History of Upper Saxondale 

Upper Saxondale is a residential area in the Borough of Rushcliffe in Nottinghamshire, originally within the parishes of Radcliffe on Trent and Cropwell Butler & Tithby. But in April 2023 we became our own parish of Upper Saxondale and part of the newly formed electoral Ward of Newton alongside the villages of Newton, Saxondale and Shelford.

Upper Saxondale was developed on the site of the former Saxondale Hospital by David Wilson Homes from about 1995 to 2001. It includes around 350 dwellings, ranging from two-bedroom original lodge houses, three-bedroom houses converted from the hospital buildings, to newly built five and six-bedroom detached houses. There are also small business spaces and a restaurant in what was the hospital’s main administration building. David Wilson Homes originally called the development St James Park, the name was changed to Upper Saxondale in 1999. 

Upper Saxondale has a designated conservation area of 30 hectares (74 acres). The rare Flame Brocade moth (Trigonophora flammea) has been spotted here. You can learn more about the conservation area by following this link.

Saxondale Hospital

Opened in 1902, Radcliffe Asylum was the County Lunatic Asylum for Nottinghamshire. The hospital went through many name changes. Initially called the Radcliffe Asylum it then became Radcliffe Mental Hospital.  During the First World War it became a hospital for shell-shocked soldiers and was called Radcliffe Military Hospital. The name Saxondale Hospital was the final name of the hospital being given around 1947.

Saxondale Hospital was a community having its own recreation hall, church, sports facilities and even a farm which provided food for both patients and staff. The recreation hall with its wonderful Victorian stage was the hub of the community. Its uses over the years were vast and ranged from Christmas pantos, prize-giving, balls and dances to cinema afternoons for the patients. Many local groups and schools were allowed to use this wonderful facility which became a venue used by local villages and the wider community.

The farmhouse situated off Henson Lane on Home Farm Lane is the oldest building on the site and is shown on the 1880 O/S map. Then called Radcliffe Lings Farm, once the hospital opened it became Asylum Farm and in 1947 changed nits ame again to Home Farm which still remains to this day.

A large nurses’ home with its own gardens was set in the area now Berkeley Crescent and it provided rooms for many of the female staff.  Staff houses built in later years on Saxondale Drive and Henson Lane for staff with families, and larger homes for doctors and senior staff.  Most of these homes remain and are now privately owned.

The Church held services from visiting Chaplains of various faiths. There was no graveyard and all burials took place in Radcliffe resulting in many patients being buried in unmarked pauper graves in Radcliffe Cemetery.

Around thirty servicemen died at the hospital between 1918 and 1919.  Most were returned to their families but five were given a full military funeral and are buried in Radcliffe cemetery.

There were acres of beautiful parkland for residents to enjoy and many of the shrubs and trees still remain as a lasting memory of the hospital days. Set in the parkland area are four Victorian pergolas which were called ‘airing court shelters’.  These were used as shelters for patients while exercising outside.

Many groundstaff were employed to attend to the grounds and they were often helped by the more able patients.  A member of the ground team was quoted as saying ‘The therapeutic value of the flowers and grounds at Saxondale is incalculable’. 

Over the years the hospital evolved, adding many new buildings and departments such as  X Ray, occupational therapy and  an operating theatre. There was a hairdresser, a library, a general stores and even a staff social club. 

Closing as a hospital in 1988 it remained derelict for some years, eventually being purchased by David Wilson Homes.

Radcliffe on Trent Local History Society also has a wealth of information and photos relating to Saxondale Hospital on their website.

Nurses strike 12th April 1922

Rosemary Collins, of the Nottinghamshire Nursing History Group (NNHG), has researched and written a fascinating article about a nurses strike that took place at Saxondale Hospital on 12th April 1922. To mark the strike’s centenary, NNHG published the article on their website.

NNHG has kindly given their permission for us to link to the article.