Rookwood Hospital ( cy, Ysbyty Rookwood) is a rehabilitation hospital situated in

Llandaff Llandaff (; cy, Llandaf ; from 'church' and ''River Taff, Taf'') is a district, Community (Wales), community and coterminous electoral ward in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It was incorporated into the city in 1922. It is the seat of ...

, in the city of

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

in South

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

. It is managed by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

History

Rookwood was built for Colonel Sir Edward Hill in 1886; he, and subsequently Lady Hill, lived there until 1917. The name 'Rookwood' was given to the house during its course of construction by Lady Hill. Before her marriage she was brought to see the building operations and was asked to find a suitable name for it. When she came to the property a number of

rooks Rook (''Corvus frugilegus'') is a bird of the corvid family. Rook or rooks may also refer to: Games *Rook (chess), a piece in chess *Rook (card game), a trick-taking card game Military *Sukhoi Su-25 or Rook, a close air support aircraft * USS ...

were flying overhead and she immediately thought of 'Rookwood', and decided that should be the name. In 1918 Rookwood was taken over for use as a convalescent home. At the end of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

it was purchased by Sir Lawrence Phillips and presented to the ministry as a home for

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

paraplegic pensioner cases. After this it was used by the

University Hospital of Wales University Hospital of Wales ( cy, Ysbyty Athrofaol Cymru) (UHW), also known as the Heath Hospital, is a major 1,000-bed hospital in the Heath district of Cardiff, Wales. UHW is a teaching hospital of Cardiff University School of Medicine. Constr ...

. In 1932, after being extended, it became a general hospital. During the 1970s and 1980s Rookwood had eight wards caring for people with spinal injuries,

brain injury An injury is any physiological damage to living tissue caused by immediate physical stress. An injury can occur intentionally or unintentionally and may be caused by blunt trauma, penetrating trauma, burning, toxic exposure, asphyxiation, or o ...

, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...

. The hospital gardens and grounds are Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.

Services

Rookwood provides specialist neurological and spinal rehabilitation services.

Hospital radio

Rookwood Hospital is the home to Rookwood Sound Hospital Radio, which broadcasts at the site and to the University Hospital Llandough and is where radio presenter

Huw Stephens Huw Meredydd Stephens (born 25 May 1981) is a Welsh radio and television presenter, currently broadcasting on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 6 Music. Stephens founded the Sŵn music festival with John Rostron and the yearly s ...

began his career at 14.

References

External links

Rookwood Hospital
{{authority control Cardiff and Vale University Health Board Houses completed in 1886 NHS hospitals in Wales Hospitals in Cardiff Hospitals established in 1918 Registered historic parks and gardens in Cardiff