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

NameLocationManaging CountyOriginal Name
All SaintsBirminghamWarwickshireFirst Birmingham Borough Asylum
BansteadBelmontMiddlesexThird (old) Middlesex County Asylum
Barnsley HallBromsgroveWorcestershireWorcester County Asylum
BarrowBarrow GurneyGloucestershireBristol City Mental Hospital
BedfordBedfordBedfordshireBedford Asylum
BexleyDartfordLondonSeventh London County Asylum, Dartford Heath
BroadgateBeverleyYorkshireEast Riding County Asylum
BrookwoodWokingSurreySecond Surrey County Asylum
CalderstonesClitheroeLancashireSixth Lancashire Asylum/ Calderstones Institution
Cane HillCoulsdonSurreyThird (old) Surrey County Asylum
Carlton HayesNarboroughLeicestershireLeicestershire and Rutland Asylum
CaterhamCaterhamLondonMetropolitan Asylums Board – Caterham Imbecile Asylum
Cefn CoedSwanseaGlamorganSwansea Borough Asylum
CentralHattonWarwickshireWarwickshire County Lunatic Asylum
Cherry KnowleRyhopeCounty DurhamSunderland Borough Asylum
ClayburyRedbridgeLondonFifth LCC Pauper Lunatic Asylum
CliftonYorkYorkshireCity of York and North and East Ridings Joint Asylum
Coney HillGloucesterGloucestershireSecond Gloucestershire County Asylum
Darenth ParkDartfordKentMetropolitan Asylums Board – Darenth Asylum and Schools
De La PoleWillerby, HullYorkshireKingston upon Hull Borough Asylum
DevaChesterCheshireFirst Cheshire County Lunatic Asylum
DigbyExeterDevonExeter City Lunatic Asylum
ExminsterExeterDevonDevon County Pauper Lunatic Asylum
FairfieldStotfoldBedfordshireBedford Lunatic Asylum
Fair MileCholseyBerkshireBerkshire Newbury and Reading Joint (Moulsford) Asylum
ForstonCharminsterDorsetFirst Dorsetshire County Asylum
FriernBarnetMiddlesexMiddlesex County Pauper Asylum, Colney Hatch
FulbournCambridgeCambridgeshireCambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Joint Counties Asylum
GarlandsCarletonCumberlandCumberland and Westmorland Joint Counties Asylum
GlanrhydBridgendGlamorganFirst Glamorgan County Asylum, Angleton
GlensideBristolGloucestershireBristol City Asylum
GoodmayesChadwellEssexWest Ham Borough Lunatic Asylum
GraylingwellChichesterSussexWest Sussex County Asylum
HaverfordwestHaverfordwestPembrokeshireHavefordwest Borough Asylum
HellinglyHellinglySussexEast Sussex Asylum
HellesdonNorfolkNorfolkSecond (new) Norwich Borough Asylum
HerrisonDorchesterDorsetSecond Dorset County Lunatic Asylum
High RoydsMenstonYorkshireWest Riding Asylum
Hill EndSt AlbansHertfordshireHertfordshire County Asylum
HollymoorBirminghamWarwickshireThird Birmingham City Asylum
HortonEpsomLondonSeventh London County Council Asylum
Horton RoadGloucesterGloucestershireFirst Gloucestershire County Asylum
HullKingston upon HullYorkshireHull and East Riding Refuge
KingswayDerbyDerbyshireDerby Borough Lunatic Asylum
KnowleFarehamHampshireFirst Hampshire County Lunatic Asylum
Lancaster MoorLancasterLancashireFirst Lancashire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum
LeavesdenAbbots LangleyHertfordshireMetropolitan Asylums Board – Leavesden Imbecile Asylum
LeicestershireLeicesterLeicestershireFirst Leicestershire Asylum
LittlemoreOxfordOxfordshireOxfordshire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum
Long GroveEpsomLondonTenth London County Asylum
ManorEpsomLondonSixth London County Asylum
MapperleyNottinghamNottinghamshireNottingham Borough Asylum
MaudsleyCamberwellLondonThe Maudsley Neurological Clearing Hospital
MendipWellsSomersetSomerset And Bath County Asylum
Mid WalesTalgarthBreconshireMid Wales Counties Mental Hospital
MiddlewoodWadsleyYorkshireSecond West Riding of Yorkshire County Asylum
MoorhavenPlymouthDevonPlymouth Borough Asylum
NaburnFulfordYorkshireYork City Asylum
NapsburySt AlbansMiddlesexSecond (new) Middlesex County Asylum
NetherneHooleySurreySurrey County Asylum
North WalesDenbighDenbighshireNorth Wales Counties Lunatic Asylum
NorwichNorwichNorfolkFirst (old) Norwich Borough Asylum
OakwoodMaidstoneKentFirst Kent County Asylum
ParcBridgendGlamorganSecond Glamorganshire Asylum, Parc Gwyllt
Park PrewettSherborne St.JohnHampshireSecond Hampshire County Lunatic Asylum
ParksideMacclesfieldCheshireSecond Cheshire County Asylum
PasturesDerbyDerbyshireDerbyshire County Asylum
Pen-Y-FalAbergavennyMonmouthshireJoint Counties Lunatic Asylum
PowickPowickWorcestershireFirst Worcestershire County Lunatic Asylum
PrestwichManchesterLancashireSecond Lancashire County Asylum
RainhillPrescotLancashireThird Lancashire County Asylum
RaucebySleafordLincolnshireKesteven County Asylum
RoundwayDevizesWiltshireWiltshire County Asylum
Rubery HillBirminghamWarwickshireSecond Birmingham Borough Asylum
RunwellChelmsfordEssexRunwell Mental Hospital
SaxondaleNottinghamNottinghamshireSecond Nottinghamshire County Asylum
Scalebor ParkBurley In WharfedaleYorkshireWest Riding Private Asylum (Scalebor Park)
SeverallsColchesterEssexSecond Essex County Asylum
SheltonShrewsburyShropshireShropshire and Wenlock Borough Lunatic Asylum
ShenleyRadlettMiddlesexThird (new) Middlesex County Mental Hospital
SneintonNottinghamNottinghamshireNottingham Asylum
SpringfieldWandsworthSurreySurrey County Asylum
St Andrew’sNorwichNorfolkNorfolk County Lunatic Asylum
St Audry’sMeltonSuffolkSuffolk County Asylum for Pauper Lunatics
St Augustine’sCharthamKentSecond Kent County Asylum
St Bernard’sEalingMiddlesexMiddlesex County Asylum/Hanwell Asylum
St Cadoc’sNewportMonmouthshireNewport Borough Mental Hospital
St Clement’sIpswichSuffolkIpswich Borough Mental Hospital
St CrispinDustonNorthamptonshireNorthampton County Lunatic Asylum
St David’sCarmarthenCarmarthenshireThe United Lunatic Asylum for Cardigan, Carmarthen, Glamorgan and Pembroke
St Ebba’sEpsomLondonEwell Epileptic Colony
St Edward’sCheddletonStaffordshireThird Staffordshire County Asylum
St FrancisHaywards HeathSussexSussex County Asylum
St George’s (Stafford)StaffordStaffordshireFirst Staffordshire County Lunatic Asylum
St George’s (Morpeth)MorpethNorthumberlandCounty Pauper Lunatic Asylum for Northumberland
St James’PortsmouthHampshirePortsmouth Borough Asylum
St John’s (Bracebridge Heath)Bracebridge HeathLincolnshireLincolnshire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum
St John’s (Stone)StoneBuckinghamshireBuckinghamshire County Lunatic Asylum
St Lawrence’sBodminCornwallCornwall County Lunatic Asylum
St Luke’sMiddlesbroughYorkshireMiddlesbrough Borough Asylum
St Martin’sCanterburyKentCanterbury Borough Asylum
St Mary’s (Burghill)BurghillHerefordshireHerefordshire County Lunatic Asylum
St Mary’s (North Saltwick)StanningtonCounty DurhamGateshead Borough Asylum
St Matthew’sBurntwoodStaffordshireSecond Staffordshire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum
St Nicholas’sCoxlodgeNorthumberlandNewcastle upon Tyne Borough Lunatic Asylum
Stanley RoydWakefieldYorkshireWest Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum
Stone HouseDartfordKentCity of London Lunatic Asylum
Storthes HallKirkburtonYorkshireFourth West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum
The TowersHumberstoneLeicestershireLeicester Borough Lunatic Asylum
Tone ValeTauntonSomersetSomerset County Asylum
Tooting BecTootingLondonMetropolitan Asylums Board – Tooting Bec Asylum
WarleyBrentwoodEssexEssex County Lunatic Asylum
Warlingham ParkChelshamSurreyCroydon Borough Asylum
West ParkEpsomLondonEleventh London County Mental Hospital
WhitchurchWhitchurchGlamorganCardiff City Mental Hospital
WhitecroftNewport (IOW)HampshireIsle of Wight County Asylum
WhittinghamPrestonLancashireFourth Lancashire County Asylum
WintertonSedgefieldCounty DurhamDurham County Asylum
WinwickWarringtonLancashireFifth Lancashire County Asylum

Other Institutions

NameTypeLocationManaging CountyOriginal Name
Ashworth HospitalCriminal AsylumLiverpoolLancashireMoss Side Hospital
Barnwood House HospitalPrivate AsylumGloucesterGloucestershireBarnwood House Asylum
Bethel HospitalSubscription AsylumNorwichNorwichBethel Hospital for Lunatics
Bethlem Royal HospitalSubscription AsylumLondonLondonThe Priory of St Mary of Bethlehem; Our Lady of Bethlehem
Bethnal House AsylumLicensed MadhouseBethnal GreenLondonBethnal Green Asylum
Bootham Park HospitalSubscription AsylumYorkYorkshireYork Lunatic Asylum Asylum
Brentry Hospitalex Inebriate ReformatoryHenburyGloucestershireBrentry Colony for Inebriates
Broadmoor HospitalCriminal AsylumCrowthorneBerkshireBroadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum
Camberwell House AsylumLicensed MadhouseCamberwellLondonFormer Royal Naval School
Cheadle Royal HospitalSubscription AsylumCheadleCheshireManchester’s Royal Lunatic Asylum
Coton Hill HospitalPrivate AsylumStaffordStaffordshireCoton Hill Institution for the Insane
Fountain Hospitalex Fever HospitalTootingLondonMetropolitan Asylums Board – Fountain Fever Hospital
Grove Hall AsylumLicensed MadhouseBowLondonGrove Hall Establishment
Haydock Lodge AsylumLicensed MadhouseNewton le WillowsLancashireHaydock Lodge Lunatic Asylum
Hoxton House AsylumLicensed MadhouseHoxtonLondonHoxton Madhouse
Mary Dendy HospitalCertified InstitutionGreat WarfordCheshireSandlebridge Boarding School and Homes
Middlefield Hall HospitalPrivate AsylumKnowleWarwickshireMidland Counties Asylum for Idiots and Imbeciles
Normansfield HospitalPrivate AsylumKingstonLondonNormansfield Private Asylum for Idiots
Old Manor HospitalPrivate MadhouseSalisburyWiltshireFisherton House Asylum for Lunatics
Peckham House AsylumLicensed MadhousePeckhamLondonPeckham House Lunatic Asylum
Princess Christian’s HospitalCertified InstitutionHildenboroughKentPrincess Christian’s Farm Colony
Rampton HospitalCriminal AsylumRetfordNottinghamshireRampton Criminal Lunatic Asylum
Royal Albert HospitalSubscription AsylumLancasterLancashireNorthern Counties Asylum for Idiots
Royal Earlswood HospitalSubscription AsylumRedhillSurreyEarlswood Asylum for Idiots
Royal Eastern Counties HospitalSubscription AsylumColchesterEssexEastern Counties Asylum for Idiots
Royal Holloway HospitalPrivate AsylumVirginia WaterSurreySt. Ann’s Heath Asylum
Royal Western Counties HospitalSubscription AsylumStarcrossDevonWestern Counties Idiot Asylum
St Andrew’s HospitalSubscription AsylumNorthamptonNorthamptonshirePauper and Private Asylum for Northampton
St Luke’s HospitalSubscription AsylumLondonLondonSt Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics
Stoke Park HospitalCertified InstititutionStoke GiffordGloucestershireStoke Park Colony for the Mentally Defective
The Coppice HospitalSubscription AsylumNottinghamNottinghamshireThe Coppice Private Asylum
The Lawn HospitalSubscription AsylumLincolnLincolnshireLincoln Lunatic Asylum
The RetreatPrivate AsylumYorkYorkshireThe Retreat
Warneford HospitalSubscription AsylumHeadingtonOxfordshireRadcliffe Lunatic Asylum
Whittington Hall HospitalCertified InstitutionChesterfieldDerbyshireWhittington Hall Institution
Wonford HospitalSubscription AsylumExeterDevonBowhill House, St Thomas’ Hospital/ Wonford House Asylum

Scottish Asylums

This is a basic list of the Scottish District Asylums created as a result of the Lunacy (Scotland) Act, 1857. It’s work in progress at this stage and may not be 100% correct. We hope in time to add pages/more information as we get it. Please email us if you have any information that maybe of help!

NameBuiltOriginal Name
Glasgow City1814 
Crichton Royal1839 
Gartnavel1843 
Southern Counties1849Dumfries & Galloway District Asylum
Royal Cornhill1852Aberdeen District Asylum
Sunnyside Royal1858Montrose District Asylum
Craig Dunain1864Northern Counties Asylum
Argyll & Bute1864Argyll District Asylum
Ladysbridge1865Banff District Asylum
Herdmanflat1866Haddington District Asylum
Stratheden1866Fife & Kinross District Asylum
Bellsdyke1869Stirling District Asylum
Murthly1871Perth District Asylum
Dingleton1872Roxburgh, Berwick & Selkirk District Asylum
Rosslynlee1874East Lothian & Peebles District Asylum
Woodilee1875Barony Parochial Asylum
Ailsa1878Ayrshire District Asylum
Ravenscraig1879Greenock District Asylum
Royal Liff1882Dundee District Asylum
Hartwood1895Lanarkshire District Asylum
Leverndale1895Govan District Asylum
Gartloch1896Glasgow District Asylum
Bangour Village1904West Lothian District Asylum
Dykebar1909Renfrew District Asylum
keyboard_arrow_up