Former Friern Hospital

The former Friern Hospital, now Princess Park Manor, is a substantial complex built in the 18th century, with a foundation stone laid on 8 May 1849 and the hospital opening in July 1851. Originally known as the Colney Hatch Asylum, it was renamed in 1937 and closed in 1993, subsequently being converted into apartments by 2008. Designed by S W Daukes of Cheltenham, it was constructed as the Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum and is the direct successor to Bethlehem Hospital in Lambeth, known for its progressive approach to the treatment of mental illness - patients were initially kept without restraints. The complex features a central block with two towers and an octagonal dome, accompanied by long flanking wings. The building’s facade, measuring 1,881 feet in length, is in a plain Italianate style, constructed from yellow brick with stone dressings. Only the main section of the hospital is considered significant.