Farnborough hospital has its origin as the infirmary to the Bromley Board of Guardians' workhouse. The workhouse opened in 1845, but non-workhouse patients were not treated here until the end of the 19th century.

At the abolition of the workhouse system in 1929 the hospital, as it was then known, was made part of Kent County Council, later becoming part of the National Health Service. It still continues to serve the district.