Pen-Y-Fal Hospital

Pen-y-Fal Hospital was a psychiatric hospital in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, opened in 1851 and closed in 1996. It held up to 1, 170 patients at its peak. HistoryThe facility went under a variety of names: 1851–1871 – Joint Counties Lunatic Asylum for Monmouthshire, Herefordshire, Hereford City, Radnorshire and Breconshire1871–1903 – Joint Hereford County and City Asylum opened in Burghill1903–1906 – Joint Breconshire and Radnorshire Lunatic Asylum opened in Talgarth1906–1916 – Newport Lunatic Asylum opened at Caerleon1916–1923 – New name Monmouthshire Mental Hospital1923–1950 – Pen-Y-Val Hospital1950–1996 – Pen-y-Fal Hospital Pen-y-Fal was designed initially to house 250 patients. Its architect, Thomas Fulljames of Gloucester, assisted by Frederick Sandham Waller, chose the Tudor Gothic style using local old red sandstone with Bath stone dressings to animate its charming gathering of gables and chimneys. The property was set in grounds of 75 acres reflecting the medical thinking that outdoor space was an important aspect of treatment. There was an asylum farm which provided food for the hospital. The Joint Counties Lunatic Asylum was established as a result of the County Asylums Act 1845, which laid down the regulation of lunatic asylums at a county level nationwide. Initially Monmouthshire, Herefordshire, Radnorshire and Breconshire joined together in supporting the Abergavenny facility, though as the population grew, individual asylums were built. Hence in 1897 the name was changed to Monmouthshire Lunatic Asylum.

Pen-y-Fal Hospital was a psychiatric hospital in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, opened in 1851 and closed in 1996. It held up to 1, 170 patients at its peak. HistoryThe facility went under a variety of names: 1851–1871 – Joint Counties Lunatic Asylum for Monmouthshire, Herefordshire, Hereford City, Radnorshire and Breconshire1871–1903 – Joint Hereford County and City Asylum opened in Burghill1903–1906 – Joint Breconshire and Radnorshire Lunatic Asylum opened in Talgarth1906–1916 – Newport Lunatic Asylum opened at Caerleon1916–1923 – New name Monmouthshire Mental Hospital1923–1950 – Pen-Y-Val Hospital1950–1996 – Pen-y-Fal Hospital Pen-y-Fal was designed initially to house 250 patients. Its architect, Thomas Fulljames of Gloucester, assisted by Frederick Sandham Waller, chose the Tudor Gothic style using local old red sandstone with Bath stone dressings to animate its charming gathering of gables and chimneys. The property was set in grounds of 75 acres reflecting the medical thinking that outdoor space was an important aspect of treatment. There was an asylum farm which provided food for the hospital. The Joint Counties Lunatic Asylum was established as a result of the County Asylums Act 1845, which laid down the regulation of lunatic asylums at a county level nationwide. Initially Monmouthshire, Herefordshire, Radnorshire and Breconshire joined together in supporting the Abergavenny facility, though as the population grew, individual asylums were built. Hence in 1897 the name was changed to Monmouthshire Lunatic Asylum.