Visited with @Chloe Explores
I Had a bit of a chicken moment with the fence, probably due to being moved on by the police elsewhere earlier in the day, with some encouragement from Chloe I managed it. I got a bit paranoid about being seen going under. But once in really enjoyable explore. There’s not a lot left as housing has gone up around the site but was a few buildings to look at. The buildings have been stripped out and then just left, being claimed by nature. And the upper floors were pretty much a no go, I remember reading someone had gone through a floor here so just stuck to the stairs and the secure bits.
History (including some accounts I found about some patients) -
Before the opening of the St Crispin Hospital in 1876, the paupers of Northampton were admitted to the Northampton General Asylum to the East of Northampton. With the Lunacy Commission pushing for every county to have their own asylum and not send paupers out to other Asylums, this arrangement was deemed unworthy and the county encourage to build their own premises. The county purchased land at the small village of Berrywood, and the asylum was founded shortly after in 1873 and was designed by Robert Griffiths. The construction took three years and was opened in 1876 to the paupers who were living interned at the Northampton General Asylum.
The new asylum was built to exploit its position, with extensive views to the south overlooking open farmland t and protected to the north by Berry Wood itself, part of the owned land and providing a visual buffer from the village and road. The grounds incorporated a large farm complex, gas works, burial ground, a number of cottages for attendants and other estate staff, large residences for the superintendent, farm bailiff, head gardener, chaplain and steward. The main building was built to a variation of the corridor-pavilion plan and consisted of two major patient’s blocks on either side of the central services and hall, and linked only by single storey corridors and open metal walkways at upper levels – these were later enclosed.
The design reflected the architect, Robert Griffiths’ previous work at the Macclesfield Asylum, Cheshire by placing the blocks for acute and generalised cases forward of the building line where they would receive the most light and air, linked behind these were the infirmary wards and flanking the main ward blocks were the blocks for chronic and difficult patients, being positioned here to provide access to their place of work. By 1884, and completed in 1887 were further extensions, creating a new block for idiot and imbecile children adjacent to the female wing and blocks for epileptics on either side of the main block. A resevoir and fire station, stable yard and an isolation hospital with a distinctive pyramidal roofline were constructed to the north of the site. A stone chapel and mortuary were also constructed to the east.
During World War One, the hospital was commandeered by the military for use, and because of this, a large number of photographs are available. With the end of the war the buildings were returned and the return of the patient population. A change of name from asylum to mental hospital was to mark another period of growth and extension in the 1930’s. These were the construction of a new nurse’s home, refurbishment of some of the staff residences, a new admission hospital with two villas for male and female convalescent patients, sited on an adjacent site, away from the main complex.
Following World War Two, the hospital transferred to the newly formed NHS and the hospital then reached its maximum population. This also saw further extension to the site, with two more female working patient villas being constructed in 1954. The grounds to the south of the hospital farm was developed for mental handicap services during the early 1970’s and was to be one of the last major long stay facilities of it’s kind in England. Named the Princess Marina hospital, it provided a home for a number of Northampton patients. Some facilities, particularly the laundry, were centralised and expanded at St. Crispin. A social club for staff was sited close to a remodelled entrance onto Berrywood Road. St. Crispin Hospital briefly entered the news when a fire killed a six patients who were resident on Shuster Ward, within the main building.
The hospital finally closed in 1995 and the buildings are currently standing derelict with only one of the wards having been converted. A housing estate has been built on the lands that were cleared around the main building and a new mental health facility is being built on part of the site. As with many of these buildings, the developer has built a large number of new homes on the site and not concentrated on preserving the listed buildings.
Mabel -
According to records, Mabel was admitted into St Crispin's on 5 February 1889 - when she was only six years-of-age. Her notes are brief, and claim that she was taken to St Crispin's because of a diagnosis of "idiocy".
In Victorian times, there was no distinction between those who were suffering from mental illness such as schizophrenia and those who were mentally disabled or had learning difficulties until the 1886 Idiots Act which enabled the building of “idiot asylums” or “mental deficiency colonies”.
Completed in 1887 were further extensions, creating a new block for idiot and imbecile children adjacent to the female wing and blocks for epileptics on either side of the main block at St Crispin's - this is where Mabel would have been held.
Idiocy is what we know today as mild learning difficulties, such as ADHD and dyslexia.
Mabel died at the asylum less than nine months after her admission, on 1 November 1889. The cause of her death is not noted, however it is unlikely that the child died from "idiocy", but poor-hygiene and abuse are more likely to be the cause.
It was reported that in asylums there was no running water, no circulating air, no heat. There were cruel asylum attendants who not only ridiculed the mentally afflicted but beat and allegedly brutally murdered them in front of other patients.
This sad truth could have been the cause of death for many patients, including the young children who were admitted into these establishments.
Stephen -
At 13 years-of-age, Stephen was committed to St Crispin's on 3 October 1882.
His notes reveal that the teenager had sustained a "supposed cause injury to head" and had a form of "mental disease idiocy".
Stephen is noted to be single, a labourer's son with a "bad" prognosis.
It could be assumed that the boy had an accident and due to his working-class social status, did not have access to proper medical care. The lack of treatment for his injuries may have resulted in brain damage, that left him with difficulties, and a Victorian diagnosis of idiocy.
In modern times, Stephen would have been taken to hospital and observed for worsening symptoms. The symptoms of injuries such as concussion would not have been recognised in the 1800s, so feelings of confusion, sickness and ringing in his ears may have been mistaken for a mental illness.
There was a variety of therapies used in asylums in the 19th century, including moral therpay. This program evolved in the hospitals and encouraged patients to work in trades they knew before they were admitted into the facility. It could be assumed that the labour that Stephen's father did would have been the kind of work that he would have partaken in during his therapy.
There is no comment in Stephen's record that states when he died or where, but unfortunately it was more common than not, that patients died in the asylum.
John -
On 5 September 1901, John was admitted into the asylum for a variety of reasons.
John was 41 years-of-age when he was committed to St Crispin's Hospital and his admission record stated that he was suffering from hallucinations and was refusing to eat.
His weight was 8st 4lbs, he was described as "demented", "restless" and "resistive".
John's hallucinations were allegedly of seeing "Devils in his bed" and he was covered in bruises, scratches and was in a "poor condition" as he was refusing to eat.
Delusions and hallucinations stem from many illnesses such as schizophrenia, paraphrenia, addiction and trauma to the brain such as a tumor.
In the early 1900s schizophrenia was not yet diagnosed and unheard of in the medical world - it was not until 1911 that a Swiss psychiatrist, Eugen Bleuler, coined the term.
It is possible that John suffered from this mental illness, however it could be considered that he suffered from a mental illness alongside with an eating disorder.
His low-weight and refusal to eat is typical of an eating disorder and combined with delusions, John may have had what is now known as anorexia nervosa.
Eating disorders were also not known about over 100 years ago, and John would have suffered with the lack of knowledge available about his illness - whichever it was.
Without the proper medication and treatment, John would have declined and it can be assumed he died from starvation even though it is not noted on his record. He did in fact die in the asylum, although the date was not revealed.
Herbert -
Admitted for epilepsy on 26 September 1912, when he was 12-years-old, Herbert sadly died after only six weeks at the asylum. The young boy died on 12 November 1912 and his record shows no further information, other than his diagnosis of epilepsy.
Epilepsy had for many centuries been associated with mental disorder.
In the Middle Ages it was thought to be contagious, hence the need for them to be incarcerated. This very negative view of epilepsy led to the majority - 65% of patients diagnosed with epilepsy from 1861 to 1900 - were to die in the asylum.
It's reported that some 22% recovered, though the recovery would not have been from their epilepsy, rather from a concomitant psychiatric illness.
The convulsions and erratic behaviour which could include violence, confusion and loss of memory were thought to be signs of a mental illness. Patients with epilepsy where restrained and bound to stop them lashing out, as they were mistakenly thought to be aggressive. Herbert most likely died from a seizure and lack of proper medication to treat his condition.
Today, those diagnosed with epilepsy would not see a psychiatric specialist but would be treated at a general hospital.
I Had a bit of a chicken moment with the fence, probably due to being moved on by the police elsewhere earlier in the day, with some encouragement from Chloe I managed it. I got a bit paranoid about being seen going under. But once in really enjoyable explore. There’s not a lot left as housing has gone up around the site but was a few buildings to look at. The buildings have been stripped out and then just left, being claimed by nature. And the upper floors were pretty much a no go, I remember reading someone had gone through a floor here so just stuck to the stairs and the secure bits.
History (including some accounts I found about some patients) -
Before the opening of the St Crispin Hospital in 1876, the paupers of Northampton were admitted to the Northampton General Asylum to the East of Northampton. With the Lunacy Commission pushing for every county to have their own asylum and not send paupers out to other Asylums, this arrangement was deemed unworthy and the county encourage to build their own premises. The county purchased land at the small village of Berrywood, and the asylum was founded shortly after in 1873 and was designed by Robert Griffiths. The construction took three years and was opened in 1876 to the paupers who were living interned at the Northampton General Asylum.
The new asylum was built to exploit its position, with extensive views to the south overlooking open farmland t and protected to the north by Berry Wood itself, part of the owned land and providing a visual buffer from the village and road. The grounds incorporated a large farm complex, gas works, burial ground, a number of cottages for attendants and other estate staff, large residences for the superintendent, farm bailiff, head gardener, chaplain and steward. The main building was built to a variation of the corridor-pavilion plan and consisted of two major patient’s blocks on either side of the central services and hall, and linked only by single storey corridors and open metal walkways at upper levels – these were later enclosed.
The design reflected the architect, Robert Griffiths’ previous work at the Macclesfield Asylum, Cheshire by placing the blocks for acute and generalised cases forward of the building line where they would receive the most light and air, linked behind these were the infirmary wards and flanking the main ward blocks were the blocks for chronic and difficult patients, being positioned here to provide access to their place of work. By 1884, and completed in 1887 were further extensions, creating a new block for idiot and imbecile children adjacent to the female wing and blocks for epileptics on either side of the main block. A resevoir and fire station, stable yard and an isolation hospital with a distinctive pyramidal roofline were constructed to the north of the site. A stone chapel and mortuary were also constructed to the east.
During World War One, the hospital was commandeered by the military for use, and because of this, a large number of photographs are available. With the end of the war the buildings were returned and the return of the patient population. A change of name from asylum to mental hospital was to mark another period of growth and extension in the 1930’s. These were the construction of a new nurse’s home, refurbishment of some of the staff residences, a new admission hospital with two villas for male and female convalescent patients, sited on an adjacent site, away from the main complex.
Following World War Two, the hospital transferred to the newly formed NHS and the hospital then reached its maximum population. This also saw further extension to the site, with two more female working patient villas being constructed in 1954. The grounds to the south of the hospital farm was developed for mental handicap services during the early 1970’s and was to be one of the last major long stay facilities of it’s kind in England. Named the Princess Marina hospital, it provided a home for a number of Northampton patients. Some facilities, particularly the laundry, were centralised and expanded at St. Crispin. A social club for staff was sited close to a remodelled entrance onto Berrywood Road. St. Crispin Hospital briefly entered the news when a fire killed a six patients who were resident on Shuster Ward, within the main building.
The hospital finally closed in 1995 and the buildings are currently standing derelict with only one of the wards having been converted. A housing estate has been built on the lands that were cleared around the main building and a new mental health facility is being built on part of the site. As with many of these buildings, the developer has built a large number of new homes on the site and not concentrated on preserving the listed buildings.
Mabel -
According to records, Mabel was admitted into St Crispin's on 5 February 1889 - when she was only six years-of-age. Her notes are brief, and claim that she was taken to St Crispin's because of a diagnosis of "idiocy".
In Victorian times, there was no distinction between those who were suffering from mental illness such as schizophrenia and those who were mentally disabled or had learning difficulties until the 1886 Idiots Act which enabled the building of “idiot asylums” or “mental deficiency colonies”.
Completed in 1887 were further extensions, creating a new block for idiot and imbecile children adjacent to the female wing and blocks for epileptics on either side of the main block at St Crispin's - this is where Mabel would have been held.
Idiocy is what we know today as mild learning difficulties, such as ADHD and dyslexia.
Mabel died at the asylum less than nine months after her admission, on 1 November 1889. The cause of her death is not noted, however it is unlikely that the child died from "idiocy", but poor-hygiene and abuse are more likely to be the cause.
It was reported that in asylums there was no running water, no circulating air, no heat. There were cruel asylum attendants who not only ridiculed the mentally afflicted but beat and allegedly brutally murdered them in front of other patients.
This sad truth could have been the cause of death for many patients, including the young children who were admitted into these establishments.
Stephen -
At 13 years-of-age, Stephen was committed to St Crispin's on 3 October 1882.
His notes reveal that the teenager had sustained a "supposed cause injury to head" and had a form of "mental disease idiocy".
Stephen is noted to be single, a labourer's son with a "bad" prognosis.
It could be assumed that the boy had an accident and due to his working-class social status, did not have access to proper medical care. The lack of treatment for his injuries may have resulted in brain damage, that left him with difficulties, and a Victorian diagnosis of idiocy.
In modern times, Stephen would have been taken to hospital and observed for worsening symptoms. The symptoms of injuries such as concussion would not have been recognised in the 1800s, so feelings of confusion, sickness and ringing in his ears may have been mistaken for a mental illness.
There was a variety of therapies used in asylums in the 19th century, including moral therpay. This program evolved in the hospitals and encouraged patients to work in trades they knew before they were admitted into the facility. It could be assumed that the labour that Stephen's father did would have been the kind of work that he would have partaken in during his therapy.
There is no comment in Stephen's record that states when he died or where, but unfortunately it was more common than not, that patients died in the asylum.
John -
On 5 September 1901, John was admitted into the asylum for a variety of reasons.
John was 41 years-of-age when he was committed to St Crispin's Hospital and his admission record stated that he was suffering from hallucinations and was refusing to eat.
His weight was 8st 4lbs, he was described as "demented", "restless" and "resistive".
John's hallucinations were allegedly of seeing "Devils in his bed" and he was covered in bruises, scratches and was in a "poor condition" as he was refusing to eat.
Delusions and hallucinations stem from many illnesses such as schizophrenia, paraphrenia, addiction and trauma to the brain such as a tumor.
In the early 1900s schizophrenia was not yet diagnosed and unheard of in the medical world - it was not until 1911 that a Swiss psychiatrist, Eugen Bleuler, coined the term.
It is possible that John suffered from this mental illness, however it could be considered that he suffered from a mental illness alongside with an eating disorder.
His low-weight and refusal to eat is typical of an eating disorder and combined with delusions, John may have had what is now known as anorexia nervosa.
Eating disorders were also not known about over 100 years ago, and John would have suffered with the lack of knowledge available about his illness - whichever it was.
Without the proper medication and treatment, John would have declined and it can be assumed he died from starvation even though it is not noted on his record. He did in fact die in the asylum, although the date was not revealed.
Herbert -
Admitted for epilepsy on 26 September 1912, when he was 12-years-old, Herbert sadly died after only six weeks at the asylum. The young boy died on 12 November 1912 and his record shows no further information, other than his diagnosis of epilepsy.
Epilepsy had for many centuries been associated with mental disorder.
In the Middle Ages it was thought to be contagious, hence the need for them to be incarcerated. This very negative view of epilepsy led to the majority - 65% of patients diagnosed with epilepsy from 1861 to 1900 - were to die in the asylum.
It's reported that some 22% recovered, though the recovery would not have been from their epilepsy, rather from a concomitant psychiatric illness.
The convulsions and erratic behaviour which could include violence, confusion and loss of memory were thought to be signs of a mental illness. Patients with epilepsy where restrained and bound to stop them lashing out, as they were mistakenly thought to be aggressive. Herbert most likely died from a seizure and lack of proper medication to treat his condition.
Today, those diagnosed with epilepsy would not see a psychiatric specialist but would be treated at a general hospital.
