Former Meeting House To Rear Of Harvey'S Hospital

CHARD

756-1/4/121 HIGH STREET 13-DEC-93 CHARD (North side) FORMER MEETING HOUSE TO REAR OF HARVEY 'S HOSPITAL

GV II Former Meeting House at Harvey's Hospital, constructed in 1904. MATERIALS: Stretcher bond cream brick; gabled slate roof with glazed clerestory and moulded kneelers to shaped gables; brick end stack with moulded stone coping. PLAN: One room plan, and single storey. EXTERIOR: The east elevation has a label mould over a segmental arch with sunk spandrels and engaged shafts to the panelled double doors. There is a four-light Tudor-arched transomed window to the south gable wall which has a label mould over. INTERIOR: Retains a glazed ceramic fireplace with mantelshelf.

HISTORY: An almshouse known as Harvey's Hospital was established in Chard in 1663, founded and endowed by the will of Richard Harvey, a merchant from Exeter. who was born in Chard. By the C19 the almhouse was in a poor state of repair and was demolished and replaced by the existing buildings in 1841/2 at a cost of £1741. The detached meeting house was added to the north in 1904 to provide a common room for work and reading, and where religious services could be held.

SOURCES: Tony Prior, Harveys, The Story of an Almshouse

REASON FOR DESIGNATION: The former meeting house at Harvey's Hospital is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons: * Its overall level of architectural quality, particularly visible in its key external features * It has strong group value with the Grade II listed almshouse * It contributes to the historic development of the ensemble of which it forms a part