Administration Block at Astley Hospital

The Administration Block at Astley Hospital, formerly known as Dam House, is a Grade II* listed building dating from 1650, constructed by Adam Mort and Margaret Mort. The building features a combination of recut stone above the entrance and extensive brick additions from the early and late 19th century, with a slate roof. It is laid out in a five by three bay configuration across three storeys. The 19th-century ranges that form the quadrangle are primarily two storeys high and incorporate mullioned windows and traditional design elements.

The front elevation showcases gabled crosswings that project on either side of the main house, with a three-storey porch situated at the left angle and an additional bay to the left. The porch includes a studded, cross-boarded door framed by Doric columns, an open pediment, and a fanlight. Each crosswing features a canted three-storey bay window with larger openings on the ground floor. Most of the double-chamfered stone mullion windows on the front remain unaltered, with configurations ranging from two to six lights, and the principal rooms are adorned with transoms and hoodmoulds. The side elevations have three gables and projecting chimney stacks.

The rear of the building includes an early 19th-century extension and a four-bay wing to the rear right, which houses a chapel on the first floor. The other two sides of the quadrangle are constructed of late 19th-century stock brick and include a coach house.

Inside, the lower storeys have been altered but still retain many original and Regency features, such as an inglenook fireplace in the left room, beams, and elaborate Gothick door surrounds and doors. The chapel boasts impressive Gothic roof trusses. The upper floor retains six and two-panel doors with strap hinges, and the timber-framed crosswalls with wattle and daub infill are fully exposed. There is also a brick vaulted cellar from the 19th century.