Building record MAB40764 - SUNNYSIDE ROYAL HOSPITAL, HILLSIDE, MONTROSE

Former hospital, no longer in use.

Former hospital, no longer in use. It was founded in 1781 by Mrs Susan Carnegie, as previously the insane were imprisoned in the Tolbooth without proper care. Named the Royal Charter of Montrose Lunatic Asylum, Infirmary and Dispensary in 1810, the first asylum was on Barrack Street, Montrose. This proved to be unsatisfactory due to overcrowding and was condemned in 1855 by the Scottish Lunacy Commission. The site at Sunnyside was chosen and building work continued through to 1901 due to numbers of patients. In 1882 the main building finally had dining, kitchen and recreation facilities. In 1886-1981 a new detached Infirmary for 60 patients was added. Carnegie House (1889) was built for private paying patients. Howden Villa and Northesk Villa opened in 1901 and 1904 respectively for non-paying patients. The site is shown on the 1st edition OS map as a main building (NO76SW0137) with two rectangular and one L-plan building to the north. There are two walled gardens to the east and smaller gardens around the main building. It is depicted as Montrose Royal Lunatic Asylum. To the north is a U-plan building open to the west, with a rectangular building just outside the entrance, depicted as Hillhead. On the 2nd edition OS map there have been major additions to the site. The buildings shown on the 1st edition OS map have all been extended, and Hillhead has been removed with new buildings incorporated into the hospital complex. A new building has been added to the west of the main building, and Carnegie House has been added to the east on the site of one of the walled gardens. An L-plan building has also been added to the south of the complex. In 1895 the engineer, James Blyth, a pioneer of wind power generation, licensed the Glasgow engineering firm Mavor and Coulson to construct a wind turbine at the hospital. It was a larger improved version of his turbine at Blyth's Marykirk cottage in 1887 (see Aberdeenshire HER NO66NE0258). This new design was modelled on Thomas Robinson's anemometer (invented in 1846) and instead of the vertical canvas sails of his first turbine, had eight semi-cylindrical boxes (10 feet by 6 feet) turning a vertical axis that drove a 6 foot flywheel. It operated for 27 years and was dismantled in 1914. In preparation for World War I, the hospital sand-bagged and gas-proofed its basement windows. A large trench was also dug opposite the main gate, and there was rigorous staff training, such as making them walk through gas-filled chambers to test their gas masks. The War Office required the hospital to take additional patients from hospitals in Stirling and Aberdeen, forcing its resident population over 1,000 for the only time in its history. In 1948 it ceased to be independent, and was renamed Royal Mental Hospital of Montrose. In 1962 it became Sunnyside Royal Hospital. It has now been closed in phases due to advances in pharmacological treatments which lessen or remove the need for residential care. By June 2009 most of the buildings had been closed and boarded up, but the main building and nurses' home remained in use. The hospital finally closed in 2011. Current maps show further alterations to many of the buildings, and some to the north and south have been replaced by modern residential buildings. A war memorial has also been added (NO76SW0139). A desk-based assessment and walkover survey of the hospital site was carried out in April 2013. No previously unrecorded sites of archaeological interest were identified. Standing building of Home Lodge gatehouse was carried out in September 2021. The lodge, built in the first half of the 20th century, is single-storey, of rendered brick, with corner quoins and base course, red asbestos roof tiles, and cast iron rainwater goods. In the late 19th century, Charles Altamont Doyle, the father of Arthur Conan Doyle (creator of Sherlock Holmes) was one of the patients at the hospital between 1889 and 1892. Standing building recording and photographic surveys of the various buildings was carried out between 2018 and 2021 ahead of redevelopment of the hospital site, including buildings separately Listed: main hospital building (NO76SW0137), a fire station (NO76SW0181), Northesk Villa (NO76SW0185), workshops (NO76SW0189), Carnegie House (NO76SW0159), cricket pavilions (NO76SW0175 and NO76SW0183), summerhouse (NO76SW0187) and Booth House (NO76SW0177). Also Laurel Cottage (NO76SW0265), West Gate Lodge (NO76SW0207), Chapel (NO76SW0211), Angus House (NO76SW0235), the toilet block at NO 70698 61820, electricity substation at NO 70730 61835, rendered building at NO 71019 61652.

Period Notes
Replaced an earlier asylum on Barrack Street, and was built through to 1901, with dining, kitchen and recreation facilities by 1882. It took additional patients from Stirling and Aberdeen during World War I.

WHITE, H, 2012, MONTROSE BASIN SURVEY 1999-2012 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2127.

ADDYMAN ARCHAEOLOGY, 2013, SUNNYSIDE HOSPITAL, MONTROSE, ANGUS: ARCHAEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND WALKOVER SURVEY - APRIL 2013, Walkover report (Bibliographic reference). SAB5496.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2014, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, NEW SERIES, VOLUME 14, 2013, p.36 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5483.

GAAP ARCHITECTS, 2018, ELECTRICITY SUBSTATION, FORMER SUNNYSIDE HOSPITAL GROUNDS, HILLSIDE, MONTROSE: PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY (Bibliographic reference). SAB4274.

GAAP ARCHITECTS, 2018, RENDERED BLOCK, FORMER SUNNYSIDE HOSPITAL GROUNDS, HILLSIDE, MONTROSE: PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY (Bibliographic reference). SAB4276.

GAAP ARCHITECTS, 2018, TOILET BLOCK, FORMER SUNNYSIDE HOSPITAL GROUNDS, HILLSIDE, MONTROSE: PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY (Bibliographic reference). SAB4273.

GARRY ADAM ARCHITECTS LTD, 2021, HOME LODGE GATEGOUSE, FORMER SUNNYSIDE HOSPITAL GROUNDS, HILLSIDE, MONTROSE: STANDING BUILDING SURVEY, L1 SBS (Bibliographic reference). SAB4260.

Jul 2 2009 , AAS/09/1/DG0640-2, AAS/09/1/DG0640-2 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30058.

Jul 12 2005 , AAS/05/5/CT164, AAS/05/5/CT164 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB29001.

Mar 17 1998 , AAS/98/04/CT, AAS/98/04/CT (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB24918.

Mar 17 1998 , AAS/98/04/G6/22-3, AAS/98/04/G6/22-3 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB29000.

Record last edited

Oct 8 2024 11:40AM