Sunnyside Hospital: Main Building, Hillside

Large E plan Jacobean with long S. frontage of 24 mullioned windows, 3-storey and basement; centre, ends and sub- centres advanced. Twisted chimneys. Dated 1857, with later additions (Historic Environment Scotland List Entry).

Sunnyside Royal Hospital, was built in 1855-7 on a hillside site 6km north of Montrose to replace the old Royal Asylum in the town. The new site was further developed in 1888-91 when a hospital block, designed by the architects, Sydney Mitchell & Wilson, was built to the north-west of the main building, and a large villa, Carnegie Lodge, was added to house private patients. Another two villas, Howden Villa and North Esk Villa, were built in the early 1900s to provide accommodation for pauper patients, and a nurses' home was constructed in 1935.

The Royal Asylum of Montrose was founded in 1781 by Mrs Susan Carnegie of Charlton for the treatment of private and pauper lunatics, and was the first purpose-built psychiatric institute in Scotland. Prior to this, insane patients had been housed in the Old Tolbooth in the High Street. In 1858 the asylum was transferred to Moffatt's new building on the lands of a farm at Sunnyside. The new building cost £27,513, and was built in the Jacobean style Moffatt often adopted. When the lease of the farmlands expired in 1911, 52 acres were purchased for the hospital at a cost of £4,500. (RCAHMS)

June 2009: External inspection finds the hospital site is scheduled for closure in 2010. Most of the buildings have been closed and boarded up, but the main building and the nurses home remain at use at time of survey. Set to Alert awaiting confirmation of closure date.

August 2010: The Press and Journal reports copper piping has been reported as stolen from the vacant Carnegie building. The article goes on to note the site at Sunnyside remains partly occupied by the NHS, but is intended for full closure next year.

23 October 2012: External inspection finds the building has now closed. Moved to At Risk.

30 April 2013: The Courier reports on local concern at the ongoing vacancy at Sunnyside Hospital. The article notes previous metal thefts from the site including lead theft last week. NHS Tayside is noted as working with the Scottish Futures Trust, which has appointed a master planner to prepare Sunnyside for sale.

30 September 2013: Local planners advise they continuing to work with NHS Tayside to establish a future use for the site. Although the interior was previously vandalised the building is advised to be in fair condition overall and has been secured. Although the site has been fully vacated by the NHS, it remains under active monitoring. Condition raised to Fair.

9 September 2015: A member of the public notes the former hospital site is now being marketed for sale. Ballantynes is marketing the circa 26 hectare site for sale, offers invited. The sales particulars note NHS Tayside commissioned Jones Lang LaSalle to prepare a Development Framework for the Sunnyside site.

7 June 2016: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously.

10 August 2016: The former hospital is noted as being Under Offer.

28 September 2018: Listed Building Consent for conversion of the building into 34 dwellings is being sought ref: 18/00522/LBC

19 June 2021: A member of the public notes conversion of the main block has started.