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Description

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Sunderland County Borough began construction of its own asylum during 1893 completed in 1895 The site chosen consisted of sloping land outside the village of Ryhope with views across to the North Sea George Hine was chosen as Architect and produced a compact arrow layout consisting of six blocks of wards and the usual facilities including combined recreation hall and chapel in the centre of the south elevations Other accomodation included a nurses block to the west lodge cottage terraced cottages for married attendants a Superintendents residence Isolation Hospital and a villa block which was added in 1902 The administration block is notable for its unusual triangular plan The building was designed on a compact arrow plan and constructed from red brick with stone dressings and slate roofs with distinctive caps over the bay windows characteristic of Hines early commissions

Further developments took place during the 1930s and after with the construction of an admissions hospital and convalescent villas to the south extended Nurses home to the west of the main building and the wartime emergency medical service huts close to the main gate later Ryhope General hospital The site became Cherry Knowle hospital on being incorporated into the National Health Service in 1948 Later developments under the NHS included a new boiler house and further staff accomodation within the grounds

Buildings within the site later were later named after trees with the original building becoming The Laurels East former male side and The Laurels West former female side As Community Care replaced Long Stay provision contraction and closure took place in the north western portion of the site leading to the closure of the original asylum buildings former isolation hospital villa and former superintendents house

Our Visions and Values
Our Vision is quotTo improve the wellbeing of everyone we serve through delivering services that match the best in the worldquot

Our Values are
We place users and carers at the centre of everything we do

We treat users and carers with respect and dignity

We support and show respect towards our staff we encourage their personal
and professional development we acknowledge their expertise and
professionalism and we value the role that they fulfil

We always look to do things better encouraging and acknowledging
improvement and innovation

We promote effective team and partnership working

We are honest show trust have integrity and are open and transparent in our
work

We embrace diversity

We will listen to the views of others

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History

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Sunderland County Borough began construction of its own asylum during 1893 completed in 1895 The site chosen consisted of sloping land outside the village of Ryhope with views across to the North Sea George Hine was chosen as Architect and produced a compact arrow layout consisting of six blocks of wards and the usual facilities including combined recreation hall and chapel in the centre of the south elevations Other accomodation included a nurses block to the west lodge cottage terraced cottages for married attendants a Superintendents residence Isolation Hospital and a villa block which was added in 1902 The administration block is notable for its unusual triangular plan The building was designed on a compact arrow plan and constructed from red brick with stone dressings and slate roofs with distinctive caps over the bay windows characteristic of Hines early commissions

Further developments took place during the 1930s and after with the construction of an admissions hospital and convalescent villas to the south extended Nurses home to the west of the main building and the wartime emergency medical service huts close to the main gate later Ryhope General hospital The site became Cherry Knowle hospital on being incorporated into the National Health Service in 1948 Later developments under the NHS included a new boiler house and further staff accomodation within the grounds

Buildings within the site later were later named after trees with the original building becoming The Laurels East former male side and The Laurels West former female side As Community Care replaced Long Stay provision contraction and closure took place in the north western portion of the site leading to the closure of the original asylum buildings former isolation hospital villa and former superintendents house

Current Status The majority of the original buildings are now largely disused and derelict and in the ownership of English Partnerships with later buildings and staff accomodation still in use