Holywell Hospital, 60 Steeple Road, Antrim, Co Antrim, BT41 2RJ

Holywell Hospital is a complex of red brick hospital buildings erected in the late 19th century. The grouping comprises a two-storey Administration Block with a five-stage Italianate clock tower facing north, linked by courtyards to a single-storey Workshop Block to the east and a one-and-two-storey Laundry Block to the west. The main building is flanked by a pair of detached chapels. To the rear, a canted lateral single-storey corridor provides access to four ward blocks. One courtyard is now open and one ward block is now used for other purposes. The main entrance to the Administration Block is in the base of the clock tower.

Administration Block

The entrance elevation facing north is symmetrical, consisting of a five-stage clock tower of square plan flanked by two-storey wings to each side. The walls are red brick with projecting moulded brick plinth, string courses and dentil cornice. The roofs are covered in green slates (apparently Westmorland) laid in regular courses, with terracotta ridge tiles of serrated profile. Prominent chimneys are of red brick with panelled faces and moulded brick cornices, retaining original tall red terracotta pots. Moulded cast iron gutters are fitted with rectangular cast iron downpipes secured by foliated brackets; moulded cast iron hoppers and circular cast iron downpipes from lower projecting bays.

The windows are elliptically headed timber sliding sashes, vertically hung, one-over-one panes, with horns, set in elliptically arched openings surmounted by projecting brick drip mouldings. Projecting red sandstone cills are continuous with a string course to each side. The recessed main wall area of each wing has a shallow single-storey projecting rectangular bay with hipped lead roof, in the same plane as the projecting end gables. The end bays are gabled and include an attic storey lit by a small oval or elliptical plain window between raised brick pilaster strips. Red sandstone copings top the gables with stepped brick corbel courses; the apex is surmounted by a raised segmental pediment with ball finial.

The central clock tower projects forward. Its ground floor contains the main entrance, recessed within an elliptical brick archway with square columns, smooth cement rendered, with moulded bases and floriated capitals, coupled to the reveals. A fluted and garlanded keystone to the archway is surmounted by a small balcony carried on large curved and fluted brackets. The balcony parapet has circular perforations to front and sides, linked by strapwork, with a ball finial to each front corner of the balcony. To each side of the balcony is a painted stone zoomorphic gargoyle. A buttress to each side of the ground floor of the tower projects to the second stage level, terminating in scrolled stone weathering. Each side wall of the tower's ground floor contains a deeply set recessed elliptically arched window sashed as on the main front.

At first-floor level in the tower is an elliptically arched two-leaf French window giving access to the balcony. At second-floor level in the tower is a pair of narrow coupled windows in the front face, sashed as before. Each of the side faces at second-floor level is abutted by a projecting semi-gable raking up to the belfry stage above from the flanking two-storey wings of the building.

At third-floor level in the tower there is a trifora in each of the four faces. Each trifora consists of a pair of coupled columns of polished granite shafts with foliated marble capitals, triple arcaded in brick, with moulded sandstone bases on projecting red sandstone cills carried on four brickwork brackets. Below each of the trifora in the two side faces of the tower is a large projecting sculptured lion's head in red sandstone. Above the trifora on each face are five projecting red sandstone shields, each embellished with a crown in relief, and above the shields is a machicolated red sandstone cornice.

At fourth-floor level of the tower there is a large clock face in each of the four faces, each set in an elliptically arched recess with red sandstone colonnettes. The clock faces are of geometrical pattern without numbers and are illuminated at night. This stage is surmounted by a red sandstone cornice and arcaded parapet with what appears to be paired chimney pots or ventilation flues grouped at each corner.

The east elevation of the Administration Block is two-storey, of the same character as the entrance front, with similar walling, roofing, rainwater goods and windows. One window to each floor appears to the right of the projecting yard wall, sashed as before. One taller stair window to the left of the wall is a timber fixed light with top-hung bottom light, with projecting moulded sandstone cill, with a rectangular door and an arched sashed window to the ground floor below it. The door is a rectangular glazed flush timber with a sandstone lintel surmounted by an arched brick drip moulding; the cill to the window beside it is of projecting red sandstone.

The rear elevation of the eastern wing is of red brick of plainer character than the entrance elevation, without moulded string courses but with a projecting brick eaves course. Plain segmental arched brick openings contain segmental headed timber windows sashed as on the entrance front. Extending to the south is a rear return consisting of a single-storey link corridor in plain red brick with rectangular metal windows set in arched openings, with projecting red sandstone cills, and a rectangular doorway leading into a small rear kitchen yard. The doorway into the small kitchen yard has rounded purple brick jambs and a sliding ledged timber door with timber pelmet; a hipped green slated roof covers the doorway with plain terracotta ridge tiles. The small kitchen yard is paved with purple bricks laid on edge.

The north side of the small kitchen yard, immediately behind the main front block of the administration building, is a stores block with a large central elliptical brick archway now closed up with smooth cement render. The archway is flanked either side by rectangular doorways, with modern flush timber doors and a modern panelled door, and tall narrow segmental arched window openings with rectangular timber windows. The south side of the small rear yard has a hipped roofed block with green slates, serrated terracotta ridge tiles and terracotta finials, incorporating a replacement rooflight over an open recess and a small gabled original light box on the ridge with turned wooden finials. The walls of the block are red brick. Windows are rectangular timber with a black painted timber lintel continuous with a partly boxed-in steel girder over the recess. The block has PVC gutter and cast iron downpipes.

Further south lies the main kitchen block with a tall gabled block in the centre: a red brick gable with a glazed roof and glazed clerestorey, projecting from the large red brick gable of the dining block and recreation hall to the south.

The west end of the Administration Block is similar to the east end except there is a single-storey canted brick bay to the ground floor to the left of the projecting yard wall. One arched window in each face of the bay is sashed as before; the bay has a hipped roof of slates as before and a moulded cast iron gutter with rectangular cast iron downpipe. The right-hand extremity of the wall at first-floor level has brickwork keys left where the anticipated floor of a return wing was not built.

Extending to the south is a long single-storey return wing, built in two blocks. The first block is taller and has a roof of green slates as before, with serrated terracotta ridge tiles and a small circular metal ventilator on the ridge. The second block is lower and has a roof of Bangor blue slates in regular courses with plain red ridge tiles. The third block is of similar ridge height but has green slates and serrated ridge tiles. Windows in the return include rectangular metal fixed lights and casements with top-hung vents, with pink tinted concrete lintels and projecting red sandstone cills or grey concrete cills; aluminium and PVC windows in similar openings; and rectangular PVC fixed lights with top-hung vents set in elliptically arched brick openings with projecting red sandstone cills.

To the right of a modern single-storey flat-roofed red brick and plywood panelled projecting block are three canted bays with hipped roofs and terracotta finials. The bay to the extreme right contains a rectangular metal window, fixed light and casement, and a narrow rectangular glazed and panelled door with plain fanlight, also set in a brick arched opening. The return wing has cast iron gutter with cast iron downpipes and one PVC downpipe.

Recreation Hall

This is a two-storey building to the rear of the Administration Block, on an axis with the clock tower and the main kitchen. It projects to the south beyond the line of the main cross corridor of the hospital. The recreation hall roofs are green slated with serrated terracotta ridge tiles and two circular metal ogee domed ventilators on the ridge. The walls are red brick with shallow brick buttresses between window openings to the side elevations, which are of plain character to the north of the main cross corridor where visible mainly from enclosed courts or lightwells, but given string courses and drip mouldings over windows at the south end where clearly visible as part of the main south elevation of the complex.

First-floor windows in both east and west sides of the recreation hall are modern PVC replacements. Ground-floor windows in both east and west sides to the north of the main cross corridor of the hospital are metal framed with small panes. Ground-floor windows to the south of the main cross corridor are of metal on the west side but PVC on the east side. The metal windows are small-paned fixed lights with central opening vents. A large steel fire escape stairway is attached to the south end of the east side of the recreation hall.

The south gable of the recreation hall is brick pilastered with stepped brick corbel courses; sandstone urn finials top the apex of the gable and the shoulders. A large central three-light window with small circular tracery lights, in red sandstone tracery, is set in an arched recess.

Workshop Block

The Workshop Block stands to the east of the Administration Block and comprises four ranges or wings around a courtyard. The main entrance into the courtyard faces east.

The east elevation is single-storey with a gabled attic over the main entrance archway. Walls are red brick with projecting moulded plinth, string courses and dentil cornice. The roof is of green slates and serrated terracotta ridge tiles as on the Administration Block. There are two chimneys, red brick, as on the Administration Block. Moulded cast iron gutters are fitted with rectangular cast iron downpipes secured by ornamented brackets. Windows include modern rectangular PVC, modern rectangular timber fixed lights with opening vents, set in elliptical arched brick openings with red sandstone cills, except for one later large rectangular metal framed window set in an enlarged opening with concrete lintel and cill. The main entrance opening into the yard is elliptically arched in brick with red sandstone springing blocks and moulded brick drip over. Above the archway is a single window, brick arched, set in an attic gable with moulded red sandstone copings and stepped projecting brick panelling.

The north elevation comprises a low central single-storey range flanked at each end by projecting gabled wings; the wing to the left is single-storey, the wing to the right two-storey. A chimney tower stands in the corner between the central range and the left-hand gable. Walling, roofs, rainwater goods and arched window openings are all as on the east elevation. Windows in the central range are later rectangular eight-paned timber fixed lights with opening vents, set in the arched openings.

The left-hand gable has two windows in the ground floor of similar glazing to the central range, with a small oval window set in a keystone and block brick surround in the apex of the gable, but the window is boarded up. Red sandstone copings top the gable with a ball finial. The right-hand gable has two windows to the ground floor and two to the first floor set in tall elliptically arched recesses. The ground-floor pair are later rectangular timber fixed lights and aluminium louvres set in segmental arched openings. The first-floor pair are modern PVC six-pane fixed lights and top-hung vents set in the elliptical arches; red sandstone cills. An oval window in the apex of the gable is clear-glazed, with a ball finial as on the previous gable.

The west elevation comprises two two-storey blocks joined to a single-storey block. The roofs are slated and ridges crested as before. There are three modern flush rooflights in the first block from the north and an original flush rooflight in the single-storey block. The first block from the north has moulded brick string courses and cornice, three elliptical windows to the first floor, and one wide segmental arched opening to the ground floor leading into an open lobby. Moulded cast iron downpipes are fitted to each extremity.

The second block from the north is of plain red brickwork with one chimney to the right-hand gable. Windows are PVC rectangular fixed lights with top-hung vents, four windows to each floor. The three sets to the right are contained within tall elliptically arched recesses with what appears to be blank rectangular PVC panels between storeys and projecting red sandstone cills. The set to the left consists of a similar PVC window in a shallow segmental brick arch to the ground floor, with a small PVC panel to the head and a projecting red sandstone cill. Above is a similar PVC window in an elliptically arched brick opening with a recessed red sandstone cill, set within an oversailing gablet with timber bargeboards and timber struts carried on moulded brick corbels. Circular cast iron gutter with circular cast iron downpipes.

The single-storey block to the south has a PVC gutter and downpipe. Abutting the west elevation of the Workshop Block is a single-storey wing consisting of a much altered pyramidal roofed outbuilding and a poor quality lean-to shed joined to the kitchens area of the Administration Block.

The courtyard elevations of the Workshop Block are as follows. The north side is a single-storey block with a slightly projecting central bay with hipped roof. The roofs are slated and ridges crested as before, with terracotta finials to the hipped bay and plain ridge tiles to the hips. There is a chimney to each extremity. The walls are plain red brick. The central projecting bay has large rectangular timber windows, fixed lights, with timber cills and ledged timber doors to each extremity. Each end bay has two segmental arched windows, modern timber fixed lights, with the bay to the left incorporating aluminium louvres; a flush timber door with three-pane fanlight in the bay to the left; and ledged timber double doors in the bay to the right. PVC gutters and downpipes.

The east side of the courtyard is single-storey with plain red brick walls and a roof slated and ridge crested as before. PVC gutter and downpipe. The main entrance opening is segmental arched in plain brickwork with the lower portion of the jambs of rounded brown brickwork. There are two modern glazed flush timber doors. Window and door openings are segmental arched except one later insertion or enlargement with concrete lintel and concrete cill. Windows are later rectangular timber, later rectangular metal, and later PVC replacements.

The west side of the courtyard comprises two two-storey blocks and a single-storey block with roofs slated and ridges crested as before. PVC gutters and downpipes. Walls are plain brickwork with projecting red sandstone cills. Windows in the two-storey blocks are PVC replacements as before to the other side. Windows in the single-storey block are PVC replacements or rectangular replacements. Doors are ledged timber and flush timber.

The south side of the courtyard comprises, from right to left, a single-storey brick screen wall with a later lean-to shelter in front (the shelter is of corrugated asbestos on steel posts); a single-storey red brick hipped block with ledged timber door and rectangular timber windows; a hipped roofed porch, set back, with ledged timber door; and a modern single-storey flat-roofed block with rectangular door and window openings and walls of rendered concrete blockwork using dry dash of white limestone chippings.

To the rear or south side of the south wing of the workshop courtyard lie two enclosed open courts either side of a short link corridor connecting with the main cross corridor of the hospital. The eastern court is a small Workshop Yard, concrete surfaced, used to store building maintenance equipment and machinery. The western court is a grassed garden laid out with lawns and gravel paths, enclosed on the south side by the main cross corridor, on the west by a single-storey wing of the dining and recreation hall area of the administration block, and on the north side by a lean-to greenhouse which appears to be a later addition. The part of the lawn to the west is raised in a ramped hump which appears to cover a raised basement services area.

Laundry Block

The Laundry Block stands to the west of the Administration Block and consists of a number of conjoined single-storey and two-storey hipped and gabled blocks arranged in an L shape.

The north elevation comprises a two-storey gabled office block at the east end with a long single-storey boiler house wing extending to the west. The office block is two-storey, gabled, of red brick with moulded string courses and moulded dentil cornice similar to the main Administration Block. The north gable has red sandstone copings and ball finial; an elliptical window in the apex of the gable with projecting brick drip moulding; two windows to each floor, later rectangular timber replacements, fixed lights incorporating aluminium louvres, set in elliptically arched moulded heads.

The entrance is in the east side contained in a projecting two-storey bay with hipped roof. All roofs of the office block are slated and ridges crested as before. There is one chimney, red brick, panelled. Moulded cast iron gutters are fitted with cast iron downpipes. The rectangular downpipe on the east elevation to the right of the entrance bay is damaged with broken original brackets and is coming off the wall.

The entrance is elliptically arched with an elliptically headed original four-panel timber door. An open porch comprises a collar braced timber roof canopy supported on turned timber posts on a low plinth wall to the right and a brick screen wall to the left. The screen wall contains a small elliptically arched doorway with ledged timber door and moulded red sandstone coping, and a large elliptically arched doorway with ledged double doors. Originally it enclosed the space between the Laundry Block and Administration Block but now has a large opening. A later single-storey red brick garage with flat roof is positioned behind the double doors.

Extending to the west is a long single-storey boiler house with slated roof and later rustic brick walling to the front with large rectangular metal framed small-pane windows, concrete lintels and cills, and cast iron downpipes from the parapet gutter. A rectangular ledged timber sliding door is fitted to the right-hand side. At the west end is a projecting single-storey gable of similar character brickwork to the office block, including an elliptical window opening in the apex of the gable with moulded edge. The window is not glazed but contains steel beams. There are two windows in the gable: rectangular timber fixed lights. A rectangular entrance containing double doors, ledged and glazed, is set in the west face of the projecting single-storey gabled block. A glazed timber gabled light box on the ridge of the roof has turned wooden finials.

At the western extremity of the north elevation is a setback single-storey block with two arched windows containing modern rectangular PVC fixed lights and opening vents with small rectangular PVC panels to the heads. The roof is slated and ridge crested as before, with swept lead covering to a ventilator base on the ridge, but the ventilator is now removed. Extending to the west of that is a single-storey block with moulded brick string courses and moulded cornice but flat roof, containing a pair of double doors, panelled, with three-light fanlight and chamfered concrete lintel.

The west elevation comprises two brick gables to the left with a long two-storey gabled block to the right, ending in a hipped single-storey block to the extreme right. Moulded brick string courses and dentil cornices are fitted; ball finials to the gables. The first gable from the north has a low projecting block containing rectangular windows, appearing to be timber, set in elliptically arched moulded openings. The second gable from the north has an oval window in the apex containing a modern metal projecting duct or flue. The roof beyond the gable is slated and ridge crested as before, with a gabled timber roof box.

The two-storey block to the right has a roof slated as before with plain ridge tiles and an original fourteen-pane flush rooflight. The chimney to the left-hand extremity is truncated and sprouting grass. There are three windows in the first floor: the centre one a six-pane rectangular timber in a later plain brick opening with flat arched head; the flanking windows are similar timber six-pane, set in elliptically arched moulded openings.

The single-storey gabled block to the right has a roof slated and ridge crested as before with terracotta finial. Moulded string courses and dentil cornice are damaged and incomplete due to later alterations. It contains a large rectangular timber window and rectangular ledged timber door. The moulded cast iron gutter is broken and the rectangular cast iron downpipe is fractured. The wall is patched at the extremity by a new brick nib which incorporates mouldings to the original form.

Across the front of the second gable from the north and the two-storey block is a later single-storey flat-roofed projection in rustic brick with deep timber fascia and metal upstand to the flat roof. Large rectangular timber windows, fixed lights with top-hung vents and blank panels, are in poor condition. PVC gutter and downpipe.

The south elevation comprises a hipped roofed single-storey block with a roof slated and ridge crested as before, with two gabled timber roof boxes. The glazing of the roof boxes is mostly obscured by white paint. The walls are plain red brick. A cast iron gutter is fitted with a rectangular cast iron downpipe and a circular PVC downpipe. There are two windows: rectangular timber fixed lights and opening vents set in plain elliptically arched openings; one large original doorway, elliptically arched in plain brickwork, but now blocked up with tongued and grooved panelling below a timber framed fanlight. The doorway is set in a shouldered gablet with moulded red sandstone copings. To the right of the arched doorway is a modern gabled single-storey extension built of pre-formed metal panels and plain red brickwork on a smooth cement rendered plinth.

Main Cross Corridor

The main cross corridor of the hospital runs in an east-west direction cutting through the south end of the Administration Block and then canting northwards to each side of it to run past the rear of the Workshop Block and the Laundry Block, with the four original ward blocks branching off it to the south.

The north face of the portion to the west to the rear of the Laundry Block is single-storey, of red brick with moulded brick string courses, dentil cornice, and projecting plinth. The roof is slated and ridge crested as before. Moulded cast iron guttering is fitted to the left of the doorway; moulded PVC replacement guttering to the right of the doorway; rectangular cast iron downpipes. Windows are arranged in pairs, elliptically arched, those to the left of the north doorway having plain arches, those to the right having moulded arches. The windows are rectangular timber fixed lights, some with bottom-hung top vents, with projecting red sandstone cills in line with the projecting brick string course.

The doorway in the north face contains a pair of rectangular glazed and panelled double doors with a two-light fanlight set in an elliptical brick arched opening with moulded reveals, surmounted by a shouldered gablet with moulded red sandstone copings. The west gable of the western portion of the main corridor contains an entrance doorway similar to the doorway in the north face but set in plain reveals with a later inset modern red brick flattened elliptical archway.

The south face of the western portion of the main corridor is similar to the north face except for the western extremity, which is of plainer character, of plain red brickwork without mouldings.

The main cross corridor to the eastern side of the complex is essentially similar to that on the western side, except that the jambs to the entrance in the east gable are moulded.

Former 'Female Chronic Block'

The former 'Female Chronic Block' (now used as a conference suite and offices) stands at the western extremity of the main cross corridor of the hospital and is connected to it by a single-storey link block. It is of three storeys, laid out on a T-plan comprising a long rectangular main block with a short central rear return. The main elevation faces south.

The south elevation is three-storey, symmetrical, comprising a projecting central block four windows wide with recessed wings each two windows wide, linked to projecting end blocks each three windows wide. Hipped roofs are slated with ridges crested as before and central brick chimneys. The walling is of red brick with moulded brick string courses, plinth, and dentil cornice. Window openings are elliptically arched with moulded edges. The windows are modern rectangular PVC fixed lights and opening vents with blank PVC panels to the heads.

There are four original gabled dormer windows constructed of timber with a three-light window in the gable and terracotta finials. Projecting above the end bays are tall polygonal brick ventilator turrets with timber louvres in elliptical arched moulded openings and ogee copper domes containing original copper dressed roof vents. The turret of the eastern ventilator still retains its original finials displaying the date '1898', though the finial is now damaged. Moulded guttering (material uncertain) is fitted with rectangular PVC downpipes; circular cast iron soil pipes.

The central block has two canted bays to the ground floor with hipped roofs slated as before, circular cast iron downpipes, and what appears to be moulded PVC gutters. The projecting end bays have clasping brick buttresses to the corners surmounted by moulded terracotta weatherings. The inner corner of each end bay contains a recessed porch entered by a tall elliptically arched opening on two sides. Concrete steps and concrete ramp to the porches. The entrance doorway within each porch recess is an original panelled door below an original four-pane arched fanlight.

The west end elevation is three-storey of similar character to the south elevation with a taller four-storey canted end bay tower, in the same plane, surmounted by the ventilator turret. Moulded brick string courses step down to lower storey levels in the tower bay. Windows are PVC replacements except in the tower bay, which contains some rectangular timber windows in arched openings. The doorway in the ground floor of the tower bay contains a modern rectangular flush timber door and original four-pane fanlight recessed in a two-stage elliptical archway.

The east elevation is similar to the west except for the addition of an open porch to the entrance: a flat concrete canopy carried on plain brick nib walls.

The rear or north elevation is three-storey with four-storey end bay towers carrying ventilator turrets and a central three-storey projecting return. It is of similar character and details as to the other elevations. The windows are of PVC and of timber. The north-east angle between the main block and the rear return is now occupied by a very large steel fire escape stairway. There is an original gabled three-light dormer to the rear return, similar to the main block. A later flat-roofed rustic brick lift shaft projects from the roof on the east side of the rear return.

The single-storey link with the main cross corridor of the hospital is comprised of a corridor with a hipped roof projection on the west side. The roofs are slated and ridges crested as before. A gabled timber roof box on the ridge of the corridor has all glazing intact. The roof of the western projection is surmounted by a swept lead covered ventilator base now with the ventilator removed. Moulded cast iron gutters are damaged at the north-west corner of the western projection where they are replaced by leadwork, now itself dented. The walling is of plain brickwork. The hipped projection has three plain elliptically arched windows in the north side, glazed as on the main corridor. The west wall of the corridor contains later rectangular metal framed windows with concrete lintels and projecting concrete cills.

Former 'Female Hospital Block'

This consists of a number of conjoined hipped and gabled one- and two-storey blocks, in red brick with green slated roofs, in the same architectural style as the other buildings in the complex. Ventilators are missing from some leaded ventilator bases on the roofs, but gabled roof boxes still remain. Cast iron gutters and downpipes are fitted to the north side. The windows are rectangular timber fixed lights with top-hung bottom vents. The west end has a later lean-to shelter added, with brick side walls and corrugated asbestos roof.

The south side, from west to east, has projecting single-storey flat-roofed additions in plain red brick with timber fascia and large rectangular timber windows; original canted bays of brickwork each side of a twin-arched verandah. PVC windows and timber windows are fitted to a double pile twin gabled projecting block to the south. The two-storey blocks at the east end have polygonal brick towers which are surmounted by polygonal brick turrets; timber louvres in arched openings on main faces; ogee copper domes with date-inscribed finials.

This block stands to the south of the main cross corridor, connected to it by three linking corridors which have two enclosed gardens or courts contained by them. The western court has a lawn with a concrete path through it. The eastern court has a lawn with a later modern flat-roofed enclosed corridor link running through it.

Former 'Male Hospital Block'

This is of identical layout to the former 'Female Hospital Block', in the same architectural style and with the same architectural features, except that it is of handed plan. This block stands to the south of the main cross corridor, connected to it by three link corridors which have two enclosed gardens or courts contained by them. The eastern court has a tarmac surface with flower beds and greenhouses. The western court has a lawn with a concrete path through it.

Former 'Male Chronic Block'

The former 'Male Chronic Block' stands at the eastern extremity of the main cross corridor of the hospital and is connected to it by a single-storey link block. It is of three storeys, laid out on a T-plan comprising a long rectangular main block with a short central rear return. The main elevation faces south.

This block is of identical original layout to the corresponding former 'Female Chronic Block' at the western extremity of the main cross corridor, but its plan is handed. In general the elevations are similar except for the following differences due to alterations: the corner bays to the south elevation have recessed porches now bricked up and glazed; the dormers in the central bay of the south elevation are missing finials; the brick ventilator turrets have been removed from the end bays; the rear return has a larger later brick extension, hipped, and with no original dormer remaining on it; the rear return has one window in each floor bricked up in the east wall.

The single-storey link with the main cross corridor of the hospital comprises a corridor with a hipped roofed projection on the east side, similar to the corresponding link with the former 'Female Chronic Block' except the plan is handed. Some differences are due to alterations as follows: the corridor has small PVC windows in rectangular openings; the projection has PVC windows in arched openings on all three faces. The gabled roof box on the corridor is intact, but the ventilator cupola is missing from the projection, as on the corresponding link at the western end of the site.

Protestant Church

A small red brick church is located within the main hospital complex and built in the same architectural style. It stands detached to the east of the Workshop Block and is mirrored on the overall layout of the complex by a similarly designed Roman Catholic chapel standing in a corresponding position on the west side of the complex. It is laid out as a simple hall-type gabled nave ending in a canted three-sided chancel with a small gabled transept on one side next to the chancel and a small gabled vestry on the other side, with a gabled twin porch in each side of the nave. The liturgical west end actually faces north.

The church is built of red brick with projecting brick plinth, moulded brick string course, with brick dentil cornice to the sides of the nave, and stepped brick corbel courses to the gables. Moulded red sandstone copings top the gables; each gable is surmounted by a ball finial. Two-stage brick buttresses stand between the windows of the nave with similar buttresses to the chancel; single-stage diagonal buttresses to the transept and nave porches.

The windows are elliptically arched lancets, arranged in coupled pairs in the nave, with single lancets in the chancel and porches, and a triplet in the transept. They are leaded lights with small square panes of tinted glass, with an opening vent at the bottom, moulded edges to the reveals, red sandstone cills, and projecting brick drip mouldings. The nave gable also contains an oval rose window with geometrical tracery in red sandstone, now painted white and storm-glazed.

The roofs are of green slates in regular courses with serrated terracotta ridges. The nave roof is crowned by a small octagonal ogee copper dome on a timber louvred ventilator with arched openings, supported on a lead covered battered base. The chancel roof carries a scrolling metal cresting between two copper finials. Moulded cast iron gutters are fitted with rectangular cast iron downpipes.

The nave porches have rectangular timber double doors, four-panel with diagonal tongued and grooved boarding, surmounted by a similarly boarded arched tympanum panel, all set within an elliptically arched brick opening similar to the windows. The vestry door, facing to the rear, is an original arched ledged timber door set in a deep elliptically arched reveal. Note that only the vestry door opens from the outside; the nave porch doors open only from the inside.

The building is bordered by a tarmac path and is surrounded by lawns. A modern concrete ramp approach to the nave porch on the east side has modern tubular steel railings. Note: original elements missing from the building are the uppermost portion of the finial to the ventilator dome and the stone ball finial from the nave porch on the west side.

Roman Catholic Chapel

A small red brick church is located within the main hospital complex and built in the same architectural style. It stands detached to the west of the Laundry Block and is mirrored on the overall layout of the complex by a similarly designed Protestant Church standing in a corresponding position on the east of the complex. Its layout and form is similar to the Protestant Church except that the plan is handed and the modern concrete ramp approach to a nave porch, with modern steel railings, is on the west side. Note: one original element missing from the building is the stone ball finial from the nave gable.

Setting

The building stands in a rural area in the midst of fields and trees, bordered by tarmac paths and drives with lawns immediately surrounding it. There is a distant view of countryside to the south. The main approach is by a long east-west driveway, with some mid-to-late 20th century buildings of no special interest fringing the drive at the east end.