Pest House Lane, later known as Wood Lane End (18th Century)
Highfield Lane (1898 - 1914)
Foundation Year
1850 (approximately)
Status
Open
Administrative Authorities
Regional Board (1948-1974)
North West Metropolitan
Management Committee (1948-1974)
West Hertfordshire
Regional Authority (1974-1982)
North West Thames
Regional Authority (Post-1982)
North West Thames
District Authority (1974-1982)
North West
District Authority (Post-1982)
North West Hertfordshire
Pre-1974 County
Hertfordshire
Post-1974 County
Hertfordshire
Post-1996 County
Not applicable
Status
Pre-1948
Local Authority
Post-1948
NHS
Type
Pre-1948
Isolation
Post-1948
Mental
Post-1948 information
MNT: Mental handicap.
Other information
There was a pest house at Wood Lane End from the mid-eighteenth century. By 1898, however, the need was felt to erect a more modern isolation hospital for the area. Thus a wooden hut was erected on Highfield Lane, in Hemel Hempstead. It was run by the local authority for the use of patients only within that district, namely the area surrounding Hemel Hempstead. In 1913 it was decided to erect a purpose-built building at Bennets End with a total of 45 beds, although during a smallpox epidemic in 1916 the Highfield Lane hospital had to be re-opened. In 1948 the hospital passed into the hands of the Minister of Health as part of Group 9 of the North West Metropolitan Regional Board along with Aldbury, Tring and Watford Isolation Hospitals.