Centred around a courtyard with a chapel in the middle, it had approximately 12 ‘cells’ for patients, a kitchen, staff accommodation and an exercise yard. It was to remain on this site for over 400 years until 1676 when it moved to Moorfields, also in the City of London.

When was bedlam shut down?

In 1547 it was granted by Henry VIII to the City of London as a hospital for the mentally ill. It subsequently became infamous for the brutal ill treatment meted out to its patients. In the 17th and 18th centuries Bedlam was open to fee-paying spectators, but this disruptive practice was ended in 1770.

What is the most famous psychiatric hospital?

It is the oldest in England and perhaps the most famous psychiatric hospital in the world. Originally known as the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, Broadmoor Hospital opened in the Berkshire village of Crowthorne in 1863.