IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
The Piazza, LANCASTER, LA1 3FJ

The county lunatic asylum, on Lancaster Moor, established in 1816, is a spacious quadrangular structure of stone, with a handsome portico of the Doric order, and, with the gardens and grounds, occupies 50 acres of land; it was erected at an expense of £175,000, including the furniture. from A Topographical history of England 1848 (British History Online) Architect: Thomas Standen

Now a housing development.

In 1809 The Court of Annual Sessions, stated an intention ‘to erect a Lunatic Asylum, or House, for the reception of Lunatics or other Insane Persons’ in the County Palatine of Lancaster. Plans for the Asylum, to provide accommodation for 120 Lunatics were prepared by a local architect Thomas Standen. Construction began in 1812, and was completed in July 1816 when the Asylum opened.A large ‘Country House’ design was adopted, ‘with a handsome and stately home front, ornamented with pillars of the Doric order’ and was reported as the ‘most magnificent edifice, the Castle excluded that Lancaster had to boast’. The County Asylum admitted patients from a large area extending from Furness to the Fylde Coast, and extensively inland.

Added to the 1816 asylum in 1842. By this time Samuel Gaskell, surgeon, was superintendent and there were about 600 patients, all paupers.

OS cut bench mark from the 19th century levelling, on a wall in the grounds of the former 'County Lunatic Asylum', now Standen Park. 214.0 feet above old datum. Badly eroded and hard to spot.

Houses built in the grounds of the former Lancaster Moor Hospital.

The reservoir was formerly used to supply water to the hospital fire brigade serving the old 'County Mental' which was Lancaster Moor Hospitals former name. Latterly when the hospital was still operating the reservoir was used as a staff fishing club. The massive mental hospital is now closed. It is an interesting sign of the times to note that the 3 community units opened to replace the hospital in 2000 are now being closed themselves. This modern PFI scheme lasted only a fraction of time that the old asylum stood.

Fenham Carr, the eastern side of the park, is less formal than the western side and generally quieter, probably because it has fewer access points and less dynamic views. This view is looking across to the tower of the old Lancaster Moor Hospital North Annexe. The building in the centre is the old St Michael's Church, which was built for the hospital in c.1866, and is now converted into flats (from Pevsner).

OS cut bench mark from the 20th century levelling, on wall between Williamson's Park and Fenham Carr. 100.40 m above datum. This replaces a 19th century BM at the edge of the track, presumably destroyed when the track was widened. On the 1931 25" OS map a BM is marked on the wall some 25 m SW, but it does not appear on the 1938 map.