@SpiderMonkey posted his report from our visit to Sunnyside a little while ago and it proved to be quite popular, so I suppose I should get round to posting mine too. I didn't know what to expect from this place when we arrived, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised.
History
Sunnyside Royal Hospital, originally called the Montrose Asylum, was a psychiatric hospital located north of Montrose in Scotland.
Sunnyside was the second site for the local psychiatric hospital in Angus. The original Montrose Asylum, which was the first asylum in Scotland, was funded by public subscription established by local woman Susan Carnegie and opened in 1781. Expanding patient numbers led to the purchase of a new site in Hillside and the current hospital buildings opened in 1857.
Archive image of Sunnyside Hospital / Montrose Asylum when the building was in use
The site was further developed with the construction of a new facility for private patients called Carnegie House in 1899. Despite this addition, overcrowding was a problem, as the asylum's patient numbers had grown to 670 by 1900. Two new buildings - Howden Villa (1901) and Northesk Villa (1904) - were added. Additional staff were recruited and the Westmount Cottages were built in 1905 to house them. In 1911 the lease of Sunnyside Farm expired and over 52 acres were purchased for £4500. A further development was the addition of Angus House, which was built in 1939 to accommodate elderly patients suffering from dementia.
From the 1970s, advances in psychiatric care and greater community resources, including supported accommodation and the set up of three community mental health teams in the 1990s, led to reduced patient numbers and the closure of some of the buildings on the Sunnyside site.
One of the glass corridors
One of the older wards with original cells still in place
Rows of cell doors
View down ward corridor
Peely paint in one of the cells
Corridor of cells
Ward with original cells
Curtains and fireplace on an old ward
Inside a cell
Main entrance hallway
Curtains hanging inside a small open ward
Curtains still hanging on another ward
Hydrotherapy bath
Sluice room
Dining room
Dining hall
The grand hall with stage at one side
View down the hall
Backdrop on the stage
Grand wooden-panelled room
Room by the hall
Piano and sewing machines in an older part of the building
Nature creeping in to a conservatory
View over the glass corridors and one of two rotundas
Inside the rotuna had been split into two rooms. The room on the left shows the original ceiling skylight
Split view of glass walkway corridor
History
Sunnyside Royal Hospital, originally called the Montrose Asylum, was a psychiatric hospital located north of Montrose in Scotland.
Sunnyside was the second site for the local psychiatric hospital in Angus. The original Montrose Asylum, which was the first asylum in Scotland, was funded by public subscription established by local woman Susan Carnegie and opened in 1781. Expanding patient numbers led to the purchase of a new site in Hillside and the current hospital buildings opened in 1857.
The site was further developed with the construction of a new facility for private patients called Carnegie House in 1899. Despite this addition, overcrowding was a problem, as the asylum's patient numbers had grown to 670 by 1900. Two new buildings - Howden Villa (1901) and Northesk Villa (1904) - were added. Additional staff were recruited and the Westmount Cottages were built in 1905 to house them. In 1911 the lease of Sunnyside Farm expired and over 52 acres were purchased for £4500. A further development was the addition of Angus House, which was built in 1939 to accommodate elderly patients suffering from dementia.
From the 1970s, advances in psychiatric care and greater community resources, including supported accommodation and the set up of three community mental health teams in the 1990s, led to reduced patient numbers and the closure of some of the buildings on the Sunnyside site.
One of the glass corridors
One of the older wards with original cells still in place
Rows of cell doors
View down ward corridor
Peely paint in one of the cells
Corridor of cells
Ward with original cells
Curtains and fireplace on an old ward
Inside a cell
Main entrance hallway
Curtains hanging inside a small open ward
Curtains still hanging on another ward
Hydrotherapy bath
Sluice room
Dining room
Dining hall
The grand hall with stage at one side
View down the hall
Backdrop on the stage
Grand wooden-panelled room
Room by the hall
Piano and sewing machines in an older part of the building
Nature creeping in to a conservatory
View over the glass corridors and one of two rotundas
Inside the rotuna had been split into two rooms. The room on the left shows the original ceiling skylight
Split view of glass walkway corridor
Great pics mate spot on!
