Manor

Manor Hospital, Epsom

Details

Hospital Name: Manor Hospital
Previous Names: Sixth London County Asylum, The Manor Asylum, The Manor Certified Institution, Manor Mental Hospital
Location: Horton Lane, Epsom, KT19 8NL
Principal Architect: William C Clifford Smith
Layout: Irregular Corridor Pavillion
Status: Converted
Opened: 1899
Closed: 1996

History

Manor Hospital was the first asylum to be built within the Epsom Cluster. Manor Hospital was designed by William C. Clifford Smith, architect to the London Borough Council, it was designed as an Irregular pavilion format due to the intention of it being a temporary site until the Hospital at Horton was finished. The site utilised the pre-existing Manor house as an administration building, the services were built to complement its style. However, the wards were built as temporary pavilions located along a central spine corridor; these temporary buildings were in use for over sixty years despite much protest from the Lunacy Commission. They were finally replaced in 1970 with bungalow style buildings. With the original planning of the hospital, the LCC and Secretary of State had expressed their wishes that the buildings were only used for five years, until there were enough beds to replace it.

The hospital opened in 1899 to house seven hundred harmless chronic females, with a further 100 males being brought in to provide the essential workforce needed for the hospital. At its peak during the mid sixties it housed twelve hundred patients, this number was to decline thereafter. It finally closed in 1996 and has since been redeveloped into a housing estate, with the Manor house and service buildings being retained

External Photos

Following images taken in February and September 2004:

Internal Photos

We have no internal photos of this hospital.

Records/Info

RECORDS

Hospital records are currently held at the Surrey History centre:  https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/a/A13531418

BURIALS/CEMETERY

Horton Cemetery served as a burial ground for all of the Epsom Cluster hospitals. Over 5 acres in size it is one of the largest abandoned hospital cemeteries in Europe. Burials continued at the site till 1955. In 1983 the land was sold to a developer and has since fell into total disrepair. The friends of horton cemetery have continued to fight for the land to be passed over to a charitable trust and for it to be restored to its former self.

Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/45aRkRc5yn4ruLPT7

Friends of Horton Cemetery: https://hortoncemetery.org/

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