There are two Victorian madhouses depicted in my novel, The House on Blackstone Moor. I was fortunate enough to work in a hospital in Yorkshire that was, historically, an insane asylum as well as a workhouse.
I even spoke with a very elderly man who had been in the workhouse as a child. And yes, it was in use that long. Of course in fairly modern times it wasn't quite the dire place it must have been in earlier times.
When I worked there, the dining room had been the chapel. For those of you who have read the novel, you know I depict chapel going on Sundays. I found the chapel sad really. I could picture the inmates in attendance, praying and wondering perhaps if they'd ever be somewhere else. There was a story with each one, each and every human being that ever passed through a workhouse or insane asylum must have had horror tales to chill any horror writer.
As for the rest of this former workhouse and asylum, there were numerous out buildings all around the grounds; buildings that were over time converted to offices. But in earlier times they were bake houses, cook houses, stables and various workshops.
The Victorians admired practicality and institutions like Marsh as depicted in my novel, were entirely self-sufficient. What the inmates (never called patients) consumed was farmed on the grounds or grown there.
As for the depiction of the moors in the book, well goodness! I have been to the Bronte Parsonage many times and have walked on the same moors the Brontes walked upon.
Top Withens ruin
I have been obsessed with Top Withens which is reputed to be the inspiration for Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. It is on a lonely, desolate moor, the most lonely moor I have seen really and I've seen lots.
Moors are unique places, they are beautiful in their own way covered in carpets of purple heather in summer but at other times, on cold damp days, with the howling winds one can easily imagine all sorts of scenarios.
As you can see I have my inspiration all around me!
The novel was truly a work of love on my part
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