Last year we were handed this advert for the Private Lunatic Asylum at Fiddington House. It comes from an 1880 Kelly’s Directory.
Advert for Fiddington House
A lunatic asylum was founded in the early nineteenth century at Palm House on the High Street. It has been said that there were complaints of noise and that was the reason for the move to Fiddington House – or maybe it was pure commerce and the Palm House site was no longer big enough – the owners felt they could make more money at bigger premises. By the 1840s the asylum was set up in the old country house at Fiddington.
For those who know the layout of the area it may be a surprise to know that Fiddington used to be in West Lavington but by 1880 when this advert appeared there had been boundary changes and the asylum had become a feature of the parish of Market Lavington.
The museum has other items connected with the asylum including photographs and a booklet which advertises the premises, rather as though it was a holiday camp.
The asylum closed its doors in about 1960 and the buildings were demolished to make way for the Fiddington Clay housing.
If you have anything to share or would like further information then please contact the curator.
Market Lavington Museum 
August 10, 2012 at 5:16 am |
[…] Such an organisation needed to advertise and we have seen, on this blog an advert for the asylum from the 1880s, when Dr Charles Hitchcock was the owner (click here). […]