Martin R. An interesting list, thanks. All the big ones ( & some were huge- eg Darenth was 1200 beds!) I came across in the SE & many, many more up here in the NW, tended to be self sufficient in certain areas. Those only in because they were " backward" & had no where to go- certainly not lunatics!- were put to good use & it would have been good for them as well rather than just sitting around. Wooden clog making sounds great. If I remember correctly, Laybourne was made up of about 6 individual " houses"- a bit like a barracks block, probably holding 100 "inmates". Then central offices, boiler house, laundry, workshops, etc. Mostly they didn't try to escape- there was nowhere to go!-as they were clothed, fed & had a bed each night. I often wonder what happened to the huge numbers involved. We have a large house locally with about a dozen or so, some of whom wander around the town occasionally( I always speak to one, just a hello, that I often see). But how do you cope with hundreds?
