Earlier this week I quoted a Charnwood Borough Council document that says Woodhouse Eaves once contained "a remarkable number of recovery and convalescent homes".
Chief among them was the Zachary Merton Convalescence Home, which was built to house injured war veterans. The home also contained a mental hospital wing known as Beacon Lodge.
This home has long been derelict, but I believe it is still to be found in the woods above the village. Redevelopment is planned if it is not already taking place.
Midlands Heritage has some striking photographs of the site. To find it I would have had to have gone in for some serious trespassing, and I was not in the mood for it.
But I did find these monumental gate posts on the road into Woodhouse Eaves.
8 comments:
This has now been demolished. The site has been sold. It had planning permission for 8 exec homes a few years ago.
Thanks for the information, Ann.
I was a patient in Zachary Merton recovering from operations for peritonitis in August 1948 and stayed there for 4 months to allow my body to recover from 4 operations. All recovered thanks to leicester Royal Hospital. Alan Pratt
I was a student nurse at the LRI in the 60’s & had 2 placements at Zachery Merton, there were 3 floors, we all loved working there, & off duty days were enjoyable in the quiet of the countryside, no children were nursed there but a full age range of adults , with a variety of illnesses were cared for until they were fit enough to go home, we were fed like Kings which was a joy after the culinary delights of the LRI.
We were visiting Hinckley this WE & took a run over there, was surprised to find that it had disappeared, however Swithland is still there, I had forgotten what a beautiful area it is, a real trip down memory lane
My mother was there for a few weeks in 1980. She absolutely hated it.
My mum was a patient there recovering from pneumonia in 1936 when she was 13 years old. I would love to get any information about her stay there. How long etc. Anyone have any ideas how I could find out. Thanks
Kathryn: I think the County Record Office in Wigston would be your best starting point. Good luck!
I was there February 1963, recovering from ovarian cyst surgery. Wonderful kind staff, in beautiful surroundings. I recovered too quickly! I was 16.
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