Roundway Hospital

Roundway Hospital was a psychiatric hospital located in Roundway, Wiltshire, England. It was originally known as the Wiltshire County Lunatic Asylum and later the Wiltshire County Mental Hospital. The hospital opened in 1851 and closed its doors in 1995.

History

Construction and Inauguration

The idea for the hospital was conceived in 1848 by a committee of Justices, led by Sir John Wither Awdry, with the aim of providing an asylum for the pauper lunatics of Wiltshire. The committee purchased forty-eight acres of land from Mr T. H. S. Southeron at the end of Pans Lane in Roundway. Construction began in 1849, with the renowned architect Thomas Henry Wyatt designing the building in his signature institutional style. The hospital was funded through loans from the government and other subscribers, which were to be repaid over a period of 21 years.

Operation and Closure

Roundway Hospital officially opened its doors in 1851 and initially accommodated 200 patients. Over the years, the hospital expanded its facilities and increased its capacity to house up to 1,000 patients. It provided specialized psychiatric care and treatment for individuals with mental illnesses.

However, as the approach to mental health care shifted towards community-based treatment and deinstitutionalization, the need for large psychiatric hospitals like Roundway declined. The hospital gradually reduced its patient population and closed its doors in 1995.

Legacy

Following its closure, the former Roundway Hospital buildings were converted into private residences. The hospital's history and significance in the field of mental health care in Wiltshire are remembered through various historical records and publications.