▁Vict ., ▁c . ▁ 1 0 0 ) ▁and ▁the ▁County ▁As yl ums ▁Act ▁ 1 8 4 5 ▁formed ▁mental ▁health ▁law ▁in ▁England ▁and ▁Wales ▁from ▁ 1 8 4 5 ▁to ▁ 1 8 9 0 . ▁The ▁L un acy ▁Act ' s ▁most ▁important ▁provision ▁was ▁a ▁change ▁in ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁ment ally ▁ill ▁people ▁to ▁patients . ▁ ▁Background ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁L un acy ▁Act , ▁lun acy ▁legisl ation ▁in ▁England ▁was ▁en sh r ined ▁in ▁the ▁County ▁As yl ums ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 8 0 8 , ▁which ▁established ▁institutions ▁for ▁poor ▁and ▁for ▁cr imin ally - ins ane , ▁ment ally ▁ill ▁people . ▁The ▁institutions ▁were ▁called ▁as yl ums ▁and ▁they ▁gave ▁refuge ▁where ▁mental ▁ill ness ▁could ▁receive ▁proper ▁treatment . ▁The ▁first ▁as yl um ▁ow ing ▁to ▁the ▁County ▁As yl ums ▁Act ▁opened ▁at ▁North am pton ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 1 . ▁By ▁ 1 8 2 7 ▁however ▁only ▁nine ▁county ▁as yl ums ▁had ▁opened ▁and ▁many ▁patients ▁were ▁still ▁in ▁ga ol ▁as ▁prisoners ▁and ▁crim inals . ▁As ▁a ▁consequence ▁of ▁this ▁slow ▁progress ▁the ▁L un acy ▁Act ▁ 1 8 4 5 ▁created ▁the ▁L un acy ▁Commission ▁to ▁focus ▁on ▁lun acy ▁legisl ation . ▁The ▁Act ▁was ▁champion ed ▁by ▁Anthony ▁Ash ley - Co oper , ▁Se vent h ▁Earl ▁of ▁Sh aft es bury . ▁ ▁Sh aft es