Pest House, Townlands Hospital

The Pest House at Townlands Hospital in Henley on Thames is a late 18th-century building, constructed around 1790, possibly extended in the 19th century, with some minor later alterations. It was originally built for the former Henley Workhouse and was unused at the time of inspection in December 2002. The structure is made of red brick, featuring some burned headers, and has a pitched slate roof. It consists of two rooms oriented east-west, set into a sloping site that is taller to the east, which may indicate the later extension.

On the exterior, the north elevation faces the main building and is slightly advanced to the right, showcasing old brickwork, including a casement window and a door to the left that is faced with later brick. The west elevation features a central sash window and additional burned headers. The south elevation has a chimney at the center and casement windows, with earlier brickwork to the left. The east elevation is faced with later brick and includes a door and a casement window in the gable end.

Although the interior was not inspected, visible features include a lathe and plaster ceiling below collar level, a corner brick fireplace under a segmental arch, and early brickwork. The Pest House is of special interest due to its age and type, and it is notable for being where the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge spent a week in 1794, an experience he described as miserable, which influenced his later work.