Broadmoor Hospital

Broadmoor Hospital stands on a 21-hectare secure site in Crowthorne, Berkshire. Built in the 19th century to a design by Royal Engineers officer Sir Joshua Jebb, it was England’s first high-security psychiatric hospital. Five original blocks housed men and women separately when it opened in 1863. The hospital’s catchment area covers four NHS regions, and it is now run by West London NHS Trust. Its Victorian gatehouse with a clock tower remains a landmark on the perimeter. The hospital’s history includes notable events such as the 1952 escape of John Straffen, which led to a two-tone alarm system tested weekly across nearby towns. Security reviews followed the 1999 Peter Fallon QC inquiry, reshaping oversight for all three special hospitals. In 2003, inspectors declared the Victorian buildings unfit, prompting later upgrades. The Care Quality Commission rated Broadmoor Good in 2018 after earlier concerns. Inside, therapy combines medication, psychotherapy and arts programmes like the Koestler Awards. Patients follow routines designed to support recovery rather than custody. The hospital’s high walls and strict layout contrast with its therapeutic purpose. Staff, mostly Prison Officers’ Association members, work under NHS governance managed by West London Mental Health Trust.