Frieston'S Hospital

SE32SE WARMFIELD-CUM-HEATH

1/102 KIRKTHORPE LANE (west side)

14.2.52 Frieston's Hospital

GV II*

The Grade shall be amended to read I

SE32SE WARMFIELD-CUM-HEATH KIRKTHORPE LANE

(west side) 1/102 Frieston's Hospital 14.2.52

GV II*

Former almshouses, now converted to a dwelling. c1595. Large well-coursed gritstone, stone slate roof. An unusual building square-on-plan with large rectangular central hall lit by gabled dormers rising out of roof on 3 sides with low single-storey aisles on 3 sides under sweeping lean-to roofs. South entrance front: has slightly off-centre doorway to right with composite jambs and chamfered surround with 2 bays to either side of 2-light double-chamfered mullioned windows. Chamfered eaves band. Set back at 2nd-storey level small coped gable surmounted by finial has 4-light double-chamfered mullioned-and-transomed window. Rear: has large external stack with shouldered offsets with, to right, 2-light window and, to left, doorway with composite jambs and broad chamfered surround with, above, modern plaque inscribed "JOHN FRIESTON OF ALTOFTS SQUARE FOUNDED AND ENDOWED THIS HOSPITAL ANNO DOM 1595. HE THAT HATH MERCY ON THE POOR HAPPY IS HE. PROVERBS 14.21" Above is a small chamfered light. To left end, 2-light window to gable. Right-hand return has two 2-light windows. Left-hand return has three 2-light windows. Both have gabled dormer rising out of roof with 4-light mullioned-and-transomed window and coped gables with bases for finials to kneelers and apex stones (gone).

Interior: large impressive open hall rectangular in plan has 3 doorways to east and west with 2 doorways to south all with composite jambs and monolithic lintels with broad chamfered surrounds. To north a large fireplace with depressed Tudor arch, keystone, voussoirs, skewbacks with deep chamfered surround; inner jambs have recess with chamfered stone seat, doorway to right has window above with deeply- splayed surround. Each internal doorway retains original oak plank door with iron strap hinges. These lead into 7 rooms with oak stop-chamfered posts and sill and head beams most retaining plank and muntin panelling. Windows have wooden lintels formed by wall plate. South rooms are open to roof with close studding above tie beam and straight-braced post to high wall plate at ridge level.

The hospital is of interesting design and ingeniously contrived so as to require only one fireplace. J. W. Walker (pp424-425) records that John Frieston built the hospital for the accommodation of 7 poor men, fuel for the hospital to be provided by the tenants of Frieston's lands in the surrounding area.

N. Pevsner, Yorkshire West Riding, 1974, p294. RCHM (England) report. J. W. Walker, Wakefield, Vol. II, 3rd ed., 1967.

Listing NGR: SE3607220896