Ryhope, Cherry Knowle Hospital

The foundation stone for Cherry Knowle Hospital (Borough Lunatic Asylum) was laid by Alderman Stansfield Richardson in 1893 and the main building (The Laurels) was completed in 1895. The architect was George Hine and he designed a compact arrow-shaped layout consisting of six blocks of wards with a recreation hall and chapel in the south elevations.The hospital also comprised of The Oaks an isolation ward to the north-west of the main building, The Elms (1902) a consulting doctors office and later an isolation ward to the north-west and The Cedars to the south of the main building. Associated buildings included a nurses' home to the west, morgue, terraced cottages for married staff, a lodge cottage and the Superintendent's house. Field House to the south-west of the main building was also used as an isolation ward and later as office accomodation and reception for the site. The buildings were all of red brick with stone dressings and slate roofs with distinctive caps over the bay windows (a hallmark of Hine's early work). The 1919 OS plan shows the hospital had been expanded. It continued to expand throughout the 20th century and was known as Cherry Knowle from the late 1940s. The hospital closed in 1998 and was demolished in 2011. The buildings were recorded ahead of demolition.