The Royal Scottish National Hospital was a psychiatric institution situated in Larbert (today in Falkirk council area), Scotland.

[2] The building initially used for the institution was in Gayfield Square, Edinburgh in 1855 and administered by 'The Society for the Education of the Imbecile Youth of Scotland'.

[2] Dr. and Mrs. Brodie educated the children during the time in Edinburgh,[3] however; the building was too small for all the pupils and staff which meant the committee had to look for another site for the institution.

[4] It was necessary to find bigger premises for the institution, five acres near Larbert railway station were obtained to build a property and this was founded as the 'Home for Imbecile and Invalid Children' in 1863.

[6] Pilkington travelled to England to look at the designs of leading institutions there, he drew up plans and estimated the cost of erecting the building to be £1,800.

[4] There was still an issue of space however and plans to extend the building were estimated at £2,000; the committee held a Bazaar in the Music Hall, Edinburgh to help raise funds for the extension.

[4] The importance of furnishing the institution to feel like a home for the children that would stay there, and also the focus on their education were the main priorities of the committee.

[4] Dr. Brodie resigned from the institution in 1867, Dr. Adam Addison took on the role of medical superintendent after having six years experience in the Royal Lunatic Asylum, Montrose.

[8] Mr. Skene had all the day-rooms and dormitories freshly decorated to promote a cheerful environment for all the patients that lived in the institution.

[8] Mr. Skene required that part of the building be re-structured to allow for a shop to train the patients the importance of money and also practical skills.

[8] As well as dances that were held over the winter months, magic lantern shows were also provided for the patients by Colonel Nimmo.

[9] The institution was connected to the sewage works in 1895; the superintendent was housed in a new building so that his apartment could be re-purposed to accommodate more patients.

[9] Mr. Skene continued to make changes to the institution and resigned as Superintendent after thirty years in the position in 1912, Dr. R. Clarkson took over the job.

[10] By 1913 the furniture in the school rooms was changed to suit the requirements of the class size, much consideration was given to the Mental Deficiency Bill and what would happen if it was passed.

[10] In 1914 the home was renamed the Scottish National Institution, Larbert, this was due to the original Mental Deficiency Act becoming law.

[10] World War I meant that the expansion of buildings was delayed due to the scarcity of materials and of men that could complete the work for the institution.

[11] In 1926 the Board were able to acquire Larbert House and Estate, this was prompted by a need to expand how many occupants could be treated at the hospital.

[11] The Scottish Council of Women Citizens' Associations gave £10,000 to go towards the colony being established on the grounds of Larbert Estate.

[12] A wireless radio and speakers were wired up in the gymnasium in 1936, to allow for the children to listen to more music and dance if they wanted to.

[11] Those in charge of the institution wanted the buildings to feel like a home, there was no uniform, and the children were formed into groups so that they could look out for one another.

[11] The ethos of the Colony was similar to that of the institutes, the committee and staff had realised that there was an issue of educating patients until they were twenty-one, or until they were released to their parents upon request before their eighteenth.

[12] An appeal was made to the public to help fund the building of villas and ancillary premises, and due to the generous response, the Colony was able to open on 12 September 1935.

[2] In 1936 privileges for the boys included passes which allowed them to leave the institution to go to football matches and the pictures, these were only available to those that were commended for their excellent behaviour.

[12] By 1937 the Colony was fully occupied, and two more villas were proposed to keep up with the demand for places, six more beds were added to Larbert House.

[12] By the end of 1940, over nine hundred patients were staying at the institute, the level of staff kept falling due to men being called up to enlist and nurses going to help in the war.

A small part of the Colony site near to Larbert Cross was used for the Lochview development which was to take over from the Royal Scottish National Hospital.