Merrifield Children's Unit (also known as Merryfield or colloquially as Merrifields) was a residential children's and adolescents' psychiatric institution in the grounds of Tone Vale Hospital (an adult mental hospital) approximately 3 km (1.9 miles) north west of Norton Fitzwarren, near Taunton, Somerset, England, in what is now the village Cotford St Luke.[1]
Merrifield Children's Unit
View of the extended Merrifield Children's Unit, as officially opened in March 1976
The Merrifield Unit was established by psychiatrist Dr Martin Frank (known as 'Jim') Bethell (d. 1982)[2] as a regional unit for the treatment of young people.[3] By November 1961, it was catering for 36 'psychotic and maladjusted' children.[4] In the mid-1970s, the Merrifield buildings were upgraded, and a substantial new extension was opened in March 1976 by Sir Desmond Pond.[3]
The Unit served the whole of South West England, and for much of its existence its management was under the control of Dr Bethell and nursing officer Donald Mackey.[5] Other child psychiatry specialists associated with Merrifield included Dr Adriaan Bakker[6] and Dr Frank Bayley.[7] Of the Merrifield patients, one observer notes, "Some of the children, although highly disturbed, were extremely well read and educated."[5]
Tone Vale Hospital, Merrifield Unit's parent institution, was closed in 1995,[1] as was Merrifield itself.[8] The entire site is now occupied by the newly built village of Cotford St Luke.[9] Merrifield is succeeded by the Orchard Lodge Young People's Unit located in Cotford St Luke.[10]
References and allusions in literatureedit
In her memoir, The Light in My Mind,[11] Joyce Passmore writes of being admitted to Merrifield in 1957 at the age of 13 suffering with epilepsy, prior to being transferred to the main adult hospital.[12] The novel Delivered Unto Lions[13] by David Austin is based on the experiences of a Merrifield patient in the 1970s.[8]
^ abHinton, David, & Clarke, Fred. (Eds.). (1997). The Tone Vale story: a century of care. Bishop's Lydeard: Rocket Publishing. p. 43. ISBN1-899995-05-6
^"BJ Psych Bulletin" (PDF). University of Cambridge Press.
^Elsevier Heath Sciences. (1976). The medical directory, 1976: general alphabetical list A - Mac & Mad - Z, Part 1. Oxford, UK: Churchill Livingstone. p. 156. ISBN978-0-443-01440-6
^ ab"Tone Vale children's unit remembered in novel". This is The West Country. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
^"Cotford St Luke". The Exmoorian. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
^Farr, Hannah, & O’Herlihy, Anne. (Compilers). (2004, November). Child & adolescent mental health in-patients units in England, Scotland, Wales and Belfast: unit directory (2nd ed.). London: College Research Unit of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. p. 32.
^Passmore, Joyce. (2010). The Light in My Mind. Yeovil, UK: Speak Up Somerset. ISBN978-0-9549772-5-2
^. Somerset Live. 10 September 2010. Archived from the original on 13 September 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
Media related to Cotford St Luke at Wikimedia Commons, which shows some of the former hospital buildings
May 05, 2024
merrifield, children, unit, also, known, merryfield, colloquially, merrifields, residential, children, adolescents, psychiatric, institution, grounds, tone, vale, hospital, adult, mental, hospital, approximately, miles, north, west, norton, fitzwarren, near, t. Merrifield Children s Unit also known as Merryfield or colloquially as Merrifields was a residential children s and adolescents psychiatric institution in the grounds of Tone Vale Hospital an adult mental hospital approximately 3 km 1 9 miles north west of Norton Fitzwarren near Taunton Somerset England in what is now the village Cotford St Luke 1 Merrifield Children s UnitView of the extended Merrifield Children s Unit as officially opened in March 1976Shown in SomersetGeographyLocationCotford St Luke Somerset EnglandCoordinates51 02 21 N 3 11 19 W 51 0392 N 3 1886 W 51 0392 3 1886OrganisationCare systemNHSTypePsychiatric institution for childrenServicesHistoryOpened1950sClosed1995LinksListsHospitals in England Contents 1 History 2 References and allusions in literature 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory editThe Merrifield Unit was established by psychiatrist Dr Martin Frank known as Jim Bethell d 1982 2 as a regional unit for the treatment of young people 3 By November 1961 it was catering for 36 psychotic and maladjusted children 4 In the mid 1970s the Merrifield buildings were upgraded and a substantial new extension was opened in March 1976 by Sir Desmond Pond 3 The Unit served the whole of South West England and for much of its existence its management was under the control of Dr Bethell and nursing officer Donald Mackey 5 Other child psychiatry specialists associated with Merrifield included Dr Adriaan Bakker 6 and Dr Frank Bayley 7 Of the Merrifield patients one observer notes Some of the children although highly disturbed were extremely well read and educated 5 Tone Vale Hospital Merrifield Unit s parent institution was closed in 1995 1 as was Merrifield itself 8 The entire site is now occupied by the newly built village of Cotford St Luke 9 Merrifield is succeeded by the Orchard Lodge Young People s Unit located in Cotford St Luke 10 References and allusions in literature editIn her memoir The Light in My Mind 11 Joyce Passmore writes of being admitted to Merrifield in 1957 at the age of 13 suffering with epilepsy prior to being transferred to the main adult hospital 12 The novel Delivered Unto Lions 13 by David Austin is based on the experiences of a Merrifield patient in the 1970s 8 See also editHealthcare in Somerset List of hospitals in EnglandReferences edit a b Tone Vale County Asylums Retrieved 3 November 2018 Obituary British Medical Journal Clinical Research Ed 284 6316 673 674 1982 doi 10 1136 bmj 284 6316 673 PMC 1496215 a b Obituary British Medical Journal Clinical Research Ed 284 6326 1416 1417 1982 doi 10 1136 bmj 284 6326 1416 PMC 1498317 Psychotic and Maladjusted Children Parliamentary Debates Hansard 29 November 1961 Retrieved 3 November 2018 a b Hinton David amp Clarke Fred Eds 1997 The Tone Vale story a century of care Bishop s Lydeard Rocket Publishing p 43 ISBN 1 899995 05 6 BJ Psych Bulletin PDF University of Cambridge Press Elsevier Heath Sciences 1976 The medical directory 1976 general alphabetical list A Mac amp Mad Z Part 1 Oxford UK Churchill Livingstone p 156 ISBN 978 0 443 01440 6 a b Tone Vale children s unit remembered in novel This is The West Country 8 November 2010 Retrieved 3 November 2018 Cotford St Luke The Exmoorian Retrieved 3 November 2018 Farr Hannah amp O Herlihy Anne Compilers 2004 November Child amp adolescent mental health in patients units in England Scotland Wales and Belfast unit directory 2nd ed London College Research Unit of the Royal College of Psychiatrists p 32 Passmore Joyce 2010 The Light in My Mind Yeovil UK Speak Up Somerset ISBN 978 0 9549772 5 2 My fight back to life after being tricked into hospital hell Somerset Live 10 September 2010 Archived from the original on 13 September 2010 Retrieved 3 November 2018 Austin David 2010 Delivered Unto Lions Dooagh Ireland CheckPoint Press ISBN 978 1 906628 21 5External links edit nbsp Media related to Cotford St Luke at Wikimedia Commons which shows some of the former hospital buildings Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Merrifield Children 27s Unit amp oldid 1184435359, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
