Merrifield Children's Unit (also known as Merryfield or Merrifields) was a residential children's and adolescents' psychiatric institution in the grounds of

Tone Vale Hospital Tone Vale Hospital was a psychiatric hospital located approximately to the north west of Norton Fitzwarren, near Taunton, Somerset, England, in what is now the village of Cotford St Luke. It covered a large catchment area, with patients origina ...

(an adult mental hospital) approximately north west of Norton Fitzwarren, near Taunton, Somerset, England, in what is now the village

Cotford St Luke Cotford St Luke is a village and civil parish in the district of Somerset West and Taunton, Somerset, England. Cotford St Luke is a new village that was established following the closure of Tone Vale Hospital and Cotford Asylum in the 1990s. The ...

History

The Merrifield Unit was established by

psychiatrist A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are physicians and evaluate patients to determine whether their sy ...

Dr Martin Frank (known as 'Jim') Bethell (''d.'' 1982) as a regional unit for the treatment of young people. By November 1961, it was catering for 36 'psychotic and maladjusted' children. In the mid-1970s, the Merrifield buildings were upgraded, and a substantial new extension was opened in March 1976 by Sir Desmond Pond. The Unit served the whole of South West England, and for much of its existence its management was under the control of Dr Bethell and nursing officer Donald Mackey.Hinton, David, & Clarke, Fred. (Eds.). (1997). ''The Tone Vale story: a century of care''. Bishop's Lydeard: Rocket Publishing. p. 43. Other

child psychiatry Child and adolescent psychiatry (or pediatric psychiatry) is a branch of psychiatry that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders in children, adolescents, and their families. It investigates the biopsychosocial fact ...

specialists associated with Merrifield included Dr Adriaan Bakker and Dr Frank Bayley. Of the Merrifield patients, one observer notes, "Some of the children, although highly disturbed, were extremely well read and educated." Tone Vale Hospital, Merrifield Unit's parent institution, was closed in 1995, as was Merrifield itself. The entire site is now occupied by the newly built village of

. Merrifield is succeeded by the Orchard Lodge Young People's Unit located in Cotford St Luke.

References and allusions in literature

In her memoir, ''The Light in My Mind'', Joyce Passmore writes of being admitted to Merrifield in 1957 at the age of 13 suffering with epilepsy, prior to being transferred to the main adult hospital. The novel ''Delivered Unto Lions''Austin, David. (2010). ''Delivered Unto Lions''. Dooagh, Ireland: CheckPoint Press. by David Austin is based on the experiences of a Merrifield patient in the 1970s.

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External links

*, which shows some of the former hospital buildings {{authority control Hospital buildings completed in 1961 Children's hospitals in the United Kingdom Former psychiatric hospitals in England Hospitals in Somerset 1995 disestablishments in England Defunct hospitals in England

History

References and allusions in literature

See also

References

External links