Fountaines Hospital

Fountaine’s Hospital comprises a chapel and almshouses, built in 1721 by Richard Fountaine and extended to the rear in the late 18th century. The building is constructed of ashlar and rubble stone with stone slate roofs.

The facade presents a Palladian design. The central bay projects slightly and contains an 8-panel door set within a recessed, semi-circular, rusticated archway with hollow moulding. Giant pilasters flank the doorway and support an entablature with triglyphs, a cornice, and a semi-circular niche with imposts on broad, panelled pilasters. Urn-shaped finials are positioned on the projections, which also support a bellcote with a round-arched, louvred opening, panelled pilasters, a cornice, a lead cupola, and a weather vane. Flanking bays each feature a 6-panel door with an 8-pane overlight and a 24-pane sash window to the ground floor, with 12-pane casements above. These windows are set in Gibbs surrounds with triple keystones and rusticated jambs, topped with a moulded cornice and blocking course. The flanking wings feature a central window to the ground and first floor mirroring the main range but set within a moulded architrave. The doorways to the wings face inwards and have projecting surrounds, while the corners are accentuated by clasping pilasters, projecting quoins, and a shallow corniced pediment. Corniced ridge stacks are present on each wing, along with taller stacks towards the rear, flanking the entrance tower.

The rear of the chapel is distinguished by a south Venetian window, featuring a central round-arched light flanked by lower, rectangular lights within an architrave. The side windows are round-arched, with five lights over four panes, each with a fanlight. The rear wings display rubble stonework and include a 18th-century south extension to the east wing, along with replacement windows.

Inside, the outer door has large strap hinges on its inner surface. A small vestibule is accessible through doors on the left and right, also with strap hinges. The chapel contains late 18th-century fittings and a false ceiling, which may conceal earlier plasterwork. The interiors of the cottages were not inspected.

Richard Fountaine, having made a fortune in London, endowed the hospital through his 1721 will. The estate was purchased, and the hospital constructed on his land, providing £26 annually to support six poor men or women in the parish and £20 annually to the minister for reading prayers twice weekly. By the early 19th century, the chapel was dilapidated and the trust was reportedly corrupt. New trustees were appointed in 1812, initiating a period of improvement. The building may have been designed by William Wakefield, whose work from 1713 closely resembles Vanbrugh’s style.