"THE"

There is something unique about The Crichton Royal Hospital in Dumfries. It is a former psychiatric hospital which served the population of Dumfries and Galloway for many years. However, unlike the former Ravenscraig Hospital in Inverclyde and Leverendale Hospital in the south side of Glasgow or even the secure State Mental Hospital at Carstairs (referrer to as "Ravenscraig", "Leverendale" and "Carstairs" respectively), this hospital was known locally as "The Crichton".

The reason why this psychiatric hospital was singled out by the general population as needing the "the" prefix does not immediately leap out.

However this is a purely historical point as "The Crichton" has been reincarnated as Crichton Hall and is now the Headquarters of NHS Dumfries & Galloway. For those of us who work within the NHS in Dumfries & Galloway it seems rather fitting that the organisation is run from a former mental hospital.

It is apparent that the lunatics are now truly running the asylum.