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Cherry Knowle Hospital (Sunderland Borough Asylum)

Cherry Knowle Hospital, formerly known as Sunderland Lunatic Asylum was completed in 1895. The site chosen consisted of sloping land outside the village of Ryhope, with views across to the North Sea. Abandoned since around 1998 the site has fell into a serious state of disrepair.

George Thomas Hine was chosen as Architect and produced a compact arrow layout consisting of six blocks of wards and the usual facilities including combined recreation hall and chapel in the centre of the south elevations. Other accomodation included a nurse's block to the west, lodge cottage, terraced cottages for married attendants, a Superintendents residence, Isolation Hospital, and a villa block which was added in 1902. The administration block is notable for it's unusual triangular plan. The building was designed on a compact arrow plan and constructed from red brick with stone dressings and slate roofs with distinctive caps over the bay windows, characteristic of Hine's early commissions.

Further developments took place during the 1930's and after with the construction of an admissions hospital and convalescent villas to the south, extended Nurse's home to the west of the main building and the wartime emergency medical service huts close to the main gate, later Ryhope General hospital. The site became Cherry Knowle hospital on being incorporated into the National Health Service in 1948. Later developments under the NHS included a new boiler house and further staff accomodation within the grounds.

Buildings within the site later were later named after trees, with the original building becoming The Laurels, East (former male side) and The Laurels, West (former female side). As Community Care replaced Long Stay provision, contraction and closure took place in the north western portion of the site leading to the closure of the original asylum buildings, former isolation hospital, villa and former superintendents house.

Description courtesy of County Asylums.





3rd May 2008





































































































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16 comments:

  1. Anonymous5 May 2008 at 21:13

    Great photos, and kudos to you both.

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  2. Joanne Casey5 May 2008 at 23:29

    That place looks amazing, wish I could have joined you! Doesn't take a place long to deteriorate.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Newcastle Photos7 May 2008 at 00:59

    Thanks Brenda. :)

    JC: Too true. I found the whole place fascinating. I loved the way that nature was beginning to take over despite it only being abandoned for 10 years or so.

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  4. Anonymous24 August 2008 at 16:10

    fascinating, would b nice 2 know what rooms were used 4, apart from obvious ones, also backround info.

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  5. Anonymous24 March 2009 at 10:43

    Would I be able to go and look here?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous16 December 2014 at 13:23

      It was demolished about two years ago .

      Delete
  6. Newcastle Photos24 March 2009 at 12:12

    Not legally. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous12 October 2009 at 14:04

    Hi, was wondering if anyone has a contact for someone who can get me in, its getting knocked down soon and id be devastated if I missed out on this piece of history

    ReplyDelete
  8. Newcastle Photos12 October 2009 at 16:28

    Getting in is a lot harder now than it was in the past.
    I suggest you join up at an urban exploration website and take it from there.

    ReplyDelete
  9. dave1 December 2009 at 17:45

    hi, i still work at what is left of this hospital and what pictures show are as follows
    church
    main hall and stage
    pottery
    kitchen{main}
    kitchen{ward}
    swimming pool
    ward corridors
    swimming pool plant room
    access is now not possible due to high security fence and lots of security

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous29 January 2010 at 19:05

    Fantastic quality of images!

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  11. Newcastle Photos29 January 2010 at 19:43

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous12 March 2010 at 15:01

    Wow, thanks for posting these images, it looks amazing, I would love to be able to go and see with my own eyes, shame about the high security but it is probably for the best.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous16 October 2012 at 06:59

    I worked there many years ago and found the pictures to be saddening. A lovely building going to ruin

    ReplyDelete