Lunatic Collection

Warwick County Mental Hospital, Hatton, Warwickshire
An aerial view of the Warwick County Mental Hospital at Hatton, Warwickshire, originally opened in 1846 as the Warwick County Lunatic Asylum. The site later became known as the Central Hospital

Parkside Asylum, Macclesfield, Cheshire
Buildings and grounds of the Parkside Asylum, Macclesfield, opened in 1871 as the Cheshire County Lunatic Asylum. At various times, the site was also known as Upton Mental Hospital and Deva Hospital

Union Workhouse, Cootehill, County Cavan, Ireland
Female lunatic inmates sit in an airing yard at the Cootehill Union Workhouse, County Cavan, Ireland

North Wales Lunatic Asylum, Denbigh, North Wales
Administration block of the North Wales Lunatic Asylum at Denbigh, opened in 1848 and designed by Thomas Fulljames

Derby County Mental Hospital, Mickleover, Derbyshire
An aerial view of the Derby County Mental Hospital at Mickleover near Derby. It began life in 1851 as the Derbyshire County Lunatic Asylum, designed by Henry Duesbury

Staffordshire County Asylum, Cheddleton, near Leek
The Staffordshire County Lunatic Asylum was established in 1898 on Cheadle Road, Cheddleton, near Leek. It was later known as Staffordshire Mental Hospital, then St Edwards Mental Hospital

Asylum Lodge, Devizes, Wiltshire
The entrance lodge to the County Lunatic Asylum at Devizes, Wiltshire opened in 1851. In 1924 it was renamed Wiltshire County Mental Hospital, then in 1948 renamed Roundway Hospital

Banstead Asylum, Surrey
Banstead Asylum, located on Sutton Lane, Banstead, Surrey, was established in 1877 as the Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum

Stone Asylum, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Entrance to the Buckinghamshire County Lunatic Asylum at Stone, near Aylesbury. A porter stands at the right of the gateway

County Lunatic Asylum, Colney Hatch, Middlesex
The Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum was opened in 1851 at Colney Hatch, near Friern Barnet, Middlesex. It later became known as Colney Hatch Mental Hospital and then as Friern Hospital

Pinel releasing mental patients from shackles in France, 1796
Philippe Pinel releasing mental patients at La Salpetriere from their bonds, 1796. Hand-colored 19th-century halftone reproduction of a painting

Exminster Asylum, Devon
The administrative building of the Exminster Asylum, opened in 1845 as the Devon County Lunatic Asylum. It was later known as the Devon County Mental Hospital, then as Exminster Hospital

Barming Asylum, Maidstone, Kent
The main building of Barming Asylum located on Hermitage Lane, Barming Heath, Maidstone, Kent, opened in around 1833. Also known as the Kent County Lunatic Asylum, then renamed Oakwood Hospital

Norfolk County Lunatic Asylum, Thorpe, Norfolk
The Norfolk County Lunatic Asylum was established in 1814 at Thorpe near Norwich. This view, from the early 1900s, shows what was then the most recent addition to the buildings

Carmarthen County Lunatic Asylum, South Wales
An aerial view of the Carmarthen Lunatic Asylum erected near Carmarthen, South Wales, in 1865 and designed by David Brandon. It was jointly used by the counties of Carmarthen, Cardigan and Pembroke

Whittingham Asylum, near Preston, Lancashire
Female quarters at Whittingham Asylum, Cumeragh Lane, Goosnargh, near Preston, Lancashire. The asylum, designed by Henry Littler of Manchester, opened in 1873 as the Lancashire County Lunatic Asylum

Prestwich Asylum, Lancashire
View of the Superintendents House at the Lancashire County Lunatic Asylum, at Bury New Road, Prestwich, near Manchester, designed by Isaac Holden and opened in 1851

Berrywood Asylum, Northamptonshire
The Northampton County Lunatic Asylum was designed by Robert Griffiths and opened in 1876 at a site on Berrywood Road, Duston, Northampton. It later became St Crispin Hospital

Essex County Asylum, Brentwood, Essex
The Essex County Lunatic Asylum was established in 1853 at Warley Hill, Brentwood, Essex. It later became Brentwood Mental Hospital and then Warley Hospital

Napsbury Asylum Administration Block, Hertfordshire
The administration block of the Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum, also known as Napsbury Asylum, originally opened in 1905 on Shenley Lane, London Colney, near St. Albans, Hertfordshire

Duston War Hospital, Northamptonshire
The west wing of the Northampton County Lunatic Asylum in its First World War guise at Duston War Hospital. The building was designed by Robert Griffiths and opened in 1876 on Berrywood Road, Duston

The Berkshire County Asylum, Moulsford, Wallingford
The Berkshire County Lunatic Asylum at Moulsford, near Wallingford. Later known as the Berkshire Mental Hospital, it was renamed Fairmile Hospital in 1948

Social occasion at Colney Hatch Asylum, Middlesex
A social event, occasion unknown, in the grounds of the Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum at Colney Hatch, near Friern Barnet, Middlesex

Ground plan, Carmarthen County Lunatic Asylum, Wales
Architects ground-floor plan of the Carmarthen Lunatic Asylum erected near Carmarthen, South Wales, in 1865 and designed by David Brandon

Beaufort War Hospital, Fishponds, Bristol
Beaufort War Hospital at Blackberry Hill, Stapleton, Bristol - an area also known as Fishponds. The building was opened in 1861 as the Bristol Lunatic Asylum

The Asylum, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire
The Joint Counties Lunatic Asylum, Abergavenny, opened in 1851, becoming the Monmouthshire Lunatic Asylum in 1897. It was known as the Monmouthshire Mental Hospital from 1916 to 1923

Melancholy and raving madness, Bedlam Hospital
The figures of melancholy and raving madness over the gateway into Bethlehem(Bedlam)Hospital. Statues by the Danish sculptor Caius Gabriel Cibber Date: 1813

Springfield Hospital, Tooting, Surrey
Aerial view of Springfield Hospital on Glenburnie Road, Tooting, near Wandsworth (then in Surrey, now in south west London). It was opened in 1841 as the Surrey County Lunatic Asylum

County Asylum, Newport, Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight County Lunatic Asylum was opened in 1896 at Sandy Lane, Newport, Isle of Wight. It later became the Isle of Wight County Mental Hospital and then Whitecroft Hospital

County Asylum, Mickleover, Derbyshire
The Derbyshire County Lunatic Asylum was opened in 1851 at Mickleover near Derby. Designed by Henry Duesbury, the buildings later became known as the Derbyshire County Mental Hospital

Brighton County Borough Asylum, Haywards Heath, Sussex
Brighton County Borough Asylum at Haywards Heath opened in 1857 as the Sussex County Lunatic Asylum. It became the East Sussex Asylum in 1894 then from 1903-1914 was known as the Brighton County

The Boganny Troupe, otherwise known as The Lunatic Bakers. The five members rest their chins on the rungs of a ladder and pull faces for the camera

English Lunacy - A man dressed as a chicken running wild and free across a field and up a small hill

State Insane Asylum, Austin, Texas, USA
View of the State Insane Asylum (now the Austin State Hospital), Austin, Texas, USA. It is the oldest psychiatric hospital in Texas. Date: circa 1905

County Lunatic Asylum, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Aerial view of the Buckinghamshire County Lunatic Asylum at Stone, near Aylesbury. The asylum, designed by Thomas Henry Wyatt and David Brandon, was opened in 1853

Middlesex Pauper Lunatic Asylum, 1849
The Italianate exterior of the New Middlesex Pauper Lunatic Asylum at Colney Hatch, near Friern Barnet, Middlesex (North London). The foundation stone was laid in 1849 by Prince Albert

Kingsway Hospital, Derby
An aerial view of the now-demolished Kingsway Hospital, Derby. The hospital opened in 1888 as the Derby Borough Lunatic Asylum. Date: Date unknown

Lancaster County Asylum, Quernmore Road, Lancaster
The Lancaster County Lunatic Asylum was established at Quernmore Road, Lancaster Moor in 1816. It later became Lancaster County Mental Hospital and after 1948 was renamed Lancaster Moor Hospital

Inverness Mental Hospital, Scotland
Distant view of the Inverness Mental Hospital, Scotland, originally opened in 1864 as the Inverness District Asylum. It then became the Northern Counties District Lunatic Asylum

Bodmin Asylum, Cornwall
The Cornwall County Lunatic Asylum was founded in 1815 at Bodmin. It was later known as the Cornwall County Mental Hospital and then as St Lawrences Hospital

Medieval beggar types: soap eater (lunatic imposter) from the era of Elizabeth I
FLO5000783 Medieval beggar types: soap eater (lunatic imposter) from the era of Elizabeth I, Tom of Bedlam from the era of Edward VI

First class "Dotty" certificate presented to (colour litho)
8656807 First class "Dotty" certificate presented to (colour litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: For eccentricity)

Just crazy about you (colour litho)
8656745 Just crazy about you (colour litho) by Richardson, Agnes (1854-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: "Sweetest. Just crazy about you." Girl and a dog)

Illustration for The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawn (litho)
8663420 Illustration for The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawn (litho) by Robinson, William Heath (1872-1944) ; Private Collection; (add.info)

Illustration for The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawn (litho)
8663449 Illustration for The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawn (litho) by Robinson, William Heath (1872-1944) ; Private Collection; (add.info)

Illustration for The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawn (litho)
8663419 Illustration for The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawn (litho) by Robinson, William Heath (1872-1944) ; Private Collection; (add.info)

The Madness of Hugo van der Goes (litho)
8661146 The Madness of Hugo van der Goes (litho) by Wauters, Emile Charles (1846-1933); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Madness of Hugo van der Goes)

A: the fool (Ridens or Ridulus, fatuus) - The Alphabet of Death, c.1856 (engraving)
DUV4221987 A: the fool (Ridens or Ridulus, fatuus) - The Alphabet of Death, c.1856 (engraving); 8x23 cm; Private Collection; (add.info.: Drawing by H)

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Step into the haunting history asylums, where tales of madness and despair unfold. Warwick County Mental Hospital in Hatton, Warwickshire, stands as a testament to the struggles faced by those deemed mentally ill. The North Wales Lunatic Asylum in Denbigh, North Wales, echoes with the cries of forgotten souls trapped within its walls. Asylum Lodge in Devizes, Wiltshire, holds secrets untold – stories of shattered minds seeking solace amidst chaos. Banstead Asylum in Surrey witnessed both anguish and hope as patients battled their inner demons for a chance at redemption. In Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire lies Stone Asylum; its imposing structure concealing tormented spirits yearning for release from their mental prisons. Colney Hatch's County Lunatic Asylum in Middlesex bears witness to countless lives lost to insanity's relentless grip. Parkside Asylum nestled in Macclesfield, Cheshire reminds us that even amidst darkness there can be flickers of light - glimmers of compassion that offered solace to troubled souls. Derby County Mental Hospital in Mickleover tells tales etched on every wall - each brick holding fragments of broken dreams and fractured minds. Exminster Asylum situated in Devon whispers stories long forgotten - voices silenced but never truly extinguished. Barming Asylum located in Maidstone stands as a testament to society's shifting perception towards mental health throughout the ages. Travel back through time to witness Pinel releasing mental patients from shackles in France during 1796—a pivotal moment marking progress towards humane treatment for those afflicted by madness. Finally, Norfolk County Lunatic Asylum beckons from Thorpe with an air of mystery—its corridors shrouded with unanswered questions waiting patiently for seekers of truth. These asylum walls bear witness to humanity's struggle against unseen forces within our own minds—an enduring reminder that empathy and understanding are vital ingredients on our collective journey toward healing and acceptance.