Visit date May 2007 

St Mary's

Architect G.T. Hine

Opened 1914

Patients 500

Closed 1995

Layout Compact Arrow 

Other Original name Gateshead Borough Asylum

The last Hine to be built had evaded me for quite a while but a bank holiday proved the perfect time to pay a visit!

St Mary's was built because in 1899 Gateshead became a borough in its own right and therefore needed its own asylum to cater for those who needed psychiatric care within the borough. Shortly after it was built it was requisitioned for use as a military hospital for the use of wounded soldiers from WWI.

After the war the hospital was returned to its original use and a nurses home and staff quarters were added in the late 1920's. Also the isolation hospital was remade into a sanatorium to house TB patients. A hutted medical block was requisitioned again in WWII and after became housing for mental defectives after the NHS was created in 1948.

When the NHS was created the name of the hospital changed to St Mary's reflecting the name of the Parish church in the village.

 Closure stared in the early 1990's and was completed in 1995, apparently a few months before final closure the biggest flaw in a GT Hine designed hospital made a very big noise! The chimney that is attached to the water tower came crashing down after finally crumbling away. The corridor in which this happened was bricked off and closure carried on as usual, leaving the wreck of the chimney at the foot of the water tower.

There is little to no vandalism in St Mary's which made a nice change from Cherry Knowle, this is probably because of the remote location and the constant patrolling of the security guard. The original buildings are now GradeII listed including the airing court shelters and are awaiting conversion though so far all of the proposed plans have been turned down.

St Mary's Tour Gallery