In a quiet corner of Wells there is the last resting place of over 3,000 patients and staff from the Somerset and Bath County Lunatic Asylum which was established in 1848.

Their graves are not marked with headstones but with simple iron markers with numbers on them.

The plot itself, purchased in 1873 and last used as a cemetery in 1963, is beautiful, peaceful and has a deep feeling of respect for many of these forgotten people.

The grounds are a haven for wildlife and old stumps of trees blown down in a storm in 2008 have been beautifully carved into angels and figures which pay homage to many of the residents troubled lives by local chainsaw artist Peter Bolton.

There is a small, plain Victorian Chapel and that is a gem in its simplicity, perched on the hill overlooking the the city of Wells with its impressive medieval streets and buildings.

The cemetery is managed by the Friends of the Mendip Hospital, who saved it from development when it was put on sale by the NHS in 2000. They are all volunteers who dedicate themselves to preserving this wonderful space and researching the stories and histories of some of the many thousands of patients who lived at the hospital.

Part of the archive of the Asylum is a collection of photographs of the patients which have been kept along with their medical records and provide a unique insight into this institution. These will be displayed in an exhibition in the cemetery chapel.

This special place reopens for visitors on Sunday, April 3, from 11am to 4pm and every Sunday until the end of September.

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It would however like to open on a weekday as well and is looking for volunteers to help welcome visitors.

Please come and visit and if you feel you can volunteer to help keep the cemetery open please contact the chairman, Pete Jaggard on [email protected]

Google: Friends of Mendip Hospital Cemetery for directions. BA5 3NA.