Stone House Hospital was constructed between 1861 and 1866 to be a mental asylum for the poor of London. The site was chosen to isolate the patients from London, Dartford and nearby villages, but also to be easily accessible by railway. The hospital was designed by James Bunstone Bunning in 'Tudorbethan' style and orignally consisted of an east wing for me and a west wing for women, an administration block, a dining room, wards, bathroom and corridors.

In 1885 an isolation hostpial was built to the north of the main site along Bow Arrow Lane. In 1887 Stone Lodge Farm and 107 acres east of the hspital were purchased to provide healthy employment for the patients. Various alterations were also undertaken within the main buildings with the removal of many internal walls to aid ventilation and improved sanitary provision. A new chapel was built (St Luke's Chapel) that was intended to be large enough to accommodate three-quarters of the patients.

There were various minor alterations from 1909 to 1923 but no further changes until the 1980s/1990s saw the construction of nurses acommodation.

The grounds were laid out by a notable designer Edward Milner in 1866. The garden designer Robert Lloyd was also involved. The gardens were largely lawns with paths laid out in a Union Flag pattern. Beyond these to the south were informal grounds. Some elements of these are believed to survive.

The hospital itself closed in 2005. (1)

Historic England archive material: BF101214 STONE HOUSE HOSPITAL, STONE Architectural plans are photographs of the originals.Miniature Format Film Number: 149/W
BL20643 A veranda with day-beds at the Stone House Asylum Built as the City of London Pauper Lunatic Asylum, the mental hospital began taking paying patients from 1892 and the income earned from these private patients enabled expansion and improvement of the asylum's facilities. It passed to the National Health Service in 1948 and plans for the hospital's closure were initiated in 2003. The Bedford Lemere daybook records that the St Pancras Ironworks were responsible for the veranda shown here.
BL20643A A veranda with day-beds at the Stone House Asylum Built as the City of London Pauper Lunatic Asylum, the mental hospital began taking paying patients from 1892 and the income earned from these private patients enabled expansion and improvement of the asylum's facilities. It passed to the National Health Service in 1948 and plans for the hospital's closure were initiated in 2003. The Bedford Lemere daybook records that the St Pancras Ironworks were responsible for the veranda shown here.

English Partnerships, 2007, Stone House Hospital Site : PPG15 Justification Report (Unpublished document). SKE51832.

<1> English Partnerships, 2007, Stone House hospital Site: Conservation Strategy Report (Unpublished document). SKE51803.

<2> Entec UK Ltd, 2006, Stone House Hospital Cultural Heritage Desk-Based Study (Unpublished document). SKE51831.