-located . Derelict: An overturned bath tub as it was abandoned (left). Dysentery and syphilis were said to have been commonplace at the now run down asylum (as pictured in 1940 right) where suicide cages were erected in the stairwells after a female patient threw herself off the fourth floor . Suicide cages were erected in the stairwells after a female patient threw herself off the fourth floor and landed near the reception. It now lies in a terrible state, but building work is under way to transform the site into new homes. Property developer Shropshire Homes is beginning work on demolishing parts of the asylum beyond repair as part of a project to revamp the structure into 102 apartments. The apartments, the first of which are due to be occupied by early next year, will be priced between just under £100,000 and up to £300,000 for what company director Howard Thorne described as the 'penthouse apartments'. He said the parts of the asylum being demolished were 'structurally unsound' and that it was impossible for them to be preserved. St George's County Asylum, which was renamed St George’s Hospital in 1937, was built at a time when Pauper Asylums were being constructed nationwide. It was designed by Joseph Potter in the style of a Georgian mansion at a cost of £35,000. It was initially large enough to hold 120 patients but between 1879 and 1884 two extra wings were added. This included workshops and bakeries bringing capacity to just under 1,000. The lauded James Wilkes who was medical superintendent of the asylum from 1841 - 1855 said this about conditions before he arrived at his post. 'Previous to the year 1841, mechanical restraints were part of the system of treatment habitually employed. In need of a makeover: The asylum is now set to be transformed into 102 apartments. Parts of the building will have to be demolished as they are beyond repair but the main structure is to be converted into the apartments. The project is planned for completion by early 2017 . Beyond repair: Director of property developer Shropshire Homes, Howard Thorne, said parts of the asylum being demolished were 'structurally unsound' and that it was impossible for them to be preserved . Going back in time: St George's County Asylum, which was renamed St George’s Hospital in 1937, was built at a time when Pauper Asylums were being constructed nationwide. Here it is pictured how it looked in 1940 . A glimpse into the past: Broken windows dominate the 197-year-old asylum, which is now due to be turned into apartments. The first of these are due to be occupied by early next year, according to property developer Shropshire Homes . An eerie exterior: The imposing asylum looms over a site in Stafford in the West Midlands. It will soon undergo a major makeover project . Back in the day: Taken in 1992, this picture show what the asylum looked like before falling into disrepair. It closed three years later in 1995 . 'The means of restraint employed were the leather muff and wrist straps, iron handcuffs, long leather sleeves, hobbles for the legs, the restraint chair and various other devices. 'Many of them were employed day and night. In addition many of the patients were confined to their beds by means of straps passing through iron loops. 'The evil of this system was perpetuated by high windows protected by iron guards and strongly guarded fireplaces which gave a gloomy prison like aspect to the interior of the building. 'Above all it was evident that the system adopted had a natural and inevitable tendency to demoralise if not to brutalize the attendants.' The hospital shut its doors in 1995 and 145 long-term patients who still lived at the asylum were re-located into the surrounding community. The means of restraint employed were the leather muff and wrist straps, iron handcuffs, long leather sleeves, hobbles for the legs, the restraint chair and various other devices, according to James Wilkes who was medical superintendent of the asylum from 1841-1855 . An entrance to history: The Grade II listed building as it can be seen today. It was first opened at the beginning of the 19th century . Falling apart: Inside the abandoned St George's County Asylum which is structurally unsafe in parts of the building . Time for change: Property developer Shropshire Homes is beginning work on demolishing parts of the asylum beyond repair as part of a project to revamp the structure into 102 apartments. Having a look around: The derelict nature of the asylum is clear from many of the rooms inside the 19th century structure . A new lease of life: The apartments, the first of which are due to be occupied by early next year, will be priced between just under £100,000 and up to £300,000 for what company director Howard Thorne described as the 'penthouse apartments' In a state of disrepair: A look at a set of steps that lead inside the Victorian structure which has changed a great deal over the years .
target: Mysterious history of Grade II listed  asylum in the West Midlands revealed in sinister looking photographs .
  St George's County Asylum in Stafford was opened in 1818 and once housed nearly 1,000 patients .
  Dysentery and syphilis said to be widespread, while patients were restrained in chairs and by 'iron handcuffs'
  A developer is now looking to transform the haunting structure by building a block of apartments in its place .