Fairfield Hospital (Arlesey)
Encyclopedia
Fairfield Hospital in Stotfold
in Bedfordshire
in the UK was a psychiatric hospital
from 1860 to 1999.
, Arlesey
and Stotfold
. The official address is Kingsley Ave, Stotfold, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 4, UK in Bedfordshire. The new hospital was to replace the Bedford Lunatic Asylum
in Ampthill Road in Bedford
, which had been built in 1812. The Fairfield Hospital was designed by architect
George Fowler Jones
with the longest corridor in Britain, at half a mile long. The clay for its bricks came from the nearby Arlesey Pits. The hospital opened on March 8, 1860 with the transfer of 6 male and 6 female patients from Bedford Lunatic Asylum, and catered for patients from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire
and Huntingdonshire
. The Asylum had its own chapel, farm, laundry, railway station and fire brigade.
By 1861 the number of patients had expanded to 460, with 248 female and 212 male patients. At this time the asylum employed about 256 local people from the surrounding villages, including 66 men in its garden and small farm, where produce for the asylum's kitchen was grown, and 33 women in the laundry and wash house. The Chapel
and cemetery were added in 1879, with the East stained-glass window
being added in 1920 in memory of the asylum's staff and former inmates who lost their lives in the First World War of 1914 to 1918. During and after that War the asylum treated male and female patients suffering from shell shock
.
The Mental Treatment Act of 1930 changed the use of the term 'Asylum' to 'Hospital', so The Three Counties Asylum became known as The Three Counties Hospital. At its height in 1936 Fairfield Hospital catered for 1,100 patients, with the grounds of the hospital having increased to 410 acres (1.7 km²) through the purchase of additional farm land. Of these 410 acres 385 were cultivated.
In 1948 The Three Counties Hospital became part of the National Health Service
, and, in 1960, it was renamed Fairfield Hospital. In that year Fairfield Hospital hit the national headlines when the Hospital's Chaplain
, the Reverend John Arthur Monk, married a girl forty years younger than himself in the Hospital's Chapel.
In 1981 the Conservative
Government published its 'Care in the Community
' report. Its aim was a more liberal way of helping people with mental health
problems, by removing them from impersonal, often Victorian
institutions, such as Fairfield Hospital, and caring for them in their own homes. Also, better drugs became available so that patients could be treated at home. It was also meant to reduce the cost of institutionalizing so many mentally ill people. This Act lead to the closure of many psychiatric hospitals including Fairfield Hospital, which finally closed in 1999. The main building with its water towers is Grade II listed, the façade having been restored and its interior being converted into luxury flats and health club
and re-named Fairfield Hall. The grounds have also been developed into luxury housing.
The 2003 film Requiem starring Jason Connery
was filmed at Fairfield Hospital.
Stotfold
Stotfold is a small town and civil parish in the county of Bedfordshire.In the 19th century, Stotfold was regarded as a wealthy place. The saying was that to live in Stotfold, one has to have £100 and a pig. The town is divided by a long road, High Street, which separates the north side from the...
in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
in the UK was a psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
from 1860 to 1999.
History
Originally known as The Stotfold Three Counties Asylum, building of the hospital commenced in 1856 on a 253 acres (1 km²) site between LetchworthLetchworth
Letchworth Garden City, commonly known as Letchworth, is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. The town's name is taken from one of the three villages it surrounded - all of which featured in the Domesday Book. The land used was first purchased by Quakers who had intended to farm the...
, Arlesey
Arlesey
Arlesey is a small industrial town and civil parish in the district of Central Bedfordshire in Bedfordshire. It is located on the border with Hertfordshire, about three miles north-west of Letchworth Garden City, four miles north of Hitchin and six miles south of Biggleswade. Arlesey railway...
and Stotfold
Stotfold
Stotfold is a small town and civil parish in the county of Bedfordshire.In the 19th century, Stotfold was regarded as a wealthy place. The saying was that to live in Stotfold, one has to have £100 and a pig. The town is divided by a long road, High Street, which separates the north side from the...
. The official address is Kingsley Ave, Stotfold, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 4, UK in Bedfordshire. The new hospital was to replace the Bedford Lunatic Asylum
Bedford Lunatic Asylum
The Bedford Lunatic Asylum was built in 1812, and was the second of its kind in England. It was open for 48 years and closed in 1860 because the asylum was not improving its patients' health.- Background :...
in Ampthill Road in Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
, which had been built in 1812. The Fairfield Hospital was designed by architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
George Fowler Jones
George Fowler Jones
George Fowler Jones, was an architect , who was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, but based for most of his working life in York.-Biography and work:...
with the longest corridor in Britain, at half a mile long. The clay for its bricks came from the nearby Arlesey Pits. The hospital opened on March 8, 1860 with the transfer of 6 male and 6 female patients from Bedford Lunatic Asylum, and catered for patients from Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
and Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
. The Asylum had its own chapel, farm, laundry, railway station and fire brigade.
By 1861 the number of patients had expanded to 460, with 248 female and 212 male patients. At this time the asylum employed about 256 local people from the surrounding villages, including 66 men in its garden and small farm, where produce for the asylum's kitchen was grown, and 33 women in the laundry and wash house. The Chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
and cemetery were added in 1879, with the East stained-glass window
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
being added in 1920 in memory of the asylum's staff and former inmates who lost their lives in the First World War of 1914 to 1918. During and after that War the asylum treated male and female patients suffering from shell shock
Combat stress reaction
Combat stress reaction , in the past commonly known as shell shock or battle fatigue, is a range of behaviours resulting from the stress of battle which decrease the combatant's fighting efficiency. The most common symptoms are fatigue, slower reaction times, indecision, disconnection from one's...
.
The Mental Treatment Act of 1930 changed the use of the term 'Asylum' to 'Hospital', so The Three Counties Asylum became known as The Three Counties Hospital. At its height in 1936 Fairfield Hospital catered for 1,100 patients, with the grounds of the hospital having increased to 410 acres (1.7 km²) through the purchase of additional farm land. Of these 410 acres 385 were cultivated.
In 1948 The Three Counties Hospital became part of the National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
, and, in 1960, it was renamed Fairfield Hospital. In that year Fairfield Hospital hit the national headlines when the Hospital's Chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
, the Reverend John Arthur Monk, married a girl forty years younger than himself in the Hospital's Chapel.
Closure
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Government published its 'Care in the Community
Care in the Community
Care in the Community is the British policy of deinstitutionalization, treating and caring for physically and mentally disabled people in their homes rather than in an institution...
' report. Its aim was a more liberal way of helping people with mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
problems, by removing them from impersonal, often Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
institutions, such as Fairfield Hospital, and caring for them in their own homes. Also, better drugs became available so that patients could be treated at home. It was also meant to reduce the cost of institutionalizing so many mentally ill people. This Act lead to the closure of many psychiatric hospitals including Fairfield Hospital, which finally closed in 1999. The main building with its water towers is Grade II listed, the façade having been restored and its interior being converted into luxury flats and health club
Health club
A health club is a place which houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise.-Main workout area:...
and re-named Fairfield Hall. The grounds have also been developed into luxury housing.
The 2003 film Requiem starring Jason Connery
Jason Connery
Jason Joseph Connery is an English actor.-Early life:Connery grew up in London. He attended Millfield School, a co-educational independent school in Somerset, England, and later at the independent Gordonstoun School in Scotland. He was later accepted into the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School...
was filmed at Fairfield Hospital.