The Bethel Hospital was founded in 1713 by Mary Chapman. It was the first purpose built asylum in the country.
It was supposedly meant to only be humane treatments used here even though straight jackets, handcuffs and padlocks were recorded on the inventory.
During the 19th century its believed that one third of the inmates left here cured, sadly it seems a high number stayed here until they passed away.
In the 1970's parts of the site started to close, by 1995 all of the site had closed with plans of redevelopment. It seems most of this went ahead but for some reason a small part got left, which is what you see here today.
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