The Banstead Image Library
Cuddington Isolation Hospital (date estimated)
Cuddington Hospital 1897 - 1984
Infectious diseases. Later, geriatric.
Walnut Tree Farm, near Banstead Downs, was offered for sale by the Revd E.W. Northey and was purchased as the site for the new hospital.
The Cuddington Isolation Hospital opened in October 1897 had 14 beds for scarlet fever patients, 10 beds for those with diphtheria and a separate isolation block containing 8 beds.
The Hospital joined the NHS in 1948. In 1949 only two blocks of the Hospital remained open due to a severe shortage of nursing staff.
As the staffing situation improved in the 1950s, the hospital had 83 beds for convalescents, 25 for TB patients and 18 for infectious diseases cases. It dropped the word 'Isolation' from its title and became Cuddington Hospital.
Weekly film shows were arranged for the patients, as well as plays and talks. The grounds were pleasant, but ill-kept.
The Hospital closed in 1984 with 136 beds.
The buildings were demolished and the land remained vacant for several years, the site being used mainly to train police dogs.
In 1997 most of the site became a gated housing development - Cuddington Park Close.
The remainder of the site, some 3.5 acres, became Cuddington Meadows, which was declared a Local Nature Reserve in 2004. The chalk grassland contains a number of scarce and important species.
Added following request from Audrey Piddington
IMAGE : Frith postcard NK24
(Lost hospitals of London)
(Picture from Epsom, Ewell, Cheam, Ashtead Memories, History Genealogy)
Picture added on 08 March 2021 at 12:27
This picture is in the following groups
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Banstead History
Banstead History
My mother was admitted here in 1954 for a convalescent stay after an operation at Epsom. I was only allowed one visit to see her and have memories of a bright long room with big windows flung open to take advantage of the fresh air.
Added by Janice Chapple on 22 November 2021
I was in this Hospital as a toddler circa 1948. It was restricted visiting for parents and very traumatic for me. The nurses were strict, no tears allowed.
I had my birthday there and presents were sent in but I was not allowed to take them home. They were burnt all except for my teddy bear which was fumigated! He was never the same after that but I kept him. He was torn to bits by a dog but still remains in my cupboard in pieces.
I am 75 years old and when I had scarlet fever I was seriously ill so that hospital must have done something right after all!
I had my birthday there and presents were sent in but I was not allowed to take them home. They were burnt all except for my teddy bear which was fumigated! He was never the same after that but I kept him. He was torn to bits by a dog but still remains in my cupboard in pieces.
I am 75 years old and when I had scarlet fever I was seriously ill so that hospital must have done something right after all!
Added by Liz. Smith on 16 January 2022
I was there circa 1950 for about 3 weeks – I don't know why and have no way of finding out.
Having had 4 different medical practices since. I remember the strict nurses and crying myself to sleep at night. I am 79 yrs of age.
Note from LNW: Brian, that has to be the saddest story written in two lines that I have ever come across. Just to clarify, are you saying that you became a doctor and worked or ran four medical practices? I believe that The Surrey History Centre at Woking hold records from Cuddington Hospital but I don't know the extent of them. They may be financial records only but you might like to follow that up. Their contact details are below:
Address: Surrey History Centre, 130 Goldsworth Road, Woking, Surrey GU21 6ND, England
Telephone: 01483 518737
Email: shs@surreycc.gov.uk
Having had 4 different medical practices since. I remember the strict nurses and crying myself to sleep at night. I am 79 yrs of age.
Note from LNW: Brian, that has to be the saddest story written in two lines that I have ever come across. Just to clarify, are you saying that you became a doctor and worked or ran four medical practices? I believe that The Surrey History Centre at Woking hold records from Cuddington Hospital but I don't know the extent of them. They may be financial records only but you might like to follow that up. Their contact details are below:
Address: Surrey History Centre, 130 Goldsworth Road, Woking, Surrey GU21 6ND, England
Telephone: 01483 518737
Email: shs@surreycc.gov.uk
Added by Brian Gentle on 11 December 2022
My Headmistress, Miss Norris from Western Road School Mitcham, got me my first job at Cuddington Hospital as a Cadet Nurse in September 1965. I worked on Wards 4 and 5 which were geriatrics.
I left there in 1967 to start my SEN training at St. Georges as they told me for some reason I couldn't carry on training there but some other cadets could. Never found out why.
Response from LNW: Thank you Margaret. You are the first person in 20 years of my Banstead History membership, who we know worked there, so if you have any more memories of your time there we would love to hear about them.
I left there in 1967 to start my SEN training at St. Georges as they told me for some reason I couldn't carry on training there but some other cadets could. Never found out why.
Response from LNW: Thank you Margaret. You are the first person in 20 years of my Banstead History membership, who we know worked there, so if you have any more memories of your time there we would love to hear about them.
Added by Margaret Tilcock on 11 July 2023
Hi Margaret. I think my great great aunt was in a geriatric ward there. She definitely lived at Cuddington hospital. She was yrs old back in 1971,when I was born. Her maiden surname, I think, was Sykes, if not it would have been Baker. No idea if she married. I was told it was 'senility'. No idea how long she was in there for. Respect for working there. Is there anyway I can find out more about this place, how they lived, treatment types. I don't know what age she lived too. Is there a way I can locate any records either. It's possible you could have met.
Note from LNW: Lisa, Banstead History do not hold any personal information. I suggest you start with this website https://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/cuddington.html which will take you to Lost Hospitals of London.
Note from LNW: Lisa, Banstead History do not hold any personal information. I suggest you start with this website https://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/cuddington.html which will take you to Lost Hospitals of London.
Added by Lisa Vallance on 23 October 2023
My family lived in a prefab house in Cuddington Way, Banstead, and I was born at Cuddington Hospital in 1955.
I am the fifth sibling of seven; I don’t know if my four earlier siblings were born there or they could have been born at either St. Anthony’s or St. Heliers. I was a complete surprise to my parents as they were convinced I was going to be a girl and they had chosen my name before I was born and arrived a boy.
I still live nearby to Banstead. Whenever I am going to St. George’s I feel like I am at home when I pass near the Cuddington site.
I am the fifth sibling of seven; I don’t know if my four earlier siblings were born there or they could have been born at either St. Anthony’s or St. Heliers. I was a complete surprise to my parents as they were convinced I was going to be a girl and they had chosen my name before I was born and arrived a boy.
I still live nearby to Banstead. Whenever I am going to St. George’s I feel like I am at home when I pass near the Cuddington site.
Added by Kim Hack on 15 May 2024
I was at boarding school in Epsom from 1957 - 1962. In the summer of 1957 I was taken ill with meningitis and rushed to Cuddington Isolation Hospital at Banstead by ambulance. I was semi-conscious. Praise for the school doctor for his rapid diagnosis!
I was there for about three weeks in a single 'ward' (just a single room), with big glass windows to adjacent 'wards' so that the nurse in charge could see down the whole ward. I remember being given a lumbar puncture, an injection in my lower back, and everyone in the school was given two M&B (May and Baker?) tablets. All visitors had to wear white coats, which were hung on a peg in the room.
There were three of us in the little group who contracted meningitis. A salesman who I believe supplied the school 'tuck shop', who died. Another pupil who committed suicide some months later, and myself. Fortunately I recovered with no lasting ill effects.
I don't know what sort of meningitis it was (a, b or c or whatever); I just remember it being called cerebro-spinal meningitis. Perhaps in those days they were all called that and they didn't distinguish between bacterial and viral types.
I was there for about three weeks in a single 'ward' (just a single room), with big glass windows to adjacent 'wards' so that the nurse in charge could see down the whole ward. I remember being given a lumbar puncture, an injection in my lower back, and everyone in the school was given two M&B (May and Baker?) tablets. All visitors had to wear white coats, which were hung on a peg in the room.
There were three of us in the little group who contracted meningitis. A salesman who I believe supplied the school 'tuck shop', who died. Another pupil who committed suicide some months later, and myself. Fortunately I recovered with no lasting ill effects.
I don't know what sort of meningitis it was (a, b or c or whatever); I just remember it being called cerebro-spinal meningitis. Perhaps in those days they were all called that and they didn't distinguish between bacterial and viral types.
Added by Chris Hogg on 20 March 2026
I was there for three weeks in 1956 with scarlet fever aged 9 years. My family were allowed to visit once a day but kept behind a window area and all my personal goods toys etc had to be disinfected before l was allowed to go home.
Added by Carol Huson on 25 March 2026
My Father Ralph was the first TB patient at Cuddington Hospital in 1951, and Mother and I visited regularly, and because of my age (5) I had to sit outside his ward window. After months a second TB patient arrived, and much later Father was discharged, only to catch TB again in 1955! He lived to just one month short of his three-scores-and ten....
Added by Christopher Cathles on 30 March 2026
I was there with the Asian Flu and pneumonia in the late 50s. I thought it was December 1956 but looking at the dates on Wikipedia that may have not been the case. I do know that it was touch and go if I survived as I was only 2 1/2 but the dedication of the doctors and nursing staff pulled me through for which I have been forever grateful.
I can remember being carried up the driveway to the ambulance at night and passing through Leatherhead on the way to the hospital. I can remember very little about being in hospital apart from being in a room with a window that I could see out of if I stood on the bed.
I can remember being carried up the driveway to the ambulance at night and passing through Leatherhead on the way to the hospital. I can remember very little about being in hospital apart from being in a room with a window that I could see out of if I stood on the bed.
Added by Martyn Covey on 21 April 2026
Banstead
