Former Military Hospital

Former Military Hospital

This is a former military hospital designed in the Italianate style. Work commenced in June 1856 and the building opened in October 1857. The architect is not at present known, but the foundations were dug by Messrs R I Carlisle and Co. of Bermondsey and the contractors for the superstructure were Kirk and Parry of Sleaford. Four northern single-storey bays were demolished after the 1960s. Internal refurbishing took place around 1971 and an extension was added to the northern part of the south-east side around 1985. Although integral to the structure, the later twentieth-century additions are not of special interest.

The building is constructed of stock brick in Flemish bond, with stuccoed dressings to the principal front. The south-west and north-east ends are cement rendered with incised lines to imitate masonry. The roof is gabled slate with four truncated brick chimneystacks, some retaining metal perforated plates from the circa 1863 improved ventilation system.

The building originally comprised 25 bays arranged symmetrically, mainly of two storeys but with end single-storey wings. The five central bays are taller with a central entrance, flanked by less tall six-bay wings, and there were four-bay single-storey end pavilions. The principal north-east front is now of 21 bays following the post-1960s demolition. The taller central projecting five bays have a stuccoed moulded parapet, string-course and plinth. Windows are six-over-six sash windows with narrow glazing bars. The first-floor windows have moulded surrounds and under-cill stops, with the central window featuring an additional pediment. Ground-floor windows have moulded surrounds with keystones and stops. The central stuccoed doorcase has a cornice and pilasters and is approached by four later twentieth-century brick steps, with a twentieth-century glazed door. The flanking slightly lower wings of six bays have identical windows and dressings, as does the four-bay single-storey south end. Cast iron ventilation vents are located at the base of the walls.

The south-west end is cement rendered with a gable end to the two-storey wing featuring an oculus, a projecting porch with a cornice supported on square piers (originally serving the medical officer's quarters), and four six-over-six sash windows.

The south-east rear elevation is of plain brickwork with some rubbed red brick voussoirs. The centre projects with a two-storey gable with end chimneystack serving the former day room over the kitchen, flanked by a scullery and coal store. At the southern end the brickwork shows the shadow of an earlier lean-to extension. The northern half has a two-storey circa 1985 stretcher-bond brown brick extension.

The north-west end is mainly cement rendered. The eastern part has a pediment with an oculus and two first-floor paired sash windows and a later twentieth-century door below. The smaller adjoining western 1985 gable is partly of brown brick and partly cement rendered.

Internally, the full-length corridors on the ground and first floors on the north-west side retain the original straight-flight staircases at the north and south ends with original cast iron handrails and stick balusters heightened by additional later twentieth-century sections. The corridors retain original plain skirting boards, wide chamfered door architraves and some window surrounds, although doors and window glazing are twentieth-century. Original water closets (refitted) survive beyond the staircases.

The central entrance hall and most ground-floor rooms retain their original room divisions, plain door architraves and skirting boards. The two southern corridor windows have plain chamfered architraves similar to the door architraves and different from those of the next two bays, which appear secondary. Thereafter they appear to be later insertions. The former medical officer's quarters retains original domestic-type door and window architraves, wooden shutters to the windows, an original half-glazed door, and one room retains a wooden built-in cupboard with shelves.

The first floor mainly retains its original ward layout, although the northern two wards have had part of their connecting wall removed to create a larger space, and a wall in the small central room (originally a pack store) has been removed. Rooms retain original plain door architraves and skirting boards. The chimneybreasts show evidence of blocked warm-air vents installed after 1863, and there is evidence of blocked vents above the doors on the first-floor corridor. The former day room has corbels at the top of the chimneybreast and a dumb waiter. Original water closets beyond the staircases survive, with one appearing to have been added, perhaps when accommodation for nursing staff was extended.

The plan was originally symmetrical with two full-length corridors to the rear on each floor. Internally there were eleven wards, each 20 feet wide and approximately 25 feet long with windows along one side (eight on the first floor), and a central day-room on the first floor. The ground floor contained an Isolation ward, Detention ward, Inspection ward, stores, ablution and bathrooms, surgery, medical officers' and orderlies' rooms, and a kitchen. This plan was not significantly altered when the building became the Senior Officers School in 1924, although many rooms acquired other functions. After the 1960s the northern four-bay single-storey section was demolished, and after 1968 some rooms were adjusted in size, amalgamated, or had later partitions inserted.

A sectional drawing of 1910 shows a wooden queen-post roof with angled struts. The roof space was not inspected during the survey, but recent photographs from 2016 were provided by Peel Ports.

Later twentieth-century windows, doors, internal partitions and suspended ceilings are not of special architectural or historic interest.