Moorlands Hospital

Moorlands Hospital, originally a workhouse, was built in 1838 by Bateman and Drury. It is constructed of red brick and features a slate roof. The main block facing the street is three stories high and has ten windows arranged in a pattern of two, one, three, one, and two. The rear ranges are designed on a panopticon principle, with a three-story axial wing at the back linked to an octagonal tower, from which three additional cruciform wings once extended. A pediment above the three central bays displays the date of construction at its apex. The central entrance is framed by a porch supported by coupled Doric columns. The windows, which have been renewed in the original openings on the first floor, feature flat-arched stone heads with moulded keystones. There is a moulded stone cornice and a blocking course at the top. On either side of the main range, there are single-story pavilions with three windows and central pediments. The central rear wing is also three stories high and has six windows, originally fitted with sash windows of nine and twelve lights, some of which have been renewed. One radial wing that was parallel to the front block remains, while the other was demolished around 1990. This surviving wing is two stories tall with eight windows and features twelve-pane sashes with stone cills and flat-arched brick heads. The lower rear wing, located beyond the tower, likely served as the kitchens. Inside, the layout still reflects some of the original design, and the stone staircases with cast-iron rails are preserved in both the front block and the rear wings.