| Summary : Ticehurst House Hospital was built in 1792 and was originally opened by Samual Newington as a psychiatric hospital and is still today (2012), over 215 years later, a private hospital specialising in psychological medicine. When Ticehurst House was opened in 1792 public interest in people needing psychiatric care was piqued by the perceived 'madness' of King George III. Up until this point the role of psychiatric hospitals, or 'lunatic asylums' as they were known then, had been largely custodial with the use of restraint and confinement. Samuel Newington wished to set up an institution that broke away from these practices. During the 19th century Ticehust developed into a large estate covering around 500 acres. Theatrical and musical entertainment occurred at the hospital and patients were encouraged to exercise. Over 40 acres of the grounds of the hospital were landscaped by men demobilised after the Battle of Waterloo (1815). Two miles of footpaths were laid out through estate plantations, orchards and grounds. The grounds included three summerhouses (one in Gothic style), two pheasantries, a moss-house, pagoda, hermitage and bowling green. As a result of this work, Ticehurst House Hospital grounds are said to be the model for Kew Gardens in Richmond. The building and grounds came under the name of Priory Healthcare in 2000 and the name of the building was changed to The Priory Ticehurst House. The hospital now (2012) includes services in general psychiatry and adolescent acute psychiatry among others. |
More information : Grounds to a private psychiatric hospital, opened in 1792 by Samuel Newington within a former country house and its park and garden. Further landscaping took place in 1816 and during the mid 19th century. (1)
Ticehurst House Hospital was built in 1792 in Ticehurst, East Sussex and was designed by an architect unknown at the time of this record’s amendment. Ticehurst House was originally opened by Samual Newington as a psychiatric hospital and is still today (2012), over 215 years later, a private hospital specialising in psychological medicine. When Ticehurst House was opened in 1792 at a time when public interest in people needing psychiatric care was piqued by the perceived ‘madness’ of King George III. Up until this point the role of psychiatric hospitals, or ‘lunatic asylums’ as they were known then, had been largely custodial with the use of restraint and confinement. Samuel Newington wished to set up an institution that broke away from these practices. He had been the Ticehurst village surgeon and apothecary and treatment at Ticehurst House Hospital showed a more benevolent type of care. Patients were allowed pipes and tobacco, good food and books and magazines.
During the 19th century Ticehust developed into a large estate covering around 500 acres. It attracted affluent clientele, some of whom took up residency with their servants in one of the villas in the grounds. Theatrical and musical entertainment occurred at the hospital and patients were encouraged to exercise. The Ticehurst estate was supplied with food from two home farms and luxury items such as peaches and early strawberries were cultivated in the gardens.
Over 40 acres of the grounds of the hospital were landscaped by men demobilised after the Battle of Waterloo (1815). Two miles of footpaths were laid out through estate plantations, orchards and grounds. The grounds included three summerhouses (one in Gothic style), two pheasantries, a moss-house, pagoda, hermitage and bowling green. As a result of this work, Ticehurst House Hospital grounds are said to be the model for Kew Gardens in Richmond. The hospital developed a good reputation during the 19th century for the empathetic and effective quality of its medical treatment.
In the mid-twentieth century the fees being charged no longer began to cover the expenses of running the site and in 1970 the Newington family sold their shares in the hospital. Ticehurst came under the ownership of Nestor Medical Services and underwent development to become a modern mental health service provider. The building and grounds came under the name of Priory Healthcare in 2000 and the name of the building was changed to The Priory Ticehurst House. The hospital now (2012) includes services in general psychiatry and adolescent acute psychiatry among others. (2)
Highlands, which is now a part of The Priory Ticehurst House, is a grade II listed building. For further details on the designation see the statutory data. (3)
At the time of amending this record in 2012, access to information on the designation noted in source 3 above is available via the National Heritage List for England. (4)
According to English Heritage’s Corporate GIS Ticehurst grounds are a registered Park and Garden. The National Grid Reference for the site is: TQ67943041 (5) |