Hillside, Sunnyside Hopsital, Former Hospital Building, Montrose, Angus

Description

Sydney MItchell and Wilson, 1888. Long, symmetrical, former Free Jacobean hospital block (now disused, 2012) comprising single storey corridor with 4, 2-storey and attic, advanced Dutch-gabled pavilion wings to S and with mix of 2-storey and single storey buildings to rear (N); some later. Coursed, rock-faced sandstone with ashlar margins. Base course, some cill courses, cornice. Raised margins; some moulded architraves. Some bi- and tripartite window openings with stone mullions and transoms. Wallhead dormers with round-arched dormerheads. Polygonal metal ridge vents with louvred openings and finialled dome caps. Former open verandahs to S (now boarded, 2012).

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical. Central single-storey and attic 2-bay corridor, with flanking pair advanced, 2-storey and attic single x 2 bay, pavilions with stepped Dutch gables with round-arched pediments at apex. Canted bay windows to ground at S with central rectangular window above with shaped round-arch pediment above. Recessed single-storey linking corridors to advanced, 2-storey, single x 4 bay pavilions to far right and far left with canted S elevations; E and W elevations with segmental-arched window openings to ground and canted full-height projecting end bays.

Dated 1891 extension to rear, with carved motto: THE RICH AND POOR MEET TOGETHER, THE LORD IS MAKER OF THE ALL.

Predominatly boarded windows. Grey slates. Coped wallhead, ridge and gable stacks; some with red cans.

INTERIOR: (partially seen 2012). Original ward and room layout largely intact. Good decorative detailing apparent throughout, including timber panelling, 6-panelled timber doors, decorative timbers to ceilings. Part glazed timber doors; some with round-arched moulded doorcases. Some decorative timber fire surrounds. Original open verandahs enclosed.

Statement of Interest

B-Group includes Sunnyside Main Building, Hospital Building, North Esk Villa, Garage and Former Fire Station, Booth House Former Nursees' Home, Carnegie House, Water Tank and Former Workshops, Summerhouse, Away Team Cricket Pavilion and Home Team Cricket Pavilion.

This well-detailed building with its fine decorative features is a significant addition to the Sunnyside Hospital complex. Sunnyside Asylum developed in the 19th century as a replacement for the first lunatic asylum in Scotland at Montrose. The hospital consists of a related group of buildings, informally set in a semi-parkland setting on a hillside overlooking Montrose. The site is significant in remaining largely intact and retaining the integrity of a self-contained psychuatric hospital.

The distinctive pavilions with their Dutch gables are particularly striking and the building is situated on a prominent site, close to the main building (see seperate listing) and overlooking green space. The building was erected to provide medical care to patients who required it. The pavilions were originally linked together with verandahs, but these were later enclosed.

Sunnyside Hospitial opened in 1857 and was contructed to replace the former Montrose Lunatic Asylum, established in Montrose in 1781. This ws the first hospital in Scotland to care for hte mentally ill an dwas founded by Susan Carnegie, who hoped that if the patients were given good treatment and medical aid, they may be able to return to society. THe marbletablet from the opening of this original building is situated in the current asylum. In 1855, the Scottish Lunacy Commission was appointed and condemned the Montrose building as being unsuitable. It was agreed to build a new asylum and a site to the north of Montrose, at Sunnyside Farm was chosen. The architect William Lambie Moffat, who was working in Doncaster, designed this new building (see separate listing). originally the building formed a double courtyard plan, but as the numbers of patients increased, the building was extended to the rear in 1877 with addition of a new recreation hall, dining room and kitchen.

Sunnyside Hospital continued to develop during the latter part of the 19th century and the early 20th century, as patients continued to increase in numbers. A hospital building ws added in 1888 (see separate listing) to care for patients whio had both edical and psychatric conditions. Carnegie House (see separate listing) was constructed in 1896 to provide accommodation for private patients. This was set slightly apart from the main building to the north and the patients had their own garden for recreational use. Other buildings were gradually added to the site, including three villas, workshops and a chapel. The gradual development of the site is important in demonstrating the change in ideas over the century in the care of the mentally ill. When the lease of Sunnyside farm expired in 1911 another 52 further acres werer purchased for the use of the community. Over athe course of the 20th century, the patients and staff became involved in a number of activites within the complex including gardening and farming. A seperate nurses' home was built in the 1930s (see seperate listing).

Sydney Mitchell too George Wilson into architectural partnership around 1887. The practice was based in Edinburgh, but designed a wide variety of buildings all around Scotland. Mitchell was appointed as architec to the Board of Lunacy in the late 1880s and through this was involved with 2 of the most important asylums in Scotland: Craighouse at Edinburgh (circa 1888) and the Crichton Hospital at Dumfries (1890s). The practice was extensive and covered a wide range of building types, both public and private.

The site ceased to be used as a hospital in 2012.

Listed following a review of the former Sunnyside Hospital site, (2012-13).

External Links

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