High Royds Hospital
Encyclopedia
High Royds Hospital is a former psychiatric hospital
south of the village of Menston
, West Yorkshire
, England
. The hospital is located in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough as the border with the City of Bradford metropolitan borough passes between the hospital and the village. It was first opened on 8 October, 1888 as the West Riding
Pauper Lunatic Asylum
, and was closed in stages between 25 February, 2003 and June of the same year.
A truly magnificent example of Vickers Edwards architecture, it is arguably the finest example of the "broad arrow" layout of asylum design.
The administration building, which is Grade II listed, is now considered something of a show piece at the former hospital, which is situated on a 300 acres (1.2 km²) site at the foot of Rombalds Moor.
It features an Italian mosaic floor in the main corridor which is intricately decorated with the Yorkshire Rose and black daisies - the latter of which provided inspiration for the title of a television screenplay, filmed at High Royds, as a tribute to sufferers of Alzheimers disease.
The hospital once contained a library, a surgery, a dispensary, butcher's, dairies, baker's, a sweetshop, an upholster's, a cobbler's, spacious grounds, a ballroom and even a railway. The patients lived in Nightingale wards (named after Florence Nightingale
), rather than the individual accommodation found in more recent mental health units. The hospital was formerly connected to the Wharfedale railway line
by its own small railway system, the High Royds Hospital Railway
.
In its final years of operation, High Royds had been become outdated and unsuited to modern psychiatric practice. As part of Leeds Mental Health's £47 million reprovision process it was closed, with the wards being relocated to various community mental health units within the city of Leeds in the three years leading up to its closure. These include the Becklin Centre in St James' Hospital
and the Mount
in the city centre.
There are now plans to convert the site into a new village, also called High Royds, retaining some features of the hospital, such as the ballroom and the clock tower.
and Bodies
.
The drama Diamond Geezer
starring David Jason
which aired on ITV1
in March 2005 was also partly shot at High Royds.
Leeds band Kaiser Chiefs
have written a song ("Highroyds") about the former hospital. Three of the band (Nick Hodgson
, Nick 'Peanut' Baines and Simon Rix
) used to attend St Mary's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School
, the school that faces High Royds Hospital.
The band Kasabian named their third album, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
, after the hospital after hearing about it on a TV documentary.
Psychiatric hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental hospitals, are hospitals specializing in the treatment of serious mental disorders. Psychiatric hospitals vary widely in their size and grading. Some hospitals may specialise only in short-term or outpatient therapy for low-risk patients...
south of the village of Menston
Menston
Menston is a village and civil parish in the county of West Yorkshire, England. Along with Burley in Wharfedale, Menston is part of Wharfedale Ward in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford. It has a population of 4,660.-Landmarks:...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The hospital is located in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough as the border with the City of Bradford metropolitan borough passes between the hospital and the village. It was first opened on 8 October, 1888 as the West Riding
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum
The West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum comprised four hospitals under the West Riding General Asylums Committee:* 1818 Stanley Royd Hospital, Stanley, Wakefield* 1872 Wadsley, Middlewood, Sheffield* 1888 High Royds Hospital, Menston...
, and was closed in stages between 25 February, 2003 and June of the same year.
A truly magnificent example of Vickers Edwards architecture, it is arguably the finest example of the "broad arrow" layout of asylum design.
The administration building, which is Grade II listed, is now considered something of a show piece at the former hospital, which is situated on a 300 acres (1.2 km²) site at the foot of Rombalds Moor.
It features an Italian mosaic floor in the main corridor which is intricately decorated with the Yorkshire Rose and black daisies - the latter of which provided inspiration for the title of a television screenplay, filmed at High Royds, as a tribute to sufferers of Alzheimers disease.
The hospital once contained a library, a surgery, a dispensary, butcher's, dairies, baker's, a sweetshop, an upholster's, a cobbler's, spacious grounds, a ballroom and even a railway. The patients lived in Nightingale wards (named after Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale OM, RRC was a celebrated English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night...
), rather than the individual accommodation found in more recent mental health units. The hospital was formerly connected to the Wharfedale railway line
Otley and Ilkley Joint Railway
The Otley and Ilkley Joint Railway was a railway line running between the towns of Otley and Ilkley in West Yorkshire. The line was a managed and run jointly by the Midland Railway and the North Eastern Railway and was long...
by its own small railway system, the High Royds Hospital Railway
High Royds Hospital Railway
The High Royds Hospital Railway was a short railway connecting the West Riding County Asylum near Leeds in West Yorkshire with the Midland Railway line between Menston and Guiseley on the Otley and Ilkley Joint Railway . The line opened in 1883 and ran for just over , it was constructed to and...
.
In its final years of operation, High Royds had been become outdated and unsuited to modern psychiatric practice. As part of Leeds Mental Health's £47 million reprovision process it was closed, with the wards being relocated to various community mental health units within the city of Leeds in the three years leading up to its closure. These include the Becklin Centre in St James' Hospital
St James's University Hospital, Leeds
St. James's University Hospital in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, popularly known as Jimmy's, is one of the United Kingdom's most famous hospitals...
and the Mount
The Mount (hospital)
The Mount is a psychiatric hospital based in Leeds. It comprises the perinatal service, older people's acute in patient assessment and treatment service, the chaplaincy, older people's psychology, dementia ward and the pharmacy....
in the city centre.
There are now plans to convert the site into a new village, also called High Royds, retaining some features of the hospital, such as the ballroom and the clock tower.
High Royds in popular culture
Since its closure, the site has been used as a film set for the film Asylum, as well as for the successful television series No AngelsNo Angels (TV series)
No Angels is a critically acclaimed British television comedy drama series, produced by the independent production company World Productions for Channel 4, which ran for three seasons from 2004 to 2006. It was devised by Toby Whithouse.-Premise:...
and Bodies
Bodies (TV series)
Bodies is a BAFTA-nominated British television medical drama produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. Created by Jed Mercurio, the series began in 2004 and is based on his book Bodies. The first series debuted on BBC Three as the channel at this time was trying to break out into hour-long...
.
The drama Diamond Geezer
Diamond Geezer
Diamond Geezer is a British television comedy drama written by Caleb Ranson which stars David Jason as a jewel thief and professional con man.-Background:...
starring David Jason
David Jason
Sir David John White, OBE , better known by his stage name David Jason, is an English BAFTA award-winning actor. He is best known as the main character Derek "Del Boy" Trotter on the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses from 1981, the voice of Mr Toad in The Wind In The Willows and as detective Jack...
which aired on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
in March 2005 was also partly shot at High Royds.
Leeds band Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
have written a song ("Highroyds") about the former hospital. Three of the band (Nick Hodgson
Nick Hodgson
Nicholas James David Hodgson is the drummer, backing vocalist and principal song-writer of English indie band Kaiser Chiefs....
, Nick 'Peanut' Baines and Simon Rix
Simon Rix
James Simon Rix is the bass player for popular British band Kaiser Chiefs and is famous for his large curly hair which has led to the nickname 'Jesus' by fans and 'curlywand' amongst friends.. He went to school at St...
) used to attend St Mary's Roman Catholic Comprehensive School
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
, the school that faces High Royds Hospital.
The band Kasabian named their third album, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum
West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third studio album by British indie rock rock band Kasabian, which was released on 5 June 2009.The album was nominated for the 2009 Mercury Prize. In October 2009, it was voted the best album of the year by Q Magazine.-History:"Vlad the Impaler" was made...
, after the hospital after hearing about it on a TV documentary.