Gainsborough Building, Bath Technical College, With Railings

Technical College, formerly the United Hospital

A limestone ashlar building with slate roofs, located on Beau Street. Originally constructed 1823-26 by John Pinch the Elder at a cost of £7,000, and enlarged in 1860 by Manners and Gill. Subsequently adapted for educational use.

The original building is three storeys high plus an attic, with two basement levels, arranged in four bays plus three bays plus four bays. Windows are twelve-pane sashes with thin glazing bars and sill bands at the first and second floors, except for the attic which has four-pane sashes in plain reveals. The ground floor windows have segmental heads with voussoirs forming part of channelling, topped by a deep platband. The basement lights have segmental heads beneath a plain plinth.

The central three bays project forward with giant unfluted Ionic columns in antis rising over three segmental arches to deep reveals. The centre features a pair of doors approached by six steps. Recessed windows on either side front narrow areas enclosed by spear-head railings. The full entablature above terminates in a pediment containing a carved City Arms. The attic, which is recessed above the portico, displays a bold cornice.

The return front to Bilberry Lane comprises five bays with a tripartite sash to the centre bay and twelve-pane sashes throughout, trim returned from the front elevation. The rear facade also retains many sashes, some original twelve-pane examples with a tripartite window to the middle bay, pediment and pilasters at first floor, and an attic running the full depth and width.

To the right of the original building extends a large thirteen-window addition, slightly set back from the principal front with a recessed quadrant in bay four. Windows here are predominantly four-pane sashes with thin architraves, and at first floor level have friezes and cornice-hoods.

The nine-bay front to Hot Bath Street was extended in 1860 and includes pediments to bays eight to ten, with a heavy portico on channelled piers topped by cornice and balustrade on vast volutes. Alternating rusticated quoins frame the quadrant and the right-hand end. All basement lights are enclosed by spear-head railings mounted on an ashlar curb.

The narrow return to Lower Borough Walls, also extended in 1860, features a corbelled central stack with a sash at first floor and four large console brackets flanking plain sashes at each level. This continues as a single-storey link block to a two-storey house unit on the corner to Bilberry Lane.

The former chapel, designed by Browne and Gill in 1897-98 (the third chapel on this site), links to the rear of the earlier building and features five arched Bramantesque two-light windows above replacement sashes. To the left stands a plain apse with lead roof. A deep entablature and coped end gables complete the composition. The chapel is positioned with its axis at right angles to the early building, separated by approximately 4 metres, with a later link block connecting them.

Architectural context and history

Pinch's design took its inspiration from Wood's General Hospital. The building originated as a charitable foundation, opened in 1747 to serve Bath's invalid population. Until 1792 it was known as the Pauper Charity, thereafter becoming the Bath City Infirmary and Dispensary. The mid-Victorian period saw significant site expansion, comparable to works undertaken at the Royal Mineral Water Hospital, as the hospital was redesigned and enlarged by Manners and Gill. Their 1860 attic addition substantially altered the original architectural composition.