Originally constructed in 1849 by the Earl of Dudley to accommodate miners blinded in the numerous local coal mines. The miners rejected the Earl's charity, and the buildings remained empty until 1871, when they were taken over by local chainmaker Joseph Guest and turned into a hospital. The hospital's accident and emergency department closed in 1983 and was relocated to Russells Hall hospital. A new horseshoe-shaped extension was opened in 2003, but the old buildings - including the out-patients department - remained in use until October 2007. Most of the buildings are due to be retained owing to their historic importance, though some of the less significant structures are set to be demolished, and it has been speculated for some time that houses will be built there, although nothing definite has yet been confirmed.
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