Astley Hospital (also known as Dam House)⁶⁵¹⁰

Brief Description

Astley Hospital has a hall with grounds in open fields to the north of Astley. The hall was originally known as Dam House, the name arising from the dam built on the nearby brook to power a corn mill.

History

The hall came into the possession of the Mort family in 1595 and there is a lintel recording that the present building was 'Erected by Adam Mort and Margaret Mort 1650'. An earlier Adam Mort provided in his will for the setting up of a grammar school and a chapel on the site. The chapel was replaced by a new structure in 1760 and survives as St Stephens, Astley, but the grammar school was destroyed in 1894. The former Astley vicarage and the Meads stand on lands which were formerly the park of Dam House. In 1734 the hall left the possession of the Mort family and was sold together with its contents in 1889 for £90,000. In 1893 the house was sold again and became a sanatorium for infectious diseases. The site became a general hospital in 1948, and was closed in 1994. The Morts Astley Heritage Trust was formed in 1999, and the building was preserved as a community centre after this date.

Visitor Facilities