Lancaster Moor Hospital, formerly the Lancaster County Lunatic Asylum and Lancaster County Mental Hospital, was a mental hospital in Lancaster,

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

, England, which closed in 2000 (the mental health departments left in 1991, but others remained).

History

The main building, which was designed by Thomas Standen, was opened as the First Lancashire County Asylum in 1816. It was extended at various times until 1850, and is grade II*

listed Listed may refer to: * Listed, Bornholm, a fishing village on the Danish island of Bornholm * Listed (MMM program), a television show on MuchMoreMusic * Endangered species in biology * Listed building, in architecture, designation of a historicall ...

. A further building, which was designed by Arnold W. Kershaw in the gothic style and known as "the Annexe", was completed in 1883 and is grade II listed, as are its walls, railings, and gateways. The hospital's chapel, which was designed by

Edward Graham Paley Edward Graham Paley, usually known as E. G. Paley (3 September 1823 – 23 January 1895), was an English architect who practised in Lancaster, Lancashire, in the second half of the 19th century. After leaving school in 1838, he went to La ...

, was built in 1866 and is grade II listed. Campbell House, a facility for paying "gentlemen" patients, was completed in 1909. And the Ladies' Villa, Also Known as Ridge Lea, a facility for paying "lady" patients, was completed in 1916. The Ladies Villa was big enough to be classed as its very own small Mental Asylum. The hospital was a pioneering site for the humane treatment of the mentally ill with the introduction of treatments such as

electroconvulsive therapy Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a psychiatry, psychiatric treatment where a generalized seizure (without muscular convulsions) is electrically induced to manage refractory mental disorders.Rudorfer, MV, Henry, ME, Sackeim, HA (2003)"Electroco ...

(ECT). The writer

Alan Bennett Alan Bennett (born 9 May 1934) is an English actor, author, playwright and screenwriter. Over his distinguished entertainment career he has received numerous awards and honours including two BAFTA Awards, four Laurence Olivier Awards, and tw ...

describes his mother's treatment in the hospital in his memoirs. Following the introduction of

Care in the Community Care in the Community (also called "Community Care" or "Domiciliary Care") is a British policy of deinstitutionalisation, treating and caring for physically and mentally disabled people in their homes rather than in an institution. Institutional ca ...

in the early 1980s, the hospital went into a period of decline and closed in 2000; the Annexe and chapel have since been converted into apartments, and houses have been built in the grounds. The hospital was renamed as Lancashire County Mental Hospital in 1930, and as Lancaster Moor Hospital in 1948.

References

External links

* ''Index of locations of records of the hospital'' {{authority control Hospital buildings completed in 1816 Hospital buildings completed in 1883 Former psychiatric hospitals in England Hospitals established in 1816 Hospitals disestablished in 2000 Defunct hospitals in England Hospitals in Lancashire Buildings and structures in Lancaster, Lancashire Grade II* listed buildings in Lancashire Grade II* listed hospital buildings Grade II listed buildings in Lancashire Grade II listed hospital buildings 1816 establishments in England

History

See also

References

External links