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Featured Article Of The Week
St. Marys Hospital, Burghill
Herefordshire initially utilized subscription asylum premises within the Hereford General Infirmary site and following the 1845 act entered into agreement with the Welsh counties of Monmouthshire, Radnorshire and Breconshire to construct the Joint counties premises at Abergavenny. Breakdown of the union led to Herefordshire providing its own asylum located close to the County Town of Hereford, who funded a proportion of the development. The rural nature of Herefordshire prevented further need for accommodation. The asylum became known as St. Mary's Hospital named after the local parish church.
The new establishment in Burghill, which replaced the original Asylum in Hereford, covered 10 acres and cost £87,873.00 to build. It was completed in 1871. There were a further 100 acres of gardens, a farm and several cottages. The main asylum was divided into a block for men and one for women, each wing constructed to house 200 patients. The male block contained a workshop and brewhouse, the female block a laundry. In addition to a dining and recreation hall, there was a chapel. A gasworks in the grounds supplied the gas for lighting the building. The hospital staff included both male and female attendants, a housekeeper, cook, laundress, housemaid, kitchen maid, porter, baker, engineer and stoker. A bailiff managed the house and grounds: there was also a gardener, cowman, wagoner and some farm workers. In 1872 the rector of Credenhill was chaplain. Part of his remit was to organize entertainment for the patients, including dances, walks, and concerts. Male attendants were paid more than double the salary of the female attendants. Click here for more...
