This is the original site of the asylum north east of the Mill,  It would have been well known to many of the committee members, who often visited Cottingwood for the ever popular horse racing events.

Those that owned the land were prepared to sell the land, these were the Earl of Carlisle, Morpeth Corporation and a Mr Fenwick from Netherton. At that particular time it did not include the farm known as East Cottingwood Farm. The Committee instructed Mr. Welsh, the county surveyor, to undertake a series of bore holes to determine the solidity of the site. Mr Welsh reported the discovery of extensive workings of a colliery “long since laid in”

The Committee was not to be put off and instructed the County Surveyor to “continue with his works of experiment” the Committee of Visitors were of the opinion that the site chosen was “suitable for view, had a command of water an absence of annoyances and only a short distance from the town goal” . They were reluctant to abandon the site. The county surveyor produced a full report including a map of the excavations (1848):  he went on to say that to construct an asylum on the site would be “very bold” The Committee of Visitors were then of the opinion that it would not be prudent and instructed Mr Welsh to explore other sites in the area, going on to agree the payment of £163 and 10 shillings to Mr Fenwick for damage to his lands.

After some deliberations the Committee identified and purchased land that included East Cottingwood Farm, at a cost of  £7,160 for 100 acres. Once they purchased the land the Committee would oversee the general management of the farm even before the asylum was built.

The drawing is in a letter written by a William Dickson in 1849, the first Clerk to the Visiting Committee, a position he would hold until his death. By profession he was a solicitor who was also Clerk to the County Petty Sessions. It would have taken him some time to travel to Morpeth as he resided in Alnwick.  The drawing is the first recorded sketch of the asylum.

This is the first plan of the asylum outlining the building February 1854. some of the names would later feature in the buildings, such as East and West Loan and East riding. The Committee of Visitors contacted the medical superintendent of the Pauper Asylum for the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire for advice and direction to providing the right provisions.