# Gartloch Asylum, Gartcosh - Apr 2012



## Scattergun (Aug 17, 2012)

Gartloch Hospital was commissioned in 1889 by the City of Glasgow District Lunacy Board Scotland as an asylum for pauper lunatics after the city bought the original estate for approximately £8,600. Building commenced in 1892 and in 1896 the first patients were admitted.

Gartloch is situated on the eastern edge of the City of Glasgow on the Gartloch Road near the village of Gartcosh. It’s name derives from the old Scots “Gart” meaning Garden or enclosure. It’s possible that the name arose due to the original estate having extensive gardens near Bishop’s Loch.












When opened in 1896 the hospital had a complement of 540 beds. This rose to a peak of 830 in 1904 but had decreased to 530 by 1990. Although primarily a psychiatric hospital, Gartloch had other roles.

A tuberculosis sanitorium was opened in 1902 and closed following the end of the Second World War. During the War Gartloch was transformed into an Emergency Medical Services hospital. Psychiatric patients were transferred to other hospitals and a number of “temporary” hutted wards built. A legacy of this wartime use was a 160 bed medical unit which was not phased out until the 1960s. When Gartloch joined the National Health Service in 1948 it was placed under the Board of Management for Glasgow North-Eastern Mental Hospitals. When the Greater Glasgow Health Board was created in 1974 Gartloch was placed within the Eastern District. From 1993 Gartloch was under the Greater Glasgow Community and Mental Health Services NHS Trust.











An important feature which was introduced at Gartloch for the first time in a new asylum in Scotland was the provision of an independent “hospital” section, distinct from the asylum section. This was for the treatment of medical cases, including infectious diseases. It included its own kitchen and dining hall. Another important feature of the hospital in the asylum section is the patient accommodation blocks which are in the form of “villas” linked to the service block and administration offices by enclosed link corridors. The link corridors were omitted in later asylums to create a true colony plan.











The plan of Gartloch was highly influential in Britain and is still in an excellent state of preservation. An innovative feature of the hospital section was the U-plan front block with central administration offices flanked by observation and admission wards. This feature was adapted from the infectious diseases hospitals and was reproduced in later district asylums and the early mental deficiency hospitals.

The other innovative feature in the hospital section is its kitchen and dining hall which made it entirely independent from the main asylum. The nurses home designed in 1898 (though dated 1895), was added to the south of the asylum complex and opened in 1900 to provide 60 beds for nursing staff, it closely resembled the villas in the asylum section.











Gartloch Hospital closed in 1996 and is now being converted into luxury apartments although this has currently stalled due to financial problems. Redevelopment work on the newly named ‘Gartloch Village’ began in 2003 but as of 2012 only four of the nine remaining original buildings have been converted.











Enjoy


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## night crawler (Aug 17, 2012)

Nice bit of history thrown into that report.


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## sonyes (Aug 17, 2012)

Stunning building, such a shame! Great report and pics mate.


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## TeeJF (Aug 17, 2012)

Nice! I might be up there at the end of the month so I reckon that's one to take alook at!

Thanks for posting.


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## sonyes (Aug 17, 2012)

TeeJF said:


> Nice! I might be up there at the end of the month so I reckon that's one to take alook at!
> 
> Thanks for posting.



If you are, give me a shout bud  lol


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## freespirits (Aug 17, 2012)

nice looking mooch that and cracking pics ,,,,


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## SeffyboyUK (Aug 17, 2012)

Really wanna see this one, such a drive though! Good report and pics buddy


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## techmylife (Aug 17, 2012)

Absolutely amazing!

The exterior architecture seems so foreboding, I bet this was Vlads holiday villa...


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## flyboys90 (Aug 17, 2012)

Such an imposing building,brill report & photos,


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## UE-OMJ (Aug 17, 2012)

What an awesome shot in the first pic - something straight out of a horror film for sure.


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## pabala (Aug 18, 2012)

Excellent ;o))))


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## Scattergun (Aug 18, 2012)

sonyes said:


> If you are, give me a shout bud  lol



Any future trips you may have lined up feel free to drop me a line. I'm only 20 minutes away.

And thanks for all the positive comments everyone  If I had the money for one of the posh new renovated flats I'd love to live there. Living in a former asylum, opening your curtains in the morning and seeing all that? Yes please!


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## Pincheck (Aug 18, 2012)

scattergun said:


> Any future trips you may have lined up feel free to drop me a line. I'm only 20 minutes away.
> 
> And thanks for all the positive comments everyone  If I had the money for one of the posh new renovated flats I'd love to live there. Living in a former asylum, opening your curtains in the morning and seeing all that? Yes please!




i only realised recently that i lived not that far from here growing up my self but coming from Easterhouse i had other stuff to think about  Do remember getting chased by a Farmer when walking to the lock nearby


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## Scattergun (Aug 18, 2012)

Pincheck said:


> i only realised recently that i lived not that far from here growing up my self but coming from Easterhouse i had other stuff to think about  Do remember getting chased by a Farmer when walking to the lock nearby



Easterhouse is the new west end. I've been chased by many folk on my travels. Always fun  today however I fell foul of the motion sensors. Gutted.


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## Sshhhh... (Aug 18, 2012)

Love the look of this place! Great pics thanks


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## teeheehee (Aug 18, 2012)

UE-OMJ said:


> What an awesome shot in the first pic - something straight out of a horror film for sure.



Defo top pic


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## _Nyx_ (Aug 18, 2012)

What a place ! Great report & photos


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## Scattergun (Aug 19, 2012)

Cheers everyone


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## steve2109 (Aug 19, 2012)

superb pictures and report, thanks for sharing


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## Scattergun (Aug 19, 2012)

Thanks very much


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## Ace247 (Aug 23, 2012)

Yeah nice pictures & top report there...


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