Almshouses, Ilford Hospital Of St Mary And St Thomas Of Canterbury

937/0/10039 HIGH ROAD 20-JUN-03

Almshouses, Ilford Hospital of St Mary and St Thomas of Canterbury

II

Almshouses at Ilford Hospital, 1927, in vernacular revival manner. Hospital founded c.1145 by Adelicia, Abbess of Barking. Red brick, courtyard and rear elevations rendered, stone dressings, tile roofs. Single storey and attics. High Road elevation, in four bays, ground floor four three-light metal casements with square leaded panes. Four half-hipped dormers, each with small paned casements; ridge and rear stacks with multiple shafts set diagonally. Courtyard entrance front, single storey and attics, with gabled upper storey over entrance with full dormer, in three symmetrical bays. Stone doorcase beneath arm of the last Abbess, with door of eight panels. To each side, three-light casement. Three light casement to full dormer; to left and right two-light casements to half-hipped dormers. All windows metal framed, in timber architraves, those at ground floor with square leaded panes, those to the attic with diamond panes.

INTERIOR. Ground and first floor brick and tile fireplaces, many painted or covered. Doors with single vertical moulded panel, most with door handles, straps and latches. Windows with robust stays and latches. First floor panelled window seats. The former Chaplain's house and almshouses were set forward of the present building line forming a smaller courtyard. The Almshouses were rebuilt or renovated in the early C18, the Chaplain's house had been rebuilt c.1890 by Ingleby. Rebuilt 1927 on widening of the High Road. The buildings form an important group with the chapel; the site has been in continuous use as a hospice, providing sheltered accommodation, since its foundation.

H.H.Lockwood, Ilford Hospital of St. Mary and St. Thomas of Canterbury, An Outline History, 2002 Ilford Hospital Chapel and Almshouse plan, late C18 , (British Library K Top xiii 41a)