 The house now called Whiteknights was originally known as New House prior to being opened as a lunatic asylum in 1766.At this time the property was renamed St. Luke's, before changing its name to Belle Grove Retreat in 1795.The property went on to give its name to the various other streets and buildings built in Spital Tongues from the 1850s, such as Belle Grove Terrace, Belle Grove Villas, Belle Grove West and the Belle Grove public house.