Trinity Hospital (Hospital Of The Holy And Undivided Trinity) And Attached Enclosing Walls, Circa 30 Metres East Of Church Of St Lawrence

Trinity Hospital (Hospital of the Holy and Undivided Trinity) and Attached Enclosing Walls

Trinity Hospital is an almshouse built between 1609 and 1615 for Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton. It stands approximately 30 metres east of the Church of St Lawrence in Castle Rising.

The building is constructed of English bond brick with some carstone and plain tiles. It forms a single-storey quadrangle with an entrance on the west side. The east and west ranges have gable parapets. All openings throughout are casements or fixed lights with leaded panes, fitted with original pintle hinges.

The symmetrical west facade comprises 9 bays and incorporates some carstone, Sandringham sandstone and flint in the plinth. The central 3 bays project forward to two storeys and feature a gable above the central bay. A string course runs partly in stone. The central doorway is a semi-circular headed stone arch with hollow chamfer, with an original ledged, battened and nailed door of circa 1609. Above the doorway is a 3-light window. The flanking bays have moulded brick cornices and pyramidal roofs, with stone quoins and 2-light windows to each floor. The wider facade to left and right of the central section features a dogstooth cornice. Large internal stacks with multi-lozenge shafts sit to the facade between bays 2 and 3, and between 7 and 8. Three 2-light casements are positioned either side of the central 3 bays.

The external north and south facades are identical, each with 6 bays. The 1st and 6th bays are gabled. A semi-circular headed doorway to a passage leading to the central courtyard sits between the 5th and 6th bays from the west. Internal stacks matching those of the west facade are positioned between bays 2 and 3, and between 5 and 6 from the west. The eastern bay contains a 3-light casement. Five 2-light casements serve the remainder of the range.

The external east facade features a forward-projecting chapel at its centre. The chapel has a carstone plinth, an oversailing cornice of tiles and dogstooth brick, and stone-dressed angle buttresses topped with a gable cross. A 3-light east window in Perpendicular style with a super-transom to the panel tracery opens to the east. Two-light Perpendicular style windows flank the chapel on its left and right returns. To the left of the chapel, a 3-bay facade contains a large shaftless internal stack between bays 2 and 3, with two 2-light casements with chamfered brick surrounds. To the right of the chapel, an inserted glazed door connects the chapel to a very wide external stack. This stack is constructed of English bond brick and carstone with two lozenge shafts, contains a 2-light casement within it, and is flanked by 2 casements to its right.

Within the quadrangle interior, a carstone and brick plinth runs around with some carstone in the walls above. A dogstooth cornice runs throughout. All windows match those of the external facades but with chamfered brick surrounds. The single-storey symmetrical west facade has a central bay of two storeys with a gable and a semi-circular headed brick arch. Above the arch is a 2-light window. At the far right and left of the facade stand pairs of boarded doors with chamfered brick surrounds. Two 2-light windows sit to the left and right between these doors and the central arch. The north and south facades are identical, each with 2-light windows. From the west, these facades show a window, a pair of boarded doors matching those on the west range, three further windows, and a semi-circular headed arch providing passage to the exterior.

The east range features a symmetrical facade with a central bay of two storeys and a gable. The central doorway is semi-circular headed in chamfered stone. Above it, a terracotta lion rampant facing sinister (the Fitzalan arms reversed) is displayed. Two 2-light windows flank the central doorway. To the left is a 4-light window, and to the right a 3-light window. The east range stands higher than the other three ranges as it contains the hall and chapel.

Within the east range interior, the hall to the left is ceiled and has 9¼-inch (23.5 centimetre) floor tiles. A 3-light window to the courtyard contains heraldic glass showing the achievement of the Duke of Norfolk. The chapel was restored in 1936. It is a single cell with oak panelling to the sanctuary, turned balusters with acorn finials to the rails, and a panelled reredos—all of 1936 date. A 17th-century table with fluted frieze stands within. Four 17th-century benches, two to the north and two to the south, feature poppyheads. The ceiling displays a frieze of shields to the north and south showing the arms of the Mercers' Company, who now govern the hospital, and of members of the Howard and Norfolk families.

Attached walls continue the north and south facades of the hospital westward. A perimeter wall is attached to the west, south, east and north sides of the complex. These walls are constructed of brick with carstone and Sandringham sandstone, incorporating fragments of limestone reused from the castle. The wall to the east incorporates former utility houses.