St. Georges Asylum
Click To Expand
St. Georges Asylum was originally called Northumberland County Asyulm, founded in October 1853 and was designed by Henry Welch, Architect to the County of Northumberland. Assisted by Thomas Robson, the design was of a corridor layout and was opened with six males and six females from Bensham Asylum in Gateshead.
The asylum was built at a cost of £58,000.00 to house 200 patients but in 1883 approval was given by the Commissioners in Lunacy to enlarge the asylum, increasing the accommodation for an additional 152 patients, 76 males and 76 females together with a new dinning hall at a cost of £27,491.00
By 1889 the asylum housed over 500 patients, a year later in 1890 the Lunacy Act was passed and the asylum renamed to the Northumberland County Mental Hospital.
In 1899 the asylum had the highest number of deaths since opening due to an epidemic of influenza.118 patients died as a result, 23% of this is down to a condition known as General Paralysis of the Insane.
As the 1900s approached things improved at the asylum and in 1902 Electricity was installed and a further 68 acres of land purchased, as well as a newly built isolation ward.
In 1909 the asylum celebrated its 50th anniversery with a population now of 792 patients, this exceeded to over 800 over the next three years.
In 1928 the asylum recieved a Telephone system and also saw the completion of a new nurses block.
From the 1920s through to the 1950s a Nurse Training School and self generated Electricity supply are built, the asylum also recieves a visit from the Minister of Health and 1,223 patients are now accommodated within the grounds of the asylum.
The aslyum continued operating up until 1995 and some of the smaller buildings until 2004, the entire site finally closed in 2006 with all patients being transferred directly next door to brand new buildings with more upto date facilities.
Since 2006 the site has been derelict and due to its location still within an active hospital it has remained totally undamaged, there are no signs of vandalism any where which is always nice to see.
Inside is a mixture of old and new with natural decay creeping in at random intervals. By far the most spectacular sight is the main hall which is untouched, the place is a cross between High Royds and St. Marys really but still very interesting.
