St Lukes Hospital |
| Hob Uid: 1077221 | |
Location :
Greater London Authority
Islington
Non Civil Parish
|
| Grid Ref : TQ3259082480 |
| Summary : St Luke's Hospital for poor lunatics was founded in 1751 by a group of philanthropic Londoners; among them architect George Dance the Elder. He donated his services for the design of the original St Luke's premises in Moorfields. The overwhelming demand for the free care offered by the charitable institution resulted in talk of expanding the old facilities at Windmill-Hill, Moorfields. However, the City overruled the idea and a new site was chosen in Old Street with a competition held for the design of the new premises. It seems that James Gandon may have been the winner. His memoirs mention the winning of a hundred pound for 'the new Bethlehem Hospital' or the 'New Lunatic Asylum, London'. In 1778 George Dance the Younger, as the hospital surveyor, was requested to draw up plans for the new hospital. The foundation stone was laid in July 1782 with work completed in 1784 and the patients transferred from the old building on 1 January 1787. It was of three-storeys with the administrative offices in the centre and the patients' accommodation in the flanking wings. The cholera epidemic in London of 1832-3 saw a sick infirmary established in the grounds. This was later replaced by two rooms in the attic and the building in the ground was converted into the asylum chapel. The last patient to be discharged was in 1917 when the building was sold to the Bank of England as a printing works. In 1964 the building was demolished.In 1922 it was suggested that a new psychiatric unit should be set up and led to the third St Luke's Hospital being set up at Woodside Avenue, Muswell Hill in 1930. From 1948 onwards it became known as St Luke's Woodside. In 2011 the NHS Trust closed all of the wards in St Luke's Woodside except for an occupational therapy unit. At the time the building was up for sale. |
More information : St Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics was built in 1782-1784 in Old Street, Islington, London and was designed by the architect Charles Dance and John Soane, among others. The Hospital was founded to receive ‘poor insane persons’ and was designed to house about 300 patients. The original St Luke’s Hospital for Lunatics was first established in 1751 in Windmill-Hill on the north side of Moorfields. Patients were admitted on payment in 1754. (1)
By 1865 the hospital had around 160 patients although was now accepting cases from the middle classes rather than supporting the paupers that it has originally set out to help.
There were two gardens for exercise behind the main building separately for men and women. A treatment regime typically consisted of cold plunge baths and a focus on the gastrointestinal system.
By 1916 patients were being transferred to other institutions or their homes. The building was acquired by the Bank of England to become the St Luke’s Printing Works and was used for printing bank notes until the early 1950s. The building was demolished in 1963.
In 1922 it was suggested that a new psychiatric unit should be set up and led to the third St Luke’s Hospital being set up at Woodside Avenue, Muswell Hill in 1930. From 1948 onwards it became known as St Luke’s Woodside.
In 2011 the NHS Trust closed all of the wards in St Luke’s Woodside except for an occupational therapy unit. At the time the building was up for sale. (2)
The Administration Block at St Luke’s Hospital (for St Luke’s Woodside) is a grade II listed building. For further details on the designation see the statutory data. (3)
At the time of amending this record in 2012, access to information on the designation noted in source 3 above is available via the National Heritage List for England. (4)
According to English Heritage’s Corporate GIS, the Administration Block at St Luke’s Hospital lies in a Conservation Area. The National Grid Reference for the now demolished St Luke’s Hospital is: TQ32598248. The National Grid Reference for the Administration Block at St Luke’s Hospital (Woodside) is: TQ2836889225 (5) |