Springfield Hospital

Springfield Hospital was originally opened in 1841 as the Surrey Pauper Lunatic Asylum. The Surrey Justices of the Peace had formed a Committee in 1835 to look into the 'state and expense of pauper lunatics belonging to Surrey'. A new committee reported in 1837 that it was desirable to build an asylum 'as a measure of wise economy and enlightened humanity'. It was hoped that this would reduce the burden on the parishes of Surrey to maintain the insane. The site purchased in 1838 from Henry Perkins consisted of a house and estate known as Springfield Park (a total of 97 acres). The asylum was designed by Mr W. Moseley, County Surveyor of Middlesex (who had constructed the Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell).

Two new wings were built onto the north and east and by 1855 the asylum could accommodate 430 male and 534 female patients. Additional land to the east of the estate was acquired in 1864. A Cottage Hospital was opened in 1872 to deal with infectious diseases. Following the formation of the London County Council and Middlesex County Council in 1889, the overall question of provision of asylums in London resulted in Springfield being allotted to Middlesex County Council.

In 1897, a separate 'Annex for Idiot Children' was opened to accommodate 20 children under the provisions of the Lunacy Act of 1890, which sought to separate the treatment of mentally handicapped children from the treatment of the mentally ill. An Infirmary Block for the physically ill was opened in 1931.

In 1948 the Hospital was transferred to the National Health Service. In 2001 the Hospital became part of South West London and Saint George's Mental Health NHS Trust.