Sandhill Park Hospital
Architect: ?
Patients: over 1000 when in Military use
Closed: sold in 1991
Other: Original Manor house GradeII listed
John Periam built the Manor house in 1720 and kept a vast estate covered 3984 acres and the Lethbridge family took over (who was Periams grandson) in 1755 until 1913, which despite their wealth encouraged growth and finally aided the local town. By 1903 the family’s wealth was gone and they had to let out the family hope to pay massive and increasing debts. They had to sell a few years later and the local council
bought the150 acres of the site in 1913 where it was quickly put to use as a Prisoner of War camp for German and Austrian officers captured in WWI.
After the war was over Sandhill Park became a perfect place to locate a mental hospital. The hospital ran until it was once again needed for WWII; but this time as the 41st General Military Hospital . In 1941 Sandhill was leased to the US as a neurological hospital, catering for up to 1000 patients, with 32 new wards set up by 1942. The military used the site until 1944 and after the war it reopened once again this time as a mental hospital.
Little to nothing can be found online regarding the patients that were housed within the facility, but looking at the architecture and the few things left, I believe it was a learning difficulties centre a lot like Hortham.
The site was sold in 1991 and quite a lot of the site was demolished for housing, which now surrounds the derelict buildings, the old Manor house is Grade II listed and for a short period after closure was used as a Fire engine museum, a fire truck is still on site!
The newer buildings are very vandalised, but whoever is looking after the Manor House is doing a good job with all entry points closed and sealed and covered in grease!! Planning permission is currently in negotiation to turn the Manor house into 26 dwellings and a further 44 to be built on site.