St Georges Asylum

St. Georges Asylum is located in Stafford, Staffordshire.

St. Georges is a Grade II listed building, originally opened in 1818 as a purpose designed hospital and asylum solely for 'Pauper lunatics'. The asylum sits on a hillside overlooking the town and the building has an unusual chapel and refectory as part of the original complex of buildings. There is also a distinctive water tower close to the main building.

St. Georges Asylum was first known as the Staffordshire General Lunatic Asylum when it was built in 1818. The asylum was designed by the County Surveyor, Joseph Potter and could house a total of 120 patients.

St. Georges was enlarged in 1879 with a detached building to the south-eastern side which could hold about 90 patients. Again in 1884 the asylum was expanded, this time to the North western side of the site. Workshops and bakeries were incorporated into this building and the capacity of inmates was increased to 870.

The hospital was transferred to the National Health Service in 1948 and renamed St. George's Hospital. The doors finally closed in 1995.

There are plans to develop the site into over 100 apartments but at the moment the asylum sits empty and derelict.

In March 2010 the hospital was deliberately set on fire. At least 50 firefighters from eight fire stations spent more than 24 hours battling the fire. The blaze, which started on the ground floor and ripped through four floors of the building, destroying part of the roof. The firemen had to withdraw from the Grade II-listed property due to safety fears, and aerial platforms were used instead.