Chaplain'S House, Ilford Hospital Of St Mary And St Thomas Of Canterbury

This is the Chaplain’s House at Ilford Hospital of St Mary and St Thomas of Canterbury, built in 1927. The hospital itself was founded around 1145 by Adelicia, Abbess of Barking. The house is constructed of red brick, with the courtyard and rear elevations rendered and faced with stone dressings, and has tile roofs. It is a single storey building with attics.

The High Road elevation is of four bays, featuring three-light metal casement windows on the ground floor, with square leaded panes. A four-panel door is set to the far left, beneath a stone plaque. Four dormers are present; three have half-hipped roofs, and all contain small paned casements. Ridge and rear stacks have multiple diagonally-set shafts. The courtyard entrance front has a gabled upper storey over the entrance, with a half-hipped roof to the left, and features three asymmetrical bays. A stone doorcase bears the Bishop's arms, above a door of eight panels. A three-light mullion and transom window, and a three-light casement are also visible. The dormer window has two lights, with others containing two-light and three-light casements. All windows are metal-framed within timber architraves, the majority with square leaded panes, and the attic dormers have diamond panes.

The interior includes a closed-string staircase with square newels, tall turned finials, and broad, symmetrical moulded balusters. The ground floor has brick and tile chimneypieces, and one ground floor fireplace features a moulded timber architrave with a small moulded mantel, framing blue and white tiles. Doors have a single vertically moulded panel, most with cock's-head hinges, door handles, straps, and latches. Cupboard doors on the first-floor landing are similarly detailed. Windows have robust stays and latches.

The Chaplain’s House and earlier almshouses were originally set forward of the current building line, forming a smaller courtyard. The house had been rebuilt around 1890 by Ingleby, but was reconstructed in 1927 due to the widening of the High Road. The buildings form a significant grouping with the adjacent chapel. The site has operated continuously as a hospice, providing sheltered accommodation, since its foundation.

Historical records include an Ilford Hospital plan from the late 18th century (held at the British Library, K Top xiii 41a), and a history published in 2002 by H.H.Lockwood.