St Martin'S Hospital

St Martin's Hospital, Midford Road, Odd Down

Hospital, originally said to have been barracks but adapted as the Bath Union Workhouse. Built in 1838 with 20th-century alterations. Designed by Sampson Kempthorne and GP Manners, with alterations by JE Gill in 1869.

The building is constructed of coursed stonework with double Roman tile roofs. It follows the boldly symmetrical plan typical of workhouse complexes as laid down by the Poor Law Commissioners, comprising a long formal front range with lower diagonal wings, a central T-arm extending to a boiler house, and two very long rear diagonal wings.

The front range consists of a nine-bay three-storey centre with a raised flush central pediment over three bays, flanked on each side by two bays in two storeys and two bays in single storey, all set to a flush frontage with gabled roofs. The top floor contains eight-pane pivoted lights to bays one and three, with the remainder being early two-light casements. The first floor has all sashes with six-pane tops and plain lower sections. The ground floor has all twelve-pane windows, all set to severe plain sills, except that the three centre windows at first and second floors have sills on brackets with floating cornices also on brackets. A pediment clock-face crowns the composition. The broad gabled central porch has incised pilasters and large sixteen-pane lights flanking a pair of 20th-century glazed doors, with four-pane lights on the returns. Above the door in the gable is a carved Royal Arms, and above the first floor centre light is a tablet. The coped end gables to the centre block have ashlar stacks, with a further ridge stack left of centre. Each end of the single-storey units features a ball finial. The rear of the main range has two-light casements above nine-pane sashes, with lean-to ranges at ground floor level.

The spine range in three storeys has a double Roman tile roof with some steel casements, some sashes, and early cast iron pivoted twenty-pane windows at first floor. Three plank doors provide access, with the far side (east) retaining mainly original sashes across ten bays. A diagonal wing to the right of the front range contains a small pavilion with pyramidal roof and a two-storey eight-bay range with glazing bar sashes in four, six, and twelve-pane configurations, two doors, and a throughway in bay eight. Two ridge stacks are present. The inner front has seven six-pane lights above various openings including a throughway. Attached at the outer end is a further single-storey six-bay range with four-pane sashes. The corresponding wing at the other end (east) comprises three storeys with seven bays, mostly with original sashes, and a single-storey extension. The main diagonal wings to the rear are long shallow gabled ranges with shallow projecting stair or service turrets in sixteen bays across three floors. Original sashing appears to have been six above twelve above deep six-pane, and these remain substantially on the south face of the east wing. The west wing has many two-light steel casements inserted at first floor. The outer ends are plain with haunched coped gables. Continuing from the central spine are various buildings including a large water tower; the original boiler house was located here. The interior is generally of utilitarian character.

Sampson Kempthorne was the official government adviser on workhouse design as architect to the Poor Law Commissioners and produced model plans which were adapted as required; he also designed the first workhouse to be built at Abingdon in 1836. This example was probably worked up by the City Architect GP Manners. Together with the Chapel, it provides eloquent witness to the social philosophy of the period. The use of local stone endows this workhouse with particular architectural presence. The hospital closed in 2001, bringing to an end over 160 years of community use. Although adapted more than once to varied uses, this large complex retains a considerable amount of original detail externally and is a good example of early and mid-19th-century workhouse designs following the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act.