Our History
A labour of love and devotion
First established in 1868 by Dr John Langdon Down, a Victorian physician, Normansfield was a family home and a place where people with learning disabilities could be cared for and educated at a time when most of them would have been condemned to life in an asylum.
The Langdon Down’s dedication to providing care and accomodation that focused on elevating and improving individuals saw them expand Normansfield from the original first house all the way back to the River Thames.
Dr Down had not been able to make the blind see or the deaf hear, but he had been able to throw light upon slumbering intellects, and to bring forth from the darkness to which they seemed to be doomed, the lights of intelligence.
In 2010 the Langdon Down Centre Trust and the Down’s Syndrome Association merged. Today its presentation to the public reveals its architectural, theatrical and archaeolgical importance. We are proud to open our doors and provide an environment where Dr Langdon Down’s work can be continually celebrated.
The Down’s Syndrome Association now manages the building and continues to promote and preserve the beautifully rich history and legacy.
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With your support we can keep providing a well equipped and inspiring location for local groups, emerging artists and young people to flourish.
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