Identification and description | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | BROADMOOR HOSPITAL | ||||
Location |
|
||||
Localisation | Latitude: 51.362845 Longitude: -0.78354991 National Grid Reference: SU 84788 63344, SU 85009 63371 Map: Download a full scale map (PDF) |
||||
label.localisation | [51.3717573486003,-0.77301947418265], [51.3712696587739,-0.772965991758663], [51.3706096240822,-0.772888283721536], [51.3701135864495,-0.772832800167671], [51.3699177085361,-0.772813656630205], [51.3698326134201,-0.772241664955575], [51.3697385316395,-0.771607840480259], [51.3696179478361,-0.770828382236078], [51.3695189984209,-0.770128179802597], [51.3694263218937,-0.769496538541782], [51.3693305006536,-0.768829514834937], [51.3692425994265,-0.768257612942744], [51.3691408749211,-0.767557496109011], [51.3690517697156,-0.767003372945812], [51.3689845316984,-0.766548434476887], [51.3688969319065,-0.766005365020555], [51.3688427602219,-0.765605501006226], [51.3685479606821,-0.765682166160427], [51.3681327990005,-0.765795307493927], [51.3677924721828,-0.765897586288197], [51.3676914899848,-0.765929117297953], [51.3676225375045,-0.765970877435585], [51.3674886547126,-0.766040986851876], [51.3671566120061,-0.766271622272957], [51.3668796595568,-0.76646086812831], [51.3667782403798,-0.76658331101878], [51.366487576872,-0.766921469668383], [51.3661544188928,-0.767309519092095], [51.3659514800389,-0.767543324083722], [51.3658911777013,-0.767615890245277], [51.3658760157175,-0.76762517459779], [51.3656127363842,-0.767796299555982], [51.3652101658642,-0.768050969283656], [51.3648475758623,-0.768280171245308], [51.3645608466833,-0.768465233189242], [51.3643362094467,-0.768615360165019], [51.3640838675382,-0.768770652623433], [51.3639033036056,-0.768888568362379], [51.3635614994748,-0.769114987793491], [51.3633051111431,-0.769281472212983], [51.36327055993,-0.769295699234173], [51.3632165213518,-0.769303797911438], [51.36318467811,-0.769311301804471], [51.3631268264706,-0.769352755093187], [51.3629793731211,-0.769452039482976], [51.362721590847,-0.769618557194279], [51.3625203778825,-0.769752532003563], [51.3624611792797,-0.769798458610615], [51.362298865535,-0.769935813919432], [51.3621560067837,-0.770077085585807], [51.3619528293793,-0.770288686731749], [51.3618004708302,-0.770450175787515], [51.3617166332389,-0.770527785400474], [51.3615584254016,-0.770660602085902], [51.3614772401891,-0.770727051380507], [51.3612903617503,-0.770904973548972], [51.3610858127329,-0.771118829948715], [51.3609364397429,-0.771300169405896], [51.3607348858289,-0.77153389265698], [51.3608130901308,-0.772110378053175], [51.3609063554533,-0.772799530087276], [51.3610022784799,-0.773477525443855], [51.3610465284864,-0.773859842215737], [51.3611460949644,-0.774621985192482], [51.3612259556329,-0.775225051879741], [51.3612855106856,-0.775611402450257], [51.3613603244811,-0.776130366176418], [51.3614206311541,-0.776589851494016], [51.3614874862468,-0.777144493421536], [51.361580421487,-0.777804846876267], [51.361681240384,-0.778555899435636], [51.3617340433659,-0.77896238840156], [51.3617430927103,-0.779030876927269], [51.3617665338285,-0.779016938760854], [51.361877177241,-0.779512798272342], [51.3619638044305,-0.780501421087568], [51.3620036290046,-0.780994727719951], [51.3622641955827,-0.780961195501544], [51.3622647731088,-0.780883602271438], [51.3622670205512,-0.780832551784278], [51.3625430271367,-0.780816362056519], [51.3625422660359,-0.780743213537638], [51.3625285341374,-0.780623871059725], [51.3625337899735,-0.780594917916515], [51.3625530230391,-0.780576668093263], [51.3626278594967,-0.78056581850886], [51.3626416381488,-0.780556575848748], [51.3626665883487,-0.780553701319929], [51.3626903847331,-0.780573020680027], [51.3627226208702,-0.780603204771239], [51.3627295518804,-0.780603020733276], [51.3627404233614,-0.780580554375801], [51.3628745920938,-0.780537089081448], [51.3629451419398,-0.780515264310776], [51.3629771007025,-0.780651863220787], [51.3630468090502,-0.780949297742693], [51.3631042156563,-0.781131775086646], [51.3631313199703,-0.78120199896855], [51.3632155321715,-0.781292870814311], [51.3632731562208,-0.781362285008895], [51.3632957203418,-0.781397150815192], [51.3633446050935,-0.781426894095186], [51.363505314575,-0.781533476568569], [51.363714149751,-0.781463641908358], [51.3638498274696,-0.781431227268917], [51.3639717774833,-0.781414689970949], [51.3641121243953,-0.781430917525371], [51.3641432333629,-0.781086457243403], [51.364155384983,-0.780786842047733], [51.3641525483471,-0.780514241663541], [51.3641462179782,-0.780173001335125], [51.3641533052547,-0.779920074828273], [51.3641662849143,-0.779700259191874], [51.3641902187559,-0.779466836674656], [51.3643252642398,-0.779507589735387], [51.364461532458,-0.779532782755214], [51.3645044785942,-0.779524990642504], [51.3647387243659,-0.779496600566751], [51.3650463205724,-0.779448520392905], [51.3650626160107,-0.779946908637312], [51.3650691688526,-0.780310328546994], [51.3650703673721,-0.780691616582176], [51.3650839510008,-0.780930683328845], [51.3650894146506,-0.781455977316753], [51.365101608455,-0.781961126185947], [51.365108313569,-0.782473071615662], [51.3651207792084,-0.78300481679983], [51.3651285584581,-0.783219661699291], [51.365144835505,-0.783316779751316], [51.365169137785,-0.783384870069302], [51.3651714617003,-0.783608722682074], [51.3651557561467,-0.783700037365929], [51.3651528821783,-0.783824266022071], [51.3649557270963,-0.783816186172063], [51.3647128936832,-0.783820391042523], [51.3647376559596,-0.784334080757832], [51.364752667427,-0.784309292646398], [51.3647804413933,-0.784310769465125], [51.3648168618929,-0.784343073267893], [51.3650913605809,-0.784315854029461], [51.3651054886359,-0.784472886195271], [51.365155875586,-0.78478192647756], [51.3651963863344,-0.785208730569089], [51.3652676847152,-0.785794354477694], [51.3653366384985,-0.78642215905057], [51.3653781377155,-0.786811261780462], [51.3654452888125,-0.787399212074495], [51.3655029662348,-0.78787656235108], [51.3655637863038,-0.788389311504543], [51.3656405734617,-0.789105604723051], [51.3657229665314,-0.789826176855946], [51.3657995708985,-0.790524739263262], [51.3658467860147,-0.790931425070949], [51.3659340296742,-0.791720611347764], [51.3659943394433,-0.792319845168353], [51.3660625278591,-0.792876755924862], [51.3661031689266,-0.793319085886025], [51.3661434662513,-0.793728185476087], [51.3661395460503,-0.793752679884365], [51.3661704681632,-0.794060036094082], [51.3662051412052,-0.794327388776087], [51.3662381556434,-0.794568181635655], [51.3662943134568,-0.794901480454465], [51.3664636286219,-0.794766229926306], [51.3664415863447,-0.794647077006395], [51.3664113043488,-0.794401786861163], [51.3663608899311,-0.793953044399481], [51.3662979338264,-0.793364962886214], [51.3662466561588,-0.792967240576914], [51.3662110894289,-0.792613450238582], [51.3661315368183,-0.791897215226675], [51.3660567227301,-0.79123629165046], [51.3660029694917,-0.790734436835064], [51.3659385809173,-0.790144175384405], [51.3658657138503,-0.789538639479921], [51.3658076537161,-0.789023600543121], [51.3657374439241,-0.788406894082329], [51.3656977471405,-0.788057658785511], [51.3656855903302,-0.787955990400301], [51.3656828761451,-0.787827469461121], [51.3656913240026,-0.787705319067614], [51.3657044702184,-0.787634024834225], [51.3657174698136,-0.787549432693896], [51.3659956818581,-0.787477789928098], [51.3662267481027,-0.787409617767281], [51.3664287615582,-0.787351075383836], [51.3664854186237,-0.787327399675027], [51.3665035527053,-0.787335798285306], [51.366759468258,-0.787255864165329], [51.3669808853549,-0.78719459565929], [51.3673378898458,-0.787092050678584], [51.3674915014932,-0.787050298473099], [51.3676698889366,-0.78698793805271], [51.3677004866229,-0.786993780865636], [51.3679993028322,-0.786901647875693], [51.3681999544398,-0.786845349059596], [51.3682663201804,-0.786821415245891], [51.3682067947329,-0.786299740249609], [51.3681291431482,-0.786306231831037], [51.3681192187175,-0.786286540573643], [51.3681111626694,-0.786178107664665], [51.3680981021159,-0.786123031122907], [51.3681552938255,-0.786017312087764], [51.3681675737873,-0.785997033786781], [51.368113539126,-0.785603800762344], [51.3681466989447,-0.785589621329049], [51.3681561552063,-0.785564993007826], [51.3681472563997,-0.785509792143786], [51.3681705926462,-0.785484796657314], [51.3681886258806,-0.78548431964828], [51.3683252693307,-0.785544990860283], [51.3684145655016,-0.785591414280832], [51.3684383381457,-0.785608526957405], [51.3685450269925,-0.785725427811257], [51.3686159435791,-0.785470789589377], [51.3686794370774,-0.785169788044776], [51.3687439785674,-0.784835515792575], [51.3688271547641,-0.784425343931956], [51.3690806625187,-0.784513977578349], [51.3691740292351,-0.784551413928753], [51.3691544861781,-0.784942163006009], [51.3692645105762,-0.784979159460104], [51.369235355015,-0.785245999853536], [51.3691936140795,-0.785637321896318], [51.369132381592,-0.785621199728513], [51.3691103010399,-0.785632874101123], [51.3691018617434,-0.785622006965282], [51.3690919921714,-0.785606752978456], [51.369027981896,-0.785590704357703], [51.3690271718376,-0.7856461631376], [51.3689981294304,-0.785924074684403], [51.3691999747211,-0.785983038541543], [51.3692390027242,-0.785999748277993], [51.3692327375042,-0.786064200882439], [51.3692411079109,-0.786068418571301], [51.369216555159,-0.786244229769358], [51.3691094467082,-0.786220455901344], [51.3690857061953,-0.786205568542449], [51.3690882224321,-0.786181108960177], [51.3689826819081,-0.786175021152931], [51.3689758498102,-0.786319318592965], [51.3689754984053,-0.786419097727157], [51.3689744813715,-0.786454607927387], [51.3689999596858,-0.786502720474692], [51.3690552847014,-0.786618755567261], [51.3693472382389,-0.78653343562508], [51.3696061375768,-0.786473381535379], [51.3699272174032,-0.786387289669823], [51.3702164390038,-0.786306492268367], [51.3707076959372,-0.786169337891748], [51.3706924701739,-0.786038921363604], [51.3708058526752,-0.785998226219112], [51.3707906038043,-0.785865597681435], [51.3707301569962,-0.785523512223463], [51.3706921057644,-0.785333835614407], [51.3706473069471,-0.785162065761499], [51.3705721454541,-0.78487359858678], [51.3705647227793,-0.784827234147177], [51.3705029205874,-0.784622657660441], [51.370461335495,-0.784492940139972], [51.3704144705516,-0.784389968747649], [51.3703535875905,-0.784274065729218], [51.370254945738,-0.784130344593747], [51.3702642956212,-0.784094627015678], [51.3703141082772,-0.783946960000021], [51.3703614742063,-0.78383041712028], [51.3704186407812,-0.783722478232308], [51.3704374691601,-0.783664327980489], [51.3704880304391,-0.783454563819064], [51.3705010499024,-0.783372173482749], [51.3705070233281,-0.783278893553123], [51.3704834148992,-0.783144261579059], [51.3704447350895,-0.783027771482538], [51.3703978458978,-0.782922589930034], [51.3705249491747,-0.7827329770565], [51.3706261460138,-0.782588384278234], [51.3707836823283,-0.782790420428396], [51.3709017204434,-0.782931413796031], [51.3709395255549,-0.782963669614903], [51.3709969183378,-0.783010921924928], [51.3710497576995,-0.783020612066446], [51.3711218162925,-0.783009823500821], [51.3712478826619,-0.78298875354272], [51.3714009952287,-0.782898222857028], [51.3714381556372,-0.782868404160082], [51.3714794552409,-0.782836263243105], [51.3714931050719,-0.782813733795828], [51.3715022842552,-0.78276248934883], [51.3714908485183,-0.782596500299945], [51.3714676677786,-0.782235697148484], [51.3714633003415,-0.78208280982738], [51.3714823122458,-0.782042395329882], [51.3715921891058,-0.781797792144342], [51.3716204027726,-0.781708358815761], [51.371638806321,-0.781610307201594], [51.3716560188087,-0.781530029823198], [51.371676599238,-0.781507301643966], [51.3717015032762,-0.78149998890989], [51.3717292542371,-0.781499252347561], [51.3717668293032,-0.781509346030421], [51.3717793620413,-0.781513452694753], [51.3717875941658,-0.781504355644552], [51.3717907652713,-0.781408934723015], [51.3718058465122,-0.781257756945749], [51.3718194969989,-0.781102177745723], [51.3718274293729,-0.781064269148806], [51.3718680137534,-0.780963415395726], [51.3718882481445,-0.7809074372663], [51.3721734748271,-0.780576137784489], [51.3721779925887,-0.780210154931855], [51.3721803228159,-0.780034919647635], [51.3721943956482,-0.779786202431998], [51.3722089900112,-0.779588473126447], [51.3722314917815,-0.779217586697649], [51.3722403984343,-0.778873654332194], [51.3722516198813,-0.778485324483087], [51.372276945902,-0.777852700284892], [51.3722917909582,-0.777280235159568], [51.3723068413507,-0.776727705239759], [51.3723079066809,-0.776563594024121], [51.3723064629165,-0.776160084469131], [51.37230095187,-0.775632497135248], [51.3723122089144,-0.775248604231843], [51.3723442077248,-0.774061456969457], [51.3723570296651,-0.773695264506152], [51.372386189402,-0.773166750180429], [51.372390955836,-0.773091225851979], [51.3722186575678,-0.773071435936108], [51.3717573486003,-0.77301947418265] | ||||
label.localisation | [51.3621449140768,-0.782234949417085], [51.3621107766758,-0.782242418788354], [51.3621698357202,-0.782920853505402], [51.3622285411721,-0.783598523648336], [51.3622647059129,-0.784015963420866], [51.362303887227,-0.784493766065725], [51.3623578053225,-0.785073965845589], [51.3623674335711,-0.785078077689032], [51.3624958399007,-0.785052819171239], [51.3627019546492,-0.78499706440771], [51.3629859141568,-0.784923966303101], [51.3631318388993,-0.784872000645765], [51.3634144317191,-0.784798922845919], [51.3634432623131,-0.784806907608066], [51.3635115011614,-0.784787606541442], [51.3635024617861,-0.784609645955136], [51.3634908597917,-0.784381450575145], [51.3634800495728,-0.783999094361209], [51.3634636774386,-0.783476937309907], [51.363438936574,-0.782939704779961], [51.3634322623904,-0.78269279251255], [51.3632599545379,-0.782708290992202], [51.3632392950069,-0.782695724337794], [51.363233070812,-0.782623725037065], [51.3632308096455,-0.782538506408252], [51.3632289208663,-0.782488268423199], [51.3630800181857,-0.782385076004956], [51.363038735364,-0.782364308811591], [51.3630313036125,-0.78230765372812], [51.3630223009893,-0.782231361857724], [51.3629634094054,-0.782228556903737], [51.3629531798874,-0.782034227003176], [51.3626691542423,-0.782100794814984], [51.3622909511663,-0.782193903903373], [51.3622745589076,-0.782196536220815], [51.3622637684712,-0.782212119641526], [51.3621449140768,-0.782234949417085] | ||||
Localisation | [51.3661515639696,-0.783193630501034], [51.3659501959051,-0.783291619404597], [51.365999798163,-0.783552491044841], [51.3660766989732,-0.783946706990269], [51.3658933696048,-0.783998879566955], [51.3656102952195,-0.784071419014826], [51.3656177504337,-0.784195418455985], [51.3656462705903,-0.784565271776828], [51.3656791528125,-0.784879821036825], [51.3657411610231,-0.785505069917733], [51.3657731970207,-0.785857091676667], [51.3657934129438,-0.786022153558499], [51.365769915607,-0.786016856532243], [51.3657358721477,-0.786185320694936], [51.365698145096,-0.78635584999498], [51.3656703656816,-0.786413755611459], [51.3655832533199,-0.786581653552086], [51.3655291574582,-0.786600823375809], [51.3655005449557,-0.786340373153753], [51.3654303576511,-0.785640431354455], [51.3653630994507,-0.784985763093568], [51.3653521355385,-0.784880588488686], [51.3653273967678,-0.784636801280597], [51.3653101990009,-0.784406604613024], [51.365295748132,-0.783965420621889], [51.3652951887526,-0.78379195464811], [51.36529480003,-0.783754502146498], [51.3653029801184,-0.783710918909125], [51.3653327190191,-0.78360368966532], [51.3653265191234,-0.783363347898424], [51.3652960977978,-0.783285306863348], [51.3652794668005,-0.78322857660621], [51.3652715681577,-0.78318146908418], [51.3652622867046,-0.783000348170017], [51.3652561298663,-0.782645678257991], [51.3652447436601,-0.782025015150146], [51.3656148560505,-0.782015198090209], [51.3656364790432,-0.782314271545716], [51.365651518701,-0.782455795706972], [51.3656520890181,-0.782629262739937], [51.365886538005,-0.782508718095582], [51.3660130535706,-0.782452127691665], [51.3661515639696,-0.783193630501034] | ||||
Overview | Heritage Category: Park and Garden Grade: II List Entry Number: 1001401 Date first listed: 21-Aug-1998 |
Mid C19 asylum, built for the criminally insane to designs by Joshua Jebb and opened
in 1863. The extensive contemporary grounds include large, formal terraces leading
down to a vast former kitchen garden, surrounded by high walls, beyond which lies
ornamented farmland.
HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT
In 1807 a House of Commons Select Committee recommended that a special hospital for
the criminally insane be built near London, but this was not begun until the late
1850s (Partridge 1953). Sir Joshua Jebb designed the first State Criminal Asylum,
sited high on the edge of Crowthorne Wood, incorporating the recommendations of the
Commissioners in Lunacy (Suggestions and Instructions, 1856). Jebb was a military
engineer and the first Surveyor General of Prisons, having designed Pentonville model
prison twenty years earlier. His design for Broadmoor however was much closer to that
of contemporary county lunatic asylums, reflecting a medical, rather than penal attitude
towards the 500 male and female patients. The extensive grounds were laid out largely
to the south of the main buildings, in order to give the patients the benefit of long
views over the countryside beyond. The two main buildings, the larger to house men
and the smaller to house women, were sited along the summit of a ridge, each range
with its own enclosed grounds, the two ranges separated by the Medical Superintendent's
house and associated paddock and garden. Each enclosure embraced part of the summit
of the ridge and a stretch of land descending steeply to the valley below, in which
lay the very large kitchen garden. The male patients worked in the gardens and on
the surrounding farm, whilst all patients used the enclosed, terraced grounds for
recreation.
The hospital was opened in 1863, although the convicts who had been used to build
the hospital still occupied one block for another two years while they finished constructing
roads and erecting farm buildings. By the early C20 the kitchen garden contained a
cricket pitch (OS 1911). In the late C20 new accommodation and administration offices
were built, the original entrance was replaced by a new gatehouse, and part of the
west wing of the men's building was demolished. The site remains (1998) in use as
a secure psychiatric hospital.
DESCRIPTION
LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING Broadmoor Hospital lies in Bracknell
Forest, at the eastern edge of the village of Crowthorne, 5km south of Bracknell.
The c 130ha site is bounded largely by sandy woodland, including Crowthorne Wood to
the north and Edgebarrow Woods to the south-west, with the A3095 (late C20) running
along parts of the east boundary. The north-west corner of the site, on which the
buildings stand, occupies the summit of a steep, south-east-facing ridge, descending
in large terraces and levelling out at the bottom of them to encompass the kitchen
garden and surrounding farmland which occupy the majority of the site to the south.
The setting is wooded and suburban, with associated former staff housing and the village
of Crowthorne close by to the west, the settlements of Owlsmoor and College Town to
the south, and the contemporary Wellington College and its grounds lying close by
to the south-west. Long views extend from the ridge out into the Surrey countryside
to the south and south-west.
ENTRANCES AND APPROACHES The main west drive approaches from the west off Crowthorne
High Street, 1km south-west of the gatehouse at the centre of the main north front
of the hospital. From the High Street the west drives extends east along Lower Broadmoor
Road, flanked by a lime avenue. The drive turns north-east 700m south-west of the
gatehouse, continuing up Chaplain's Hill, flanked to the west by woodland and to the
east by playing fields and housing (with views extending beyond), to the north-west
corner of the high-walled secure area. The drive, as Kentigern Drive, curves east
around the north side of the main hospital buildings, between the C19 cemetery to
the south and the C20 extension to the north, to arrive at a modern entrance block
(late C20) sited at the east end of the north front of the men's building. The C19
cemetery, laid out in the shape of a quarter circle, is laid to lawn and planted with
specimen conifers, having lost its bisecting paths and headstones (OS 1876; Partridge
1953).
From the top of Chaplain's Hill, a spur, The Terrace, runs east along the outer side
of the north perimeter wall of the secure area, past a row of former staff cottages
to the north, and between the remains of a Scots pine avenue to the gatehouse, the
former main entrance to the secure area. This brick gateway, set into the north perimeter
wall, is flanked by three-storey twin towers supporting a tall, central archway, leading
to a cloistered courtyard. West of the gateway The Terrace is crossed by a security
fence (late C20) which now (1998) encloses the gateway within the secure area. The
Terrace continues east within the secure area from the gateway, curving south-east
to the north, entrance side of the women's range. A spur south between the two ranges
leads to a turning circle enclosing a grass panel within a walled enclosure giving
access to the former Medical Superintendent's house.
A further drive, Upper Broadmoor Road, enters from the north-west, curving south-east
up the hillside, flanked by woodland, past a two-storey brick building set back to
the north. This is Kentigern House (J Jebb c 1860-3), standing 200m west of the gatehouse
in its own grounds, possibly built as a reading room or accommodation for one of the
hospital officers. Beyond the short spur north to Kentigern House the drive joins
the main drive from Chaplain's Hill at the west end of The Terrace.
A service drive extends south from the east end of Kentigern Drive, past a car park
set into woodland to the north, through the estate farmland, encircling the secure
area to the east, south and west. It returns to the west end of Kentigern Drive.
PRINCIPAL BUILDING The main, men's range (J Jebb c 1860-3), largely built of red brick
in 'Prison Romanesque' style (Partridge 1953), stands at the north-west corner of
the site, sited on level ground close to the edge of the south-east-facing slope.
The former administration and service block surrounds the cloistered courtyard at
the centre of the range, from the southern corners of which extend two long, south-facing
wings. Further detached buildings flank the central block and wings, enclosing former
airing courts, now largely developed or laid to tarmac. Part of the westernmost buildings
were demolished in the late C20. The women's range (J Jebb c 1860-3) is smaller and
stands to the east at the top of the scarp. It is separated from the men's range by
the approach to the Superintendent's house, a long, two-storey brick building in similar
style to the hospital ranges, overlooking its own grounds to the south.
GARDENS AND PLEASURE GROUNDS The gardens lie adjacent to the south front of the main
buildings. A series of level lawns, formerly used for croquet or bowls (Illustrated
London News 1867), extends along the south front of the men's range. These lawns are
divided by paths, and projections from the south front including a wooden conservatory
to the east. The panels of lawn are linked along the south side by a broad path at
the edge of this top terrace, from which several spurs extend south down a gentle
grass slope to a further broad path running parallel below, both paths being terminated
at the east end by the south-eastern men's block, and formerly by a mirroring block
to the west. Several mature trees, including two large Lebanon cedars, are set in
the lawns along the length of these two terraces. Two former airing courts remain
on the east side of the men's range, the southern one now (1998) laid out as a tarmac
sports pitch, the northern one laid to lawn with mature trees.
South of the lower terrace a series of steeper terraces, supported by low brick retaining
walls, and with west and east ends marked by high brick walls, leads sharply down
the hillside, separated from the upper terraces by ornamental iron railings. Terraced
grass banks separate broad, level paths running west to east, the terraces being linked
north to south by a central flight of steps. Cross paths connect some levels, traversing
the grass slopes. The terraces are divided by brick walls and fences into four sections,
the central two of which communicate with each other, each section with further flights
of steps connecting the different levels. Several low buildings (mid-late C20) have
been erected on the terraces. The central flight of steps leads down to the kitchen
garden to the south, separated by a high brick wall and entered through a central
doorway. Views extend from the south front of the main building and terraces below,
across the walled garden and farmland to the countryside beyond.
This 7ha terraced area remains much as laid out in the 1860s (OS 1876), except that
two ornamented circular shelters on the upper terraces (Illustrated London News 1867)
had gone by the early C20 (OS 1911) and four rectangular shelters on the lower levels
have since been lost.
East of the main terraces lies the 1ha Superintendent's Paddock, largely laid out
informally, with mature ornamental specimen trees set in lawn, and a formal terrace
adjacent to the south front, overlooked by the former Superintendent's house (now
a social centre) and the women's block.
The women's enclosed gardens are less extensive than the men's, amounting to 0.5ha
divided into two sections bounded by high, red-brick walls, linked by a path running
along the south front of the women's block. The western section contains a rectangular
terrace adjacent to the path, largely laid to lawn with a central octagonal wooden
shelter (C20, but on the site of an earlier structure), below which a sharp bank drops
down to the south to a lower level, with a curved south boundary, also laid to lawn.
The eastern section contains a terrace adjacent to the path, with an open octagonal
wooden shelter (possibly modelled on a C19 original) standing next to a large beech
tree, leading down a grass slope to a rectangular lawn beyond. These gardens overlook
the park to the south and east, but views to the south-west are somewhat masked by
the walls and mature trees in the Superintendent's Paddock.
PARK The undulating park surrounds the secure area to the west, south and east. The
lower areas to the south and east seemingly cover the former Broadmoor Bog (Map of
Sandhurst, 1799), with the western area running north up Lodge Hill. The open farmland
to the south and east is largely laid to pasture and enclosed by belts of trees, and
contains large spinneys of both deciduous and coniferous trees standing on raised
knolls, and several small blocks of woodland. Broadmoor Farm lies 700m south-west
of the main hospital building, consisting of a farmhouse and related yard and buildings
(1860-3). Also within the park lies the former water and sewage works and several
ponds and reservoirs, set within the woodland. To the west, set within woodland on
Lodge Hill, stand various groups of associated staff housing (C19 and C20), together
with playing fields and linking roads.
KITCHEN GARDEN The 6ha kitchen garden lies at the bottom of the main terraces, on
largely level ground, and is surrounded by a high, red-brick wall (C19, rebuilt C20),
with a path bisecting the area centrally north to south. The southern section is largely
used for sports pitches, with part of the northern section under cultivation. A low
range of offices and buildings runs along the centre of the north wall on the south
side, flanking the central entrance from the terraces above to the north.
During the 1870s (OS) this enormous area was entirely devoted to produce. It was laid
out in ten quarters separated by paths, surrounded by a further perimeter path and
planted with fruit trees flanking the two main paths laid out in cruciform pattern.
'The amount of rhubarb consumed by the patients was nearly 50lb a year each and might
well be thought to be excessive until one remembers that purgatives were a stock remedy
in treating mental disease [in the 1860s]' (Partridge 1953). The area outside the
wall to the west appears to have been given over to orchard trees. To the east, adjacent
to the south side of the Superintendent's Paddock, lay a further 1ha productive area.
REFERENCES
Commissioners in Lunacy, Suggestions and Instructions ... (1856) The Builder, (1859),
p 723; (15 July 1865) p 496 Illustrated London News, (24 August 1867), pp 208-9; (7
September 1867), p 273 H C Burdett, Hospitals and Asylums of the World I & II (asylums),
(1891) R Partridge, Broadmoor, A History of Criminal Lunacy and its Problems (1953)
J Taylor, Hospital and Asylum Architecture in England, 1840-1914 (1991), pp 160, 203,
256 (footnote) Property Services Agency, Historic Buildings Register 3, (1984), pp
16-17, illus
Maps Map of Sandhurst including Crowthorne, 1799 (Berkshire Record Office)
OS 6" to 1 mile: 1st edition published 1876 2nd edition revised 1913 3rd edition published
1930 OS 25" to 1 mile: 2nd edition published 1911
Description written: July 1998 Register Inspector: SR Edited: March 2000
This garden or other land is registered under the Historic Buildings and Ancient Monuments Act 1953 within the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens by Historic England for its special historic interest.