The Towers Hospital was a mental health facility in Humberstone, Leicestershire, England. The administration building, which became known as George Hine House, is a Grade II listed building.[1]

Towers Hospital
Original main block with superintendent's residence above, Towers Hospital
Towers Hospital is located in Leicestershire
Towers Hospital
Shown in Leicestershire
Geography
LocationHumberstone, Leicestershire, England
Coordinates52°38′59″N 1°05′28″W / 52.6498°N 1.0911°W / 52.6498; -1.0911
Organisation
Care systemNHS
TypeSpecialist
Services
Emergency departmentN/A
SpecialityPsychiatric Hospital
History
Opened1869
Closed2013
Links
ListsHospitals in England

History edit

The site chosen for the hospital had previously been occupied by Victoria House, the former home of Benjamin Broadbent, a master builder.[2] The hospital, which was designed by Edward Loney Stephens using a corridor layout with compact arrow additions, opened as the Leicester Borough Lunatic Asylum in September 1869.[3] An extension to the male ward, designed by George Thomas Hine, was completed in 1883 and a corresponding extension to the female ward, also designed by Hine, was completed in 1890.[3] A bath house, also designed by Hine, was added in 1913.[3] The facility became the Leicester City Mental Hospital in the 1920s.[3] Three detached villa properties, built in the 1930s, were made available to the Emergency Medical Service during the Second World War.[3] The facility joined the National Health Service as the Towers Hospital in 1948.[4]

After the introduction of Care in the Community in the early 1980s, the hospital went into a period of decline and closed in April 2013.[3] The administration building, which became known as George Hine House, was converted for use as a Sikh free school in 2014.[5] Several of the other buildings, including the original main block with superintendent's residence above, have been redeveloped for residential use.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ Historic England. "Former Towers Hospital (1376811)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  2. ^ "The Early Years". Leicestershire County Council. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Towers Hospital". County Asylums. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  4. ^ "Towers Hospital". National Archives. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  5. ^ "George Hine House to become Leicester Sikh free school". BBC. 30 December 2013. Retrieved 20 April 2019.