PGW(Gm)66(CDF)

Whitchurch Hospital  

II  

01/02/2022  

Designated  

Cardiff  

Whitchurch  

314519  

180551  

Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces  

Grounds of former mental hospital.  

1901-08  

Registered for its historic interest as the survival of the core of the landscaped grounds of one of the most important Edwardian asylums in Wales. The rarity of this type of landscaping gives great historical value to the grounds. The arrangement of the gardens around the hospital, with their fine tree planting and shelters, relates particularly to the therapeutic philosophy of nursing care for patients. The site has historical associations with Cardiff Parks Superintendent, William W. Pettigrew, a landscaper of national importance, who was involved in the planting of the grounds. There is group value with the listed hospital, chapel and six octagonal shelters (all grade II listed). Whitchurch Hospital is situated in extensive, level grounds at the northern end of Cardiff, in the Whitchurch district. It lies between Park Road, to the east, and Velindre Road, to the south. To the north is a dismantled railway line and a modern housing development; to the west the ground drops steeply to Forest Farm Road. The decision by Cardiff Borough Council to build an asylum was taken in 1898. In 1899 part of the Velindre estate, belonging to Mrs Caroline Booker, was offered for the purpose and 120 acres, including the old house of Velindre, were purchased. Messrs Oatley and Skinner of Bristol, who had designed asylums for Surrey and Lancashire, won a competition for the design of the hospital, and building began in 1902. The hospital, then known as the Cardiff Lunatic Asylum and later as the Cardiff City Mental Hospital, was officially opened on 15 April 1908. It was used as a military hospital during the First and Second World Wars and was taken over by the Ministry of Health in July 1948. The entrance to the grounds and hospital lies on Park Road and the entrance and lodge are contemporary with the hospital. The boundary on Park Road is bordered by a belt of Scots pines. The hospital buildings (LB: 11715) are of red brick with yellow brick banding. They occupy a 4.5 acre site and are built to an echelon, or ‘broad arrow’ plan, with the administrative and service blocks in the centre, flanked by two rows of five, two-storey ward blocks. The convex side, facing south, gives maximum light and sun to the wards and this provision is enhanced by south-facing verandahs. The grounds can be divided into three main areas: the open, landscaped ground to the north; the gardens immediately around the wards; and the grounds of Velindre Grange. A rectangular area of formal garden runs northwards from the hospital main entrance, in the centre of the north front, to a large chapel (LB: 11714). Immediately in front of the hospital entrance is a semi-circular lawn. To the north of the lawn is a slightly sunken bowling green, with a concrete revetment wall around it. On the north side of the green is another semi-circular grass area. Beyond this is the chapel, designed by Messrs Oatley and Skinner of Bristol and built at the same time as the hospital, in 1902–08. The formal area is flanked by tarmac drives lined on their outer sides by horse chestnuts. There are sports grounds to the west and north of this area and a car park (formerly an open/recreational area) to the east. The second major part of the grounds are the gardens adjacent to the ward blocks of the hospital. Along the south sides of the wards are four former verandahs; they were originally open but are now filled in with walls and windows between the piers. The gardens lie to the east, west and south of the buildings; their curving boundary, in the form of a dry ditch, follows the general shape of the buildings. The east and west gardens are laid out more or less identically. The gardens were originally subdivided but are now not so. They are laid out informally, with lawns dotted with specimen trees and shrubs, winding tarmac paths and octagonal shelters (LB: 11708 – 11713). All six shelters are contemporary with the main hospital building and date to about 1908–10. The gardens contain some fine, mature trees, including lime, oak, birch, cherry, holly, horse chestnut, tulip tree and Ginkgo biloba. The largest are some fine oaks, two of which grow on a slight mound with a path around it. The third part of the grounds is Velindre Grange, which lies in the south-west corner of the site. It was originally the grounds to a private house, Velindre. It was purchased with the land for the hospital in 1899 and incorporated into the hospital grounds: the house was pulled down and a smaller one was built on its site. The general configuration of the grounds of Velindre survives, including the lodge, drive and specimen trees. The entrance to Velindre Grange is off Velindre Road, flanked by inward-curving boundary walls and with a small, single-storey stone lodge. Setting: In an urban setting in the Whitchurch area of Cardiff. Significant View: Aligned with the entrance front of the hospital building across the formal gardens towards the chapel. Sources: Cadw/ICOMOS, Register of Landscapes, Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales, Part 1: Parks and Gardens — Additional and Revised Entries (Cardiff, 2007). Ordnance Survey 25-inch map sheet Glamorgan XLIII (1920) and (1946)