Warlingham Park Hospital
Encyclopedia
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...
in Warlingham
Warlingham
Warlingham is a large village on the south-eastern boundary of London, England, just across the border in Tandridge district, east Surrey. Neighbouring villages include Sanderstead, Hamsey Green, Whyteleafe, Farleigh, Fickleshole, Tatsfield and Woldingham...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. It was located at in Chelsham
Chelsham
Chelsham is a village in Surrey in the borough of Tandridge. It is within the civil parish of Chelsham and Farleigh.The village lay within the Anglo-Saxon administrative division of Tandridge hundred....
.
It opened on 26 June 1903 as the Croydon Mental Hospital (Croydon Borough Asylum).
This is reputedly the first institution to be called a 'mental hospital'. It is recorded as having been a pioneering centre for psychosurgery.
In later years it concentrated on providing psychiatric care rather than being a home for people with mental retardation
Mental retardation
Mental retardation is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors...
like the nearby St Lawrence's Hospital, Caterham.
The hospital closed in February 1999 and the archives were deposited with the Bethlem Royal Hospital
Bethlem Royal Hospital
The Bethlem Royal Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in London, United Kingdom and part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Although no longer based at its original location, it is recognised as the world's first and oldest institution to specialise in mental illnesses....
which also became the primary provider of mental health care to residents of Croydon
London Borough of Croydon
The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population. It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name...
. The site has been redeveloped as an up-market housing estate called Greatpark.
The Grade II listed water tower and also the roundabout, formally known as "The Circle" is all that remains of the former hospital.