The Asylum List
In 1914 there were over one hundred thousand patients within over one hundred mental institutions around the United Kingdom, the majority of these institutions were built since the passing of the County Asylum / Lunacy Act in 1845. With the passing of the care in the community act in the 1980’s, many of these institutions have since closed; only a few of them remain open and in the use for mental health services.
The original county asylums list was first compiled by Dr. Jeremy Taylor for his definitive publication Hospital And Asylum Architecture 1840-1914 then updated by both Simon Cornwell and Peter Cracknell. We have since modified this list to what we believe to be the true ‘County Asylum’ list for England and Wales.
The list comprises of 119 ‘County Asylums’ in both England and Wales. We have also added a further list for additional asylums/hospitals that we do not believe come under the ‘County Asylum’ list but are noteworthy inclusions to the website along with a basic list of the asylums in Scotland.
We will endeavour to update/add additional pages as we find time.
↓ Click on the asylum name for individual history & photos
County Asylums
Name | Location | Managing County | Original Name |
---|---|---|---|
All Saints | Birmingham | Warwickshire | First Birmingham Borough Asylum |
Banstead | Belmont | Middlesex | Third (old) Middlesex County Asylum |
Barnsley Hall | Bromsgrove | Worcestershire | Worcester County Asylum |
Barrow | Barrow Gurney | Gloucestershire | Bristol City Mental Hospital |
Bedford | Bedford | Bedfordshire | Bedford Asylum |
Bexley | Dartford | London | Seventh London County Asylum, Dartford Heath |
Broadgate | Beverley | Yorkshire | East Riding County Asylum |
Brookwood | Woking | Surrey | Second Surrey County Asylum |
Calderstones | Clitheroe | Lancashire | Sixth Lancashire Asylum/ Calderstones Institution |
Cane Hill | Coulsdon | Surrey | Third (old) Surrey County Asylum |
Carlton Hayes | Narborough | Leicestershire | Leicestershire and Rutland Asylum |
Caterham | Caterham | London | Metropolitan Asylums Board – Caterham Imbecile Asylum |
Cefn Coed | Swansea | Glamorgan | Swansea Borough Asylum |
Central | Hatton | Warwickshire | Warwickshire County Lunatic Asylum |
Cherry Knowle | Ryhope | County Durham | Sunderland Borough Asylum |
Claybury | Redbridge | London | Fifth LCC Pauper Lunatic Asylum |
Clifton | York | Yorkshire | City of York and North and East Ridings Joint Asylum |
Coney Hill | Gloucester | Gloucestershire | Second Gloucestershire County Asylum |
Darenth Park | Dartford | Kent | Metropolitan Asylums Board – Darenth Asylum and Schools |
De La Pole | Willerby, Hull | Yorkshire | Kingston upon Hull Borough Asylum |
Deva | Chester | Cheshire | First Cheshire County Lunatic Asylum |
Digby | Exeter | Devon | Exeter City Lunatic Asylum |
Exminster | Exeter | Devon | Devon County Pauper Lunatic Asylum |
Fairfield | Stotfold | Bedfordshire | Bedford Lunatic Asylum |
Fair Mile | Cholsey | Berkshire | Berkshire Newbury and Reading Joint (Moulsford) Asylum |
Forston | Charminster | Dorset | First Dorsetshire County Asylum |
Friern | Barnet | Middlesex | Middlesex County Pauper Asylum, Colney Hatch |
Fulbourn | Cambridge | Cambridgeshire | Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Joint Counties Asylum |
Garlands | Carleton | Cumberland | Cumberland and Westmorland Joint Counties Asylum |
Glanrhyd | Bridgend | Glamorgan | First Glamorgan County Asylum, Angleton |
Glenside | Bristol | Gloucestershire | Bristol City Asylum |
Goodmayes | Chadwell | Essex | West Ham Borough Lunatic Asylum |
Graylingwell | Chichester | Sussex | West Sussex County Asylum |
Haverfordwest | Haverfordwest | Pembrokeshire | Havefordwest Borough Asylum |
Hellingly | Hellingly | Sussex | East Sussex Asylum |
Hellesdon | Norfolk | Norfolk | Second (new) Norwich Borough Asylum |
Herrison | Dorchester | Dorset | Second Dorset County Lunatic Asylum |
High Royds | Menston | Yorkshire | West Riding Asylum |
Hill End | St Albans | Hertfordshire | Hertfordshire County Asylum |
Hollymoor | Birmingham | Warwickshire | Third Birmingham City Asylum |
Horton | Epsom | London | Seventh London County Council Asylum |
Horton Road | Gloucester | Gloucestershire | First Gloucestershire County Asylum |
Hull | Kingston upon Hull | Yorkshire | Hull and East Riding Refuge |
Kingsway | Derby | Derbyshire | Derby Borough Lunatic Asylum |
Knowle | Fareham | Hampshire | First Hampshire County Lunatic Asylum |
Lancaster Moor | Lancaster | Lancashire | First Lancashire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum |
Leavesden | Abbots Langley | Hertfordshire | Metropolitan Asylums Board – Leavesden Imbecile Asylum |
Leicestershire | Leicester | Leicestershire | First Leicestershire Asylum |
Littlemore | Oxford | Oxfordshire | Oxfordshire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum |
Long Grove | Epsom | London | Tenth London County Asylum |
Manor | Epsom | London | Sixth London County Asylum |
Mapperley | Nottingham | Nottinghamshire | Nottingham Borough Asylum |
Maudsley | Camberwell | London | The Maudsley Neurological Clearing Hospital |
Mendip | Wells | Somerset | Somerset And Bath County Asylum |
Mid Wales | Talgarth | Breconshire | Mid Wales Counties Mental Hospital |
Middlewood | Wadsley | Yorkshire | Second West Riding of Yorkshire County Asylum |
Moorhaven | Plymouth | Devon | Plymouth Borough Asylum |
Naburn | Fulford | Yorkshire | York City Asylum |
Napsbury | St Albans | Middlesex | Second (new) Middlesex County Asylum |
Netherne | Hooley | Surrey | Surrey County Asylum |
North Wales | Denbigh | Denbighshire | North Wales Counties Lunatic Asylum |
Norwich | Norwich | Norfolk | First (old) Norwich Borough Asylum |
Oakwood | Maidstone | Kent | First Kent County Asylum |
Parc | Bridgend | Glamorgan | Second Glamorganshire Asylum, Parc Gwyllt |
Park Prewett | Sherborne St.John | Hampshire | Second Hampshire County Lunatic Asylum |
Parkside | Macclesfield | Cheshire | Second Cheshire County Asylum |
Pastures | Derby | Derbyshire | Derbyshire County Asylum |
Pen-Y-Fal | Abergavenny | Monmouthshire | Joint Counties Lunatic Asylum |
Powick | Powick | Worcestershire | First Worcestershire County Lunatic Asylum |
Prestwich | Manchester | Lancashire | Second Lancashire County Asylum |
Rainhill | Prescot | Lancashire | Third Lancashire County Asylum |
Rauceby | Sleaford | Lincolnshire | Kesteven County Asylum |
Roundway | Devizes | Wiltshire | Wiltshire County Asylum |
Rubery Hill | Birmingham | Warwickshire | Second Birmingham Borough Asylum |
Runwell | Chelmsford | Essex | Runwell Mental Hospital |
Saxondale | Nottingham | Nottinghamshire | Second Nottinghamshire County Asylum |
Scalebor Park | Burley In Wharfedale | Yorkshire | West Riding Private Asylum (Scalebor Park) |
Severalls | Colchester | Essex | Second Essex County Asylum |
Shelton | Shrewsbury | Shropshire | Shropshire and Wenlock Borough Lunatic Asylum |
Shenley | Radlett | Middlesex | Third (new) Middlesex County Mental Hospital |
Sneinton | Nottingham | Nottinghamshire | Nottingham Asylum |
Springfield | Wandsworth | Surrey | Surrey County Asylum |
St Andrew’s | Norwich | Norfolk | Norfolk County Lunatic Asylum |
St Audry’s | Melton | Suffolk | Suffolk County Asylum for Pauper Lunatics |
St Augustine’s | Chartham | Kent | Second Kent County Asylum |
St Bernard’s | Ealing | Middlesex | Middlesex County Asylum/Hanwell Asylum |
St Cadoc’s | Newport | Monmouthshire | Newport Borough Mental Hospital |
St Clement’s | Ipswich | Suffolk | Ipswich Borough Mental Hospital |
St Crispin | Duston | Northamptonshire | Northampton County Lunatic Asylum |
St David’s | Carmarthen | Carmarthenshire | The United Lunatic Asylum for Cardigan, Carmarthen, Glamorgan and Pembroke |
St Ebba’s | Epsom | London | Ewell Epileptic Colony |
St Edward’s | Cheddleton | Staffordshire | Third Staffordshire County Asylum |
St Francis | Haywards Heath | Sussex | Sussex County Asylum |
St George’s (Stafford) | Stafford | Staffordshire | First Staffordshire County Lunatic Asylum |
St George’s (Morpeth) | Morpeth | Northumberland | County Pauper Lunatic Asylum for Northumberland |
St James’ | Portsmouth | Hampshire | Portsmouth Borough Asylum |
St John’s (Bracebridge Heath) | Bracebridge Heath | Lincolnshire | Lincolnshire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum |
St John’s (Stone) | Stone | Buckinghamshire | Buckinghamshire County Lunatic Asylum |
St Lawrence’s | Bodmin | Cornwall | Cornwall County Lunatic Asylum |
St Luke’s | Middlesbrough | Yorkshire | Middlesbrough Borough Asylum |
St Martin’s | Canterbury | Kent | Canterbury Borough Asylum |
St Mary’s (Burghill) | Burghill | Herefordshire | Herefordshire County Lunatic Asylum |
St Mary’s (North Saltwick) | Stannington | County Durham | Gateshead Borough Asylum |
St Matthew’s | Burntwood | Staffordshire | Second Staffordshire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum |
St Nicholas’s | Coxlodge | Northumberland | Newcastle upon Tyne Borough Lunatic Asylum |
Stanley Royd | Wakefield | Yorkshire | West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum |
Stone House | Dartford | Kent | City of London Lunatic Asylum |
Storthes Hall | Kirkburton | Yorkshire | Fourth West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum |
The Towers | Humberstone | Leicestershire | Leicester Borough Lunatic Asylum |
Tone Vale | Taunton | Somerset | Somerset County Asylum |
Tooting Bec | Tooting | London | Metropolitan Asylums Board – Tooting Bec Asylum |
Warley | Brentwood | Essex | Essex County Lunatic Asylum |
Warlingham Park | Chelsham | Surrey | Croydon Borough Asylum |
West Park | Epsom | London | Eleventh London County Mental Hospital |
Whitchurch | Whitchurch | Glamorgan | Cardiff City Mental Hospital |
Whitecroft | Newport (IOW) | Hampshire | Isle of Wight County Asylum |
Whittingham | Preston | Lancashire | Fourth Lancashire County Asylum |
Winterton | Sedgefield | County Durham | Durham County Asylum |
Winwick | Warrington | Lancashire | Fifth Lancashire County Asylum |
Other Institutions
Name | Type | Location | Managing County | Original Name |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ashworth Hospital | Criminal Asylum | Liverpool | Lancashire | Moss Side Hospital |
Barnwood House Hospital | Private Asylum | Gloucester | Gloucestershire | Barnwood House Asylum |
Bethel Hospital | Subscription Asylum | Norwich | Norwich | Bethel Hospital for Lunatics |
Bethlem Royal Hospital | Subscription Asylum | London | London | The Priory of St Mary of Bethlehem; Our Lady of Bethlehem |
Bethnal House Asylum | Licensed Madhouse | Bethnal Green | London | Bethnal Green Asylum |
Bootham Park Hospital | Subscription Asylum | York | Yorkshire | York Lunatic Asylum Asylum |
Brentry Hospital | ex Inebriate Reformatory | Henbury | Gloucestershire | Brentry Colony for Inebriates |
Broadmoor Hospital | Criminal Asylum | Crowthorne | Berkshire | Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum |
Camberwell House Asylum | Licensed Madhouse | Camberwell | London | Former Royal Naval School |
Cheadle Royal Hospital | Subscription Asylum | Cheadle | Cheshire | Manchester’s Royal Lunatic Asylum |
Coton Hill Hospital | Private Asylum | Stafford | Staffordshire | Coton Hill Institution for the Insane |
Fountain Hospital | ex Fever Hospital | Tooting | London | Metropolitan Asylums Board – Fountain Fever Hospital |
Grove Hall Asylum | Licensed Madhouse | Bow | London | Grove Hall Establishment |
Haydock Lodge Asylum | Licensed Madhouse | Newton le Willows | Lancashire | Haydock Lodge Lunatic Asylum |
Hoxton House Asylum | Licensed Madhouse | Hoxton | London | Hoxton Madhouse |
Mary Dendy Hospital | Certified Institution | Great Warford | Cheshire | Sandlebridge Boarding School and Homes |
Middlefield Hall Hospital | Private Asylum | Knowle | Warwickshire | Midland Counties Asylum for Idiots and Imbeciles |
Normansfield Hospital | Private Asylum | Kingston | London | Normansfield Private Asylum for Idiots |
Old Manor Hospital | Private Madhouse | Salisbury | Wiltshire | Fisherton House Asylum for Lunatics |
Peckham House Asylum | Licensed Madhouse | Peckham | London | Peckham House Lunatic Asylum |
Princess Christian’s Hospital | Certified Institution | Hildenborough | Kent | Princess Christian’s Farm Colony |
Rampton Hospital | Criminal Asylum | Retford | Nottinghamshire | Rampton Criminal Lunatic Asylum |
Royal Albert Hospital | Subscription Asylum | Lancaster | Lancashire | Northern Counties Asylum for Idiots |
Royal Earlswood Hospital | Subscription Asylum | Redhill | Surrey | Earlswood Asylum for Idiots |
Royal Eastern Counties Hospital | Subscription Asylum | Colchester | Essex | Eastern Counties Asylum for Idiots |
Royal Holloway Hospital | Private Asylum | Virginia Water | Surrey | St. Ann’s Heath Asylum |
Royal Western Counties Hospital | Subscription Asylum | Starcross | Devon | Western Counties Idiot Asylum |
St Andrew’s Hospital | Subscription Asylum | Northampton | Northamptonshire | Pauper and Private Asylum for Northampton |
St Luke’s Hospital | Subscription Asylum | London | London | St Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics |
Stoke Park Hospital | Certified Instititution | Stoke Gifford | Gloucestershire | Stoke Park Colony for the Mentally Defective |
The Coppice Hospital | Subscription Asylum | Nottingham | Nottinghamshire | The Coppice Private Asylum |
The Lawn Hospital | Subscription Asylum | Lincoln | Lincolnshire | Lincoln Lunatic Asylum |
The Retreat | Private Asylum | York | Yorkshire | The Retreat |
Warneford Hospital | Subscription Asylum | Headington | Oxfordshire | Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum |
Whittington Hall Hospital | Certified Institution | Chesterfield | Derbyshire | Whittington Hall Institution |
Wonford Hospital | Subscription Asylum | Exeter | Devon | Bowhill House, St Thomas’ Hospital/ Wonford House Asylum |
Scottish Asylums
Name | Built | Original Name |
---|---|---|
Glasgow City | 1814 | |
Crichton Royal | 1839 | |
Gartnavel | 1843 | |
Southern Counties | 1849 | Dumfries & Galloway District Asylum |
Royal Cornhill | 1852 | Aberdeen District Asylum |
Sunnyside Royal | 1858 | Montrose District Asylum |
Craig Dunain | 1864 | Northern Counties Asylum |
Argyll & Bute | 1864 | Argyll District Asylum |
Ladysbridge | 1865 | Banff District Asylum |
Herdmanflat | 1866 | Haddington District Asylum |
Stratheden | 1866 | Fife & Kinross District Asylum |
Bellsdyke | 1869 | Stirling District Asylum |
Murthly | 1871 | Perth District Asylum |
Dingleton | 1872 | Roxburgh, Berwick & Selkirk District Asylum |
Rosslynlee | 1874 | East Lothian & Peebles District Asylum |
Woodilee | 1875 | Barony Parochial Asylum |
Ailsa | 1878 | Ayrshire District Asylum |
Ravenscraig | 1879 | Greenock District Asylum |
Royal Liff | 1882 | Dundee District Asylum |
Hartwood | 1895 | Lanarkshire District Asylum |
Leverndale | 1895 | Govan District Asylum |
Gartloch | 1896 | Glasgow District Asylum |
Bangour Village | 1904 | West Lothian District Asylum |
Dykebar | 1909 | Renfrew District Asylum |