The Lawn
| The Lawn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Established | 1809 |
| Opened | 1820 |
| Closed | 1985 |
| Current Status | Preserved |
| Building Style | Single Building |
| Architect(s) | Richard Ingleman |
| Location | Lincoln, Lincolnshire |
| Architecture Style | Greek Revival |
| Alternate Names |
|
History
The asylum opened in 1820 and became the first in the country to achieve total abolition of mechanical restraint in 1837. The asylum, which was located close to Lincoln Castle in the heart of the city, was also the first purpose-built establishment through a subscription by the people of the parish and, as such, was open to everyone.
The outcome of a trial of non-restraint was reported in a lecture given by Dr Gardiner Hill at the Mechanics’ Institution in Lincoln in 1838 and subsequently published. In his address Gardner Hill stated ‘I wish to complete that which Pinel began’ and asserted that ‘in a properly constructed building, with a sufficient number of suitable attendants, restraint is never necessary, never justifiable, and always injurious, in all cases of Lunacy whatsoever’.
The methods used at the Lincoln Asylum were adopted by Dr John Conolly and used in a modified form at Hanwell Asylum, Middlesex, of which he was medical superintendent and then the largest in the country, giving impetus to the movement to abolish the use of physical restraint in the management of patients with mental illness. There was also opposition to Gardner Hill's ideas which led him to resign from his post at the Lincoln Asylum in 1840. Many years passed before the practicability of his ideas was fully recognized. The Lawn Hospital was closed in 1985 and was purchased by Lincoln City Council, which used it until 2016, when it was sold again and redeveloped for commercial use.[1]
