Alright, you’ve made it to good old Eastbank Hospital-or, at least, what it once was! If you listen closely, you might just hear the echo of nurses’ footsteps and the creak of hospital beds rolling down the corridors. Back in 1937, this place first swung open its doors, but it didn’t start out as a hospital at all. It began life as Eastbank House, a classic Georgian home perched here on East Road. Imagine a stately old house-a little bit proud, a little bit mysterious, probably with wallpaper only your gran would approve of.
Mr. Ferguson, a man with a mission (and perhaps a fondness for a good renovation project), bought Eastbank House and turned it into Kirkwall’s new infectious diseases hospital, replacing the one at Scapa. Talk about flipping a property-with a lot more hand sanitizer! In those early days, this hospital was on the front lines of battling illnesses that nobody wanted to catch.
But time marches on, and Eastbank had to keep up. Soon, it wasn’t just infectious diseases. The hospital became a place of care for people recovering from alcoholism, for folks battling mental illnesses, and for elderly patients facing dementia. Imagine the 1960s-Orkney sweaters, the Beatles on the radio, and out here, new extensions popping up as the number of patients grew. The hospital expanded so quickly, you’d think someone hid a “grow” button in the basement.
By December 1977, Eastbank House itself got a special honor, too, gaining listed status. Basically, that means Historic Scotland looked at it and said, “This place is a keeper!” But all stories must change, and in March 2000, the hospital closed for good, its patients moved to the bigger Balfour Hospital. There were protests-with a bit of classic Orkney stubbornness-but the decision stood.
Today, Eastbank House is a hostel, while the newer wings are now a Christian Growth Centre and youth hub called The Life Centre. So, from remedies to reflection, and from infection prevention to inspiration, Eastbank has reinvented itself yet again. Not bad for a house that just wanted a view of East Road!
