Sandhill Park Hospital, nr Taunton, Somerset, UK Opened in 1919 as a care facility for girls and then in 1925 as a hospital for mentally retarded children, there’s widespread belief amongst ‘ghost hunters’ that Sandhill is haunted. Sandhill Park was originally a country house built in about 1720. It was used in the 20th century as a prisoner of war camp, a home for handicapped children and later as a military and civilian hospital. It was built by John Periam, the Member of Parliament for Minehead, and named Hill House. It was afterwards lived in by the Lethbridge family from 1767 to 1913. During World War I it was used as a prisoner of war camp for German and Austrian Officers. In 1919 it was converted by Somerset County Council into a home for handicapped children. It was requisitioned by the military in August 1940 and became the 41st General Military Hospital, providing accommodation in tents and huts. From 1941 the hospital was leased to the Americans as a neurological hospital for over 1,000 patients in 32 new wards which were completed in 1942 serving as the 185th General Hospital. The hospital remained in military use until 1944. The psychiatric hospital reopened under the National Health Service in 1948 and further buildings were constructed. The military took over in 1940 and for a few years it was leased to the American government. 1990 saw the land sold off by the NHS and Sandhill had a few reincarnations before finally laying derelict. Now gutted by fire in a recent arson attack, it’s a shame to lose another beautiful building.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 08:25:00 +0000
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