Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine the impact that Barnwood House Hospital, a private mental asylum, had on the parish. Little now remains; we are left with just a few of the peripheral buildings and the memories of those who worked there. Not only did the Hospital cover over 200 acres, but it was also a significant local employer and an important institution at the forefront of the treatment of mental illness.

Its history began around 1800, during a time of enlightenment and change in the care of the mentally sick. Until then, those with mental problems had either been confined to prison or placed in general wards at the Infirmary. The governors of Gloucestershire Infirmary, and others, decided to raise money in order to build an asylum specifically for the care of those suffering from mental illness. One of the Gloucester worthies involved in this activity was the prison reformer Sir George Onesiphorus Paul.

Funds were difficult to obtain and it was not until legislation changed and thereby allowed the County to fund from the rates a lunatic asylum for paupers, that the subscribers were able to undertake a joint venture with the County to open, in 1823, Gloucestershire’s first lunatic asylum. This was the Wotton Asylum in Horton Road.

The aim of the subscribers was to ensure that patients received the best care and treatment in an environment to which they were normally accustomed. Payment for these services would be made according to the means of each patient.

However, by 1856, both the subscribers and the County felt that the arrangement at Horton Road did not meet their respective needs. By mutual agreement the County bought out the subscribers who then set about finding an alternative site.  It was under the capable management of the chairman at this time, William Henry Hyett from Painswick, that the subscribers found an ideal property nearby: thus they purchased Barnwood House in February 1858. 

The front of the Hospital prior to 1896.

Barnwood House was originally built as a gentleman’s residence in the early years of the 1800s by Robert Morris, who lived nearby in Barnwood Court. Situated on land to the south of the main road, its subsequent owners extended both the house and the lands. In 1838 it was described as “beautifully situated on a lawn fronting to the south commanding extensive views of the adjacent country. It had a greenhouse, walled kitchen garden, and numerous fruit trees and the land occupied some 70 acres”.

Barnwood House Hospital opened as an asylum for 70 patients in January 1860.  The two wings of the original building had been extended, one to house male patients and the other female patients. The central block served both as a communal area and as the residence for the Medical Superintendent and his family.

During the following years the building was extended both westward towards Church Lane and eastward towards Upton Lane. Pictures taken at the time show that this extension must have happened in stages, as the need for expansion arose, because the frontage is by no means uniform. Differing roof alignments and variations in style imply that this was a piecemeal development which had probably reached its conclusion by the 1930s.

The front again, but this time after the 1896 rebuild of the central block.

There were four categories of patients and they were housed appropriately. Category Four patients required constant supervision and lived in secure wards at either end of the main building. Category One patients were far less constrained and were able to wander around the grounds and take advantage of the recreational facilities offered.

The Hospital was forever innovative and it was recognised that patients often reached a stage in their treatment when, prior to discharge, they were capable of looking after themselves. Also, ever mindful of the status of many of their patients, the trustees recognised that it was socially more acceptable to some, and to their families, that they were housed in a building that was not called a mental institution. Therefore, in order to develop these philosophies, a number of other buildings were purchased.

North Cottage (now occupied by Emmaus), the Manor House and Lynthorpe were three such local properties.

This large, rather imposing, building was situated on the main road opposite the Reading Room. 

Called “Lynthorpe”, it was originally a private residence. 

After the closure of the Hospital it was demolished and the site is now occupied by The Church of Latter Day Saints.

Further away, the Hospital acquired Crickley Court, an old coaching inn dating from 1650 and situated at the bottom of Crickley Hill. Opened in 1938, it housed seven ladies and eventually closed about 1958. Seven Springs House (now Sandford School), which was purchased at about the same time, was probably never used as accommodation.

Even further away, and dating from before 1672, was The Wilderness. Purchased by the Hospital sometime before 1884, it housed up to fifteen ladies. Being 900 feet above sea level, and in the Forest of Dean, it offered the Hospital ideal sanatorium conditions. The building closed in 1919 and the ladies were transferred to the Manor House.

Finally, Hume Towers in Bournemouth was purchased in 1954 for use as a seaside holiday home. This fine building, with William Morris stained glass windows, was situated in extensive grounds. It housed up to forty-five patients and offered a welcome respite by the seaside. It closed in 1966.

Hume Towers at Bournemouth.

In the 1930s, the trustees were concerned that the development of factories in Brockworth and the encroachment of both Gloucester and Hucclecote housing were liable to affect the tranquil and rural setting of the Hospital. Therefore plans were made to move to Woodchester Park. Although eleven patients were moved there, and the two farms were managed, this venture was not successful.

Whilst the Hospital continued to expand during the post war years, nationally changes were occurring which would eventually lead to its closure. The fledgling National Health Service with its improving care for those with mental health problems meant that the need for private provision was decreasing. The fact that Barnwood House was “disclaimed” under the National Health Service Act, 1946, and thus remained a private body under the ownership and administration of its governors, merely delayed its inevitable demise.

Barnwood House patients who had the financial resources to meet the fees had always subsidised the less well off patients. But there were now even fewer patients who could afford the costs and income was falling. In only four of the post war years did the total income from patients pay for the cost of their care. The shortfall had to be obtained from other sources, such as dividends from the Hospital’s investments. Much of the large building was becoming unoccupied and underutilised.

Another factor that began to exercise the minds of the Hospital’s management was the non-contributory pension scheme that had been in existence for many years. The effect of rampant inflation meant that the cost of running this scheme might eventually use up all of the Hospital’s capital resources. This problem was resolved by handing over the scheme, plus virtually all the Hospital’s investments, to an insurance company.

The combination of both of these financial constraints left no option but to close the Hospital. A two year plan was put into effect to achieve this but, within a few months, it was discovered that the electrical wiring was dangerous and needed replacement. Costing £30,000 (about £500,000 today) this task was completed about six months before the Hospital’s closure.

During the two years that it took to close the Hospital, patients were dispersed to their own homes, other hospitals or nursing homes. There were, however, sufficient funds from the sale of land for the Manor House to be converted into a nursing home and eventually nineteen of the remaining patients were transferred there. 

The two wings of the main Hospital building were demolished soon after its closure and sale in 1968. Cherston Court and Grovelands were built on the site, leaving just the central block which was converted into a private dwelling.

The central block, after the demolition of the wings, seen from a dilapidated tennis court. 

The houses of Cherston Court are just visible on the right and those of Grovelands on the left.

When the hospital lands were sold, the area immediately to the south of the Brook was made over to Gloucester City Council for use as a public park, Barnwood Park.

The remainder, to the south of this, was  sold for housing, though a large area was excavated as a water runoff and balancing pond for the new  housing estates. Currently (2020) this area is being enhanced as a wildlife and nature area .

The central block remained as a private dwelling. Around  1999 it was sold, demolished, and six detached houses built on the site. Its extensive gardens were made over to Gloucester City Council for use as an arboretum. This is now maintained by both the Council and a group of volunteers.

More information about this group and their activities can be found by clicking here

The picture above shows the final days of the central block during its demolition in 2000.

The end of the 20th century and the end of an era.

During the years following its closure, the lands owned by the Hospital to the north of the main road were either sold or leased for industrial development; this area is now known as Barnwood Fields. The financial income from this venture enabled the Hospital Trust (now called The Barnwood Trust)  to continue its charitable works without encumbrance and the Manor House became the focus for the it's work.

The Manor House opened as a nursing home and was intended to be financially independent. It was capable of supporting twenty-three patients to the same high standards of Barnwood House Hospital. However, apart from during the first few years, rising costs meant that regular subsidies were required. This situation was not tenable and the decision to close the nursing home and transform it into a day care centre was taken. After some re-equipping and refurbishment, the Manor House opened as such a centre in December 1977, providing facilities for about thirty guests on a daily basis. The initial uptake was low and it was not until the spring of 1979 that numbers started to pick up; then a waiting list opened. Charges were modest and the running costs were subsidised from the Trust’s funds. The continuing success of the venture was further enhanced by the construction, in 1981, of a rear annex in order to provide additional rooms and more facilities.

 At this time the Trust also embarked on the construction of sheltered housing to complement the work being accomplished in the Manor House.

The stables and outbuildings of the old Manor House were cleared and eighteen, two-bedroom, self-contained bungalows were built on the site. The grounds were landscaped to produce a pleasant and safe environment for the residents.

Having gained experience of running the scheme, the decision was made to construct a further twenty-two dwellings. Completed in September 1986 and built in groups of four, with each opening into a central corridor, these single bedroom units offered an improved level of security and comfort for residents. The new scheme also included an administrative office for the wardens, a common room, two overnight guest rooms, and a suitably equipped bathroom for those residents requiring assistance.

However, by 2010 it was clear that planning for the longer term required further changes to be made. 

In early 2020 a planning application was granted for the development of this site. The hiatus of the Covid 19 pandemic delayed realisation of the Trust's plans, details of which may be found here. 

The site has now been sold, the mandatory archaeological surveys completed and the developers are anticipated to occupy the site in the coming months.

November 2022 a detailed history 'A Home From Home - The Story of Barnwood House Hospital' was published. Details of how to obtain a copy may be found elsewhere on this site.

Updated August 2023