The next Ever Present Past History and Heritage talk on Thursday 3rd September 2026 will offer a brief history of Lancaster Moor Hospital, which opened in 1816, and closed in 2000.
This fascinating look at the development and demise of one of Lancaster’s premier asylums, which starts at 7.30pm, will be presented by Gary Bradshaw, who has recently produced a concise history of the hospital in his new publication, Lancaster Moor Hospital, Lancashire’s first County Lunatic Asylum.
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Lancaster Moor Hospital: Lancashire’s first County Lunatic Asylum by Gary Bradshaw
The Moor Hospital, its Gothic grandeur shaping the city’s eastern skyline, has been a place of curiosity and mystery for generations of Lancastrians for almost two centuries. Author Gary Bradshaw grew up in Lancaster and trained as a Mental Health Nurse at the Moor. Upon retirement, he decided to delve into the archives to piece together the story of the hospital, and to put faces to the names of some of those who passed through its doors.
In the early days, the Asylum adopted methods which we find quite shocking today, with their brutality and emphasis on containment and control, rather than treatment and cure. But, although we can be horrified by such practices, they must be seen within their historical context. These were different times, with little insight into the human body and mind. Over the years, care gradually improved, and for certain periods, Lancaster was even seen as a model of good practice.
This excellent history of the Moor Hospital is set against a background of changing attitudes, developing medical knowledge and pioneering treatments. It is a fascinating and informative read for everyone.