The former London Chest Hospital, the south wing of 1863-5 and sanitary tower of 1890-2, together with the Victorian gas lamp, dwarf wall, railings and entrance gates

The former London Chest Hospital

The former London Chest Hospital was built as a specialist hospital in 1851-5 to the design of F W Ordish, with G Myers as builder. The listing includes the cast-iron verandahs of 1900, the south wing of 1863-5, the sanitary tower of 1890-2, and the Victorian gas lamp, dwarf wall, railings and entrance gates. Later additions from the late 19th, 20th and 21st centuries are excluded from the listing.

Materials and Construction

The building is constructed of red brick laid in English bond, with Portland stone dressings. The roof is slated with sprocketed eaves on a block cornice, and there are tall brick stacks. The original small-paned sash windows have been replaced; current windows are all UPVC. The ironwork was supplied by Messrs E & R Dewer of Old Street. Later additions are mainly also in red brick. The areas of the main range are enclosed by cast-iron railings, with a single rail supported on bracketed uprights having three-dimensional hexagonal joints.

Plan and Layout

The main range is roughly rectangular, set on a north-south axis with the principal elevation facing west. The 1900 verandahs wrap around the south-west corner. The 1863-5 wing extends eastwards from the south end. A Victorian gas lamp stands to the south-west of the main range.

To the north of the south wing are extensions dating from the 1920s and 1930s, with a later addition reaching into the angle with the main range; these are not of special interest. The corresponding north wing is a 1983 replacement and is not of special interest. An octagonal sanitary wing of 1890-2 stands at the north end of the building, connected by a bridging link. The contemporary mortuary is attached immediately to the east.

On the eastern rear side of the building is a large multi-phase 20th-century addition extending from the centre. Between this central extension and the south range, against the eastern face of the main range, is a later 20th-century lift tower. Between the central extension and the north range is a 21st-century stair tower. Attached to the south-east end of the south wing is the octagonal tower of the 1972 outpatients' building, with a large single-storey block extending southwards. None of these 20th and 21st-century additions is of special interest and they are excluded from the listing.

None of the separate 20th and 21st-century buildings standing within the site is of special interest and all are excluded from the listing.

Dwarf walls with railings surround the majority of the triangular site, with entrance gates to the south-west.

Exterior: Main Range

The main range rises three storeys with attic and basement, and is seventeen bays wide. On the principal west-facing elevation, the bays are symmetrically arranged in three projecting stages: a five-bay central section, two bays set back to either side, and a further four outer bays set back to either side of that. The separate sections are defined by stone quoins, and the storeys by string courses.

The first stage of the frontispiece consists of a rusticated arched doorway with a concave-moulded round-headed arch. The keystone comprises three staggered scrolled brackets, each with a carved head beneath, supporting a pair of draped figures set against a foliate ground to each side, with a standing figure ministering to a seated one. The central female figure is a later replacement of circa 1900. The window cill above is supported on corbels enriched with serpents, emblematic of medical practice. The window has a stepped surround and a segmental pediment containing a cartouche bearing the initials V R. Above this, the second-floor window has a bracketed keystone decorated with a serpent and with an angel beneath, supporting a figure of Christ, perhaps replacing an earlier figure.

The door opening contains the original pair of eight-panelled oak doors in a frame of naturalistic carving featuring leaves, flowers, birds, frogs and snakes. The fanlight has an ornate central bracket supporting the keystone; the base of this is carved with the initials F O. The entrance is approached by a flight of steps bridging the area, with ornate wrought-iron railings and tall lanterns on the end piers.

The window openings are of equal height with flat arches of stepped gauged brick. Those to the central section have unusual double arches and carved stone mullions, each with an angel entwined by a serpent in an elaborate niche at the top, supported on a tall, narrow barley sugar column with a foliate capital. One half of one second-floor window is blocked. The projecting sides of the central section have window slits serving small corner WCs to the ward floors and cupboards to the ground floor. The basement windows have stone mullions and defined keystones.

The building originally had three dormer windows with segmental heads to the central section; further dormers have been added since in all but the southern section of roof. The tall rectangular stacks originally had stone capping, replaced with brick in the early 20th century.

Rising above the centre of the building from the back part of the roof is the ventilation tower, now truncated. This originally had three stages in a hybrid Baroque style, of which only the first remains. This has stone corner pilasters with tiny heads to the upper corners, and stone dressings between framing what appear to have been narrow openings, now blocked. Above this, an arched stage and cupola have been lost, replaced by a copper dome of ogee form.

Attached to the southern section and wrapping round the corner to the south elevation are the cast-iron verandahs installed in 1900. Accessed from the first and second floors, the verandahs are supported on slender columns with scrolled capitals. Though now infilled with timber and glazed panels, the original structure appears to survive.

The south elevation of the main range is of three bays with a central entrance. The oak door is like that to the west but in a simpler surround, with comparable though less elaborate railings. The detailing is otherwise as on the west elevation.

Exterior: South Wing

The 1863-5 south wing closely emulates the style of the main range. The central three bays are slightly recessed and have a plain rather than a block cornice. The ground-floor windows to this section are round-headed, set in arched recesses, whilst those to the first and second floors have chamfered stone mullions, without the carving of those to the west. The flat window arches take the same form as those of the main range. The eastern section, mirroring the south elevation of the main range, has a central doorway originally leading to the women outpatient's waiting room; this part of the building is now obscured by the 1972 outpatients' wing. A metal fire-escape stands against the east elevation of the south wing.

Exterior: Sanitary Tower and Mortuary

The original north elevation of the main range is obscured by the 1890-2 sanitary tower, which is octagonal with a rectangular ground-floor block. The link between the tower and the main range has large arched windows at ground-, first- and second-floor levels, with a shorter rectangular window to the attic storey. The tower has a brick dentil cornice, moulded string courses, and the windows have flat brick arches; several windows are partially blocked. A ventilation shaft rises against the eastern side of the tower.

Attached to the east side of the sanitary tower is the single-storey mortuary with a pitched glazed roof. This has a large central segmental-arched window and a blocked doorway. The openings are edged with moulded bricks and there is a convex cornice. Immediately to the east of the mortuary is a narrow section of rag stone walling with a chamfered ashlar edging, thought to be a fragment of Lamb's bombed chapel. This now forms part of a small 20th-century body store. To the rear of the hospital, portions of the original building can be seen between the 20th-century additions.

Interior: Entrance Hall and Stair Hall

The main entrance leads to the entrance hall, which has a barrel-vaulted ceiling with geometric compartments and a stone floor. The sculptural enrichment of the front elevation continues in this area of the interior. To either side of the hall is a square-headed doorway with a carved stone surround similar to that of the front doorway. The inner faces of the front doors have decorative brass hinges and heavy brass bolts received by carved lion heads, one missing. To the south of the doorway is the foundation stone commemorating the occasion of its laying by Prince Albert.

A deep archway—segmental to the outer face and round-headed to the inner face, with a hoodmould with foliate stops—leads to the stair hall. The depth of the arch reflects the fact that dumb-waiters originally passed through the wall thickness at this point. In the stair hall the groin-vaulted ceiling is lined with hollow hexagonal fireproof bricks of a sort used a number of times by Myers in asylum buildings.

The stair wing is accessed through paired round-headed archways with bearded heads to the keystones. The capital to the pier between the archways is carved with the pelican in her piety, goblets, and a head, apparently that of Bacchus. Attached to the east face of the pier is a pedestal holding a horizontal brass dial numbered from one to thirteen. This is understood to be part of an annunciator system designed by Henry Grafton and installed to aid communication for deploying medical staff. The wider system includes the convex dials, now painted over, found at either end of the main first- and second-floor corridors. Such a system would have been likely to have had a central control panel distributing signals to all the dials.

The cantilevered open-well stair has an open string with decorative paired cast-iron balusters and a wreathed handrail. Sections to the landings have been replaced, possibly indicating openings for access to a pulley. Above is a pyramidal roof with plaster mouldings and an opening for light. Towards the north and south ends of the main range, secondary stair towers project eastwards, now enclosed by later building. The tight open-well stairs have sturdy starter newels carved with vines and acanthus, and plain iron balusters.

Interior: Ground Floor

The south entrance leads to a vestibule with a segmental ceiling lined with hollow hexagonal bricks, as in the main entrance hall. The ground-floor corridor has an incised skirting as elsewhere in the main range and south wing; here the moulding is more complex. The floor here has been replaced, as have a number of floors within the historic parts of the building.

To the north of the hall, two large archways originally led to the porter's room and ante room. These have iron fanlights with lion's head decoration, possibly re-used. The ground-floor rooms have long ceased to serve their original functions and several have been subdivided. The hospital's offices, board room, library, resident medical officer's room and out-patients' waiting rooms were here. A reminder of the higher status of these rooms survives in their panelled window embrasures and shutters. The building has false ceilings throughout so any surviving mouldings are hidden.

Interior: First and Second Floors

On the first and second floors, the stair is separated from the corridors by large archways with heads to the keystones, containing glazed double doors. These open to vestibules with segmental ceilings lined with hollow hexagonal bricks. Opposite the stair are the rooms over the hall, formerly the ward kitchens. These are entered through arcaded crossings, the arches to north and south formerly giving access to the dumb waiters which communicated with the kitchens in the basement.

The wards on the first and second floors of the main range, entered through segmental-arched doorways, mostly retain their original proportions but have few original features. The medium-sized wards in the middle sections to north and south have the small connecting WCs. It is thought that these wards were for those who were too unwell to reach the facilities in the spurs. Two first-floor wards retain timber chimneypieces with dentilled mantelshelfs, now partially boxed in. One ward has low-level vents with modern covers, probably a surviving trace of the original ventilation system. Chamfered beams can be seen to the ceiling in one second-floor ward.

Interior: South Wing

The south wing is entered directly from the south end of the main range. On the ground floor, the former consulting rooms and waiting rooms have undergone much subdivision and retain few original features; the fireplaces have gone. In the corridor there is a stone piscina, its bowl infilled, standing opposite the archways. This was clearly used for drinking water or for washing.

On the first and second floors, the original plan, seen on the second floor, had a corridor to the north opening at the centre with two large arches leading to a day room also used as a dining room. These features are embellished with sculpture comparable in style and quality with that found in the main range: there are heads to the keystones and foliage to the capitals. On the first floor the corridor has been moved to the south, but the arcade is still visible. There is another stone piscina, also infilled, standing opposite the archways on the second floor; that to the first floor has been lost. At the entrance to the south wing on the first floor is a large glazed terracotta plaque commemorating Prince Albert and announcing the Albert Wing. This has been moved with the repositioning of the corridor.

Interior: Attic and Basement

In the attic, a chamber gives access to the ventilation tower. To either side of this the roof trusses are chamfered, confirming that the central space was used, probably for nurses' bedrooms, from the first. In the area immediately to the south is a chimneypiece, probably inserted for the conversion of that space later in the 19th century. In the north part of the main range, the conversion of the roofspace is evidenced by two small cast-iron late Victorian or Edwardian chimneypieces.

The basement is reached by the secondary stairs, with a separate stair from the south wing formerly lit by a traceried screen, now infilled. The basement retains few historic features, but the kitchen space is still legible, with the crossing for the despatch and receipt of the dumb waiters.

Interior: Sanitary Tower

The sanitary tower has been refurbished but in 2015 retained its original function and layout, with the top floor having been converted to therapeutic use.

Subsidiary Features

By the south-west corner of the building is a cast-iron gas lamp with the maker's name and date to the pedestal: 'DEWER / LONDON / 1855'. The lamp has a slender tapered column with laurel ornament to the base and neck. The lantern is a replacement.

The site is enclosed by a dwarf wall of brick with stone coping, in which are set cast-iron railings contemporary with the building, by Messrs E & R Dewar of Old Street. The main entrance to the south-west of the site has double gates with gas lamps as piers, the upper stage of scrolled wrought iron; the lanterns are replacements. The railings and gates have spear-heads in alternating smaller and larger size, and dog-bars. The regularly-spaced bracketed uprights have three-dimensional hexagonal finials topped by spikes. The railings are set on a dwarf stone wall. A section of the wall and railings is missing, running northwards from the centre of the eastern boundary and then southwards to a point on the eastern boundary. The gates at the south-eastern entrance have been replaced.