Vagrants casual ward to Guildford Union Workhouse

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 06/07/2020

TQ 04 NW 1688/4/10015

GUILDFORD WARREN STREET The Spike Vagrants casual ward to Guildford Union Workhouse

(formerly listed as "Vagrants Casual Ward" at St Luke's Hospital, WARREN STREET)

II Vagrants casual ward, later used as store. 1905, Architect E L Lunn. A purpose-built vagrants ward added to Guildford Union Workhouse. Minor alterations of 1935 and late C20.

Built of red brick with tiled roof with four large cemented rooflights and four brick chimneystacks. One storey. West part of south front was used as day room, dining room and for Sunday chapel services and has six sash windows with four glazing bars to upper part and verticals only to lower parts and lower section with two small windows and door approached by fire escape. Gable end has brick vertical pattern, West end was the cell block with 18 small cell windows and similar pattern to gable end. 1935 toilet block at east end.

North elevation has four iron grills remaining out of an original thirteen which are an extremely rare survival. Each working cell had a sleeping cell and a working cell with a wooden door between the two parts of the cell. The iron grill was opened from the exterior, the load of stone to be crushed was dumped inside the working cell, the grill closed and inmates were made to crush the stone into small enough pieces to be pushed through the grill into collection containers outside.

The interior retains the plan with central corridor lined with salt glazed bricks to the lower part, wooden seats to sleeping cells and spyholes to doors of sleeping cells.

Listing NGR: TQ0081549505