Sandhill Park

Infobox Historic building


caption=Grounds of the old house.
name=Sandhill Park
location_town=Bishops Lydeard
location_country=England
map_type=Somerset
latitude= 51.06150
longitude= -3.18720
architect=
client=John Periam
engineer=
construction_start_date=
completion_date=1720
date_demolished=
cost=
structural_system=
style=
size=

Sandhill Park in Bishops Lydeard, Somerset, England was built as a county house around 1720. It was later used as a prisoner of war camp, home for handicapped children and later as a military and civilian hospital.

It was built in 1720 by John Periam, [cite web|url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=270268|title=Sandhill Park Hospital|work=Images of England|publisher=English Heritage|accessdate=2008-08-08] the Member of Parliament for Minehead, as Hill House [cite web|url=http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=43372|title=Sandhill Park, Ash Priors|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=Somerset County Council|accessdate=2008-08-08] and lived in by the Lethbridge family from 1767 to 1913.

During World War I it was used as a prisoner of war camp for German and Austrian Officers. [cite web|url=http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=15362|title=Prisoner of War camp, Sandhill Park|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=Somerset County Council|accessdate=2008-08-08] [cite book|last=Dove|first=Richard|title="Totally Un-English"?|publisher=Rodopi|date=2005|pages=33|isbn=9789042016583] In 1919 it was converted it into a home for handicapped children by Somerset County Council. [cite web|url=http://www.chocolatechipdesign.co.uk/nettleden/sandhill/index.shtml|title=Sandhill Park|publisher=nettleden.com|accessdate=2008-08-08]

It was requisitioned by the military in August 1940 and became the 41st General Military Hospital, providing accommodation in tents and huts. From 1941 the hospital was leased to the Americans as a neurological hospital for over 1000 patients in 32 new wards which were completed in 1942. The hospital remained in military use until 1944. [cite web|url=http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=15361|title=Military hospital, Sandhill Park|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=Somerset County Council|accessdate=2008-08-08] The psychiatric hospital reopened under the National Health Service in 1948 and further buildings were constructed.

The hospital was sold in 1991 and housing built on part of the area. [cite web|url=http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=15363|title=Mental Hospital, Sandhill Park|work=Somerset Historic Environment Record|publisher=Somerset County Council|accessdate=2008-08-08]

References