Shelton Hospital, Shelton

Sir George Gilbert Scott and Moffatt benefitted rather more from yet another big government-led social building programme, which was for the new large and improved county lunatic asylums, that were planned across the country in the early 1840’s and again were usually the subject of architectural competitions. As Scott wrote, ‘We competed frequently too, at this time, for County Lunatic Asylums though with less success’. In fact the partners were successful on three occasions. The first of these in 1843 was the Shropshire County Lunatic Asylum, which, as the government prescribed, was set on high ground outside the town. This is situated at Shelton, some two miles west of Shrewsbury, in an attractive park-like setting. The building, although not the scale of Wanstead, is still very big with a three-storied central block and two-storied wings with basements, to accommodate 120 inmates. The style is slightly later, with plain gables and a classical cupola over the main entrance, but it still has Tudor windows with stone mullions and transomes. It was built in a plain red brick, with stone dressings.

Scott’s Recollections, I 336.
9/77, 85, 86, Scott’s Drawings Collection, p. 17 (RIBA).