Hillside, Former Sunnyside Hospital, Water Tank and Former Workshops, Montrose, Angus

Description

Circa 1855-7; later additions. Single storey and attic, 5-bay, symmetrical, workshop complex in plain Jacobean style with integral, central 2-stage machiolated water tower to S elevation, forming courtyard. Coursed red sandstone to S elevation; coursed polychromatic sandstone to tower; rubble to other elevations. Ashlar margins, band course to tower. Rubble base course, raised margins and quoins. Flat-roofed and gabled dormers. Some segmental-arched window openings. Later top stage to tower.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: symmetrical. Slightly advanced tower to centre with recessed, moulded, round-arched doorway; partially in-filled; pair of slim round-arched windows in recessed panel to 1st stage; machiolated cornice; later top stage. Flanking 2-bay sections with shouldered, corbelled dormers breaking wallhead; outer bays with bipartite window openings with stone mullions to ground and corniced, flat-roofed dormers above.

E ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 6-bays. Gabled bay to left; Pair of bay windows to ground with fish-scale slates to roof; one with decorative iron brattishing. Shouldered, corbelled dormers breaking wallhead.

COURTYARD: rectangular plan. Segmental-arched opening leads to pend under tower. Some timber boarded doors.

INTERIOR: (partially seen 2012). Some original rooms intact. Simple cornicing and some timber boarding. Staircase with barley-sugar twist balusters and timber handrail.

Some multi-pane and single-pane timber sash and case windows; other windows boarded. Grey slates, raised skews. Gable and ridge stacks. Cast-iron rainwater goods with some decorative hoppers.

Statement of Interest

B-Group includes Sunnyside Main Building, Hospital Building, North Esk Villa, Garage and Former Fire Station, Booth House Former Nurses' Home, Carnegie House, Water Tank and Former Workshops, Summerhouse, Away Team Cricket Pavilion and Home Team Cricket Pavilion.

This ancillary building is one of the original buildings on the site and adds significantly to the wider complex of Sunnyside Hospital. Sunnyside Asylum developed in the 19th century as a replacement for the first lunatic asylum in Scotland at Montrose. The hospital consists of a related group of buildings, informally set in a semi-parkland setting on a hillside overlooking Montrose. The site is significant in remaining largely intact and retaining the integrity of a self-contained psychiatric hospital.

This functional building displays some architectural detailing in the shouldered, gabled dormers, and the distinctive corbelled cornice to the water tower. The structure was built to provide water for the hospital and also to provide workshop space and housing, all of which helped the site to be as self-sufficient as possible. Latterly, there were tailor, plumber, and carpentry workshops. The top stage of the tower is a later addition and may have replaced the original tank.

Sunnyside Asylum opened in 1857 and was constructed to replace the former Montrose Lunatic Asylum, established in Montrose in 1781. This was the first hospital in Scotland to care for the mentally ill and was founded by Susan Carnegie, who hoped that if the patients were given good treatment and medical aid, they may be able to return to society. The marble tablet from the opening of this original building is situated in the current asylum. In 1855, the Scottish Lunacy Commission was appointed and condemned the Montrose building as being unsuitable. It was agreed to build a new asylum and a site to the north of Montrose, at Sunnyside Farm was chosen. The architect William Lambie Moffat, who was working in Doncaster, designed this new building. Originally the building formed a double courtyard plan, but as the numbers of patients increased, the building was extended to the rear in 1877 with the addition of a new recreation hall, dining room and kitchen.

Sunnyside Hospital continued to develop during the latter part of the 19th century and the early 20th century, as patients continued to increase in numbers. A hospital building was added in 1888 (see separate listing) to care for patients who had both medical and psychiatric conditions. Carnegie House (see separate listing) was constructed in 1896 to provide accommodation for private patients. This was set slightly apart from the main building to the north and the patients had their own garden for recreational use. Other buildings were gradually added to the site, including three villas, workshops and a chapel. The gradual development of the site is important in demonstrating the change in ideas over the century in the care of the mentally ill. When the lease of Sunnyside farm expired in 1911 another 52 further acres were purchased for the use of the community. Over the course of the 20th century, the patients and staff became involved in a number of activities within the complex including gardening and farming. A separate nurses' home was built in the 1930s (see separate listing).

The site ceased to be used as a hospital in 2012.

Listed following a review of the former Sunnyside Hospital site, (2012-13).

External Links

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