Fermanagh and Tyrone Hospital, 1 Donaghanie Road, Omagh, Co Tyrone, BT79 0NS

This large detached former hospital represents one of the most ambitious institutional buildings of mid-19th century Ireland, designed in the Elizabethan Gothic style. The original building was constructed between 1848 and 1853 to designs by William Farrell, with substantial additional wings added around 1865 by George Boyd. Further extensions followed around 1956 and 1970, the latter designed by W.H. McAlister.

Architectural Overview

The hospital presents a complex E-shaped plan in its original form, with a symmetrical central block featuring a prominent double-gabled entrance bay flanked by rectangular former cell sections. These are divided by projecting gabled bays, with gabled and hipped sections to the south. The composition is extended by L-shaped wings at east and west, which are themselves joined at the south-east and south-west corners by further L-shaped wings dating from around 1865. To the rear, the central bay connects via rubble link blocks to additional accommodation including a gabled private chapel (built around 1865 and subdivided around 1905) flanked by recreation halls. Further single-storey hipped halls extend to left and right. At the west, another link block connects to the main building. Various spaces between these elements contain flat-roofed single-storey rubble and roughcast extensions added around 1956 and 1970.

The building rises to three storeys over a partial basement (present only in the entrance bay). The structure is built of squared-and-snecked sandstone with ashlar sandstone quoins rising from a projecting plinth. Diagonal buttresses with offsets articulate the elevations. The roof is pitched natural slate with blue and black clay ridge tiles over a corbelled eaves course, with raised verges on corbelled kneelers. Red brick and stone chimneys with concrete coping punctuate the roofline, which is subdivided by stone fire-breaks to the verges.

Windows throughout are replacement uPVC casements set within the original metal frames. Larger windows feature segmental-arched rubble voussoirs, and all have chamfered sandstone surrounds. Various entrance doors have been replaced with timber sheeting or timber panelling, though some original features survive.

Principal North Elevation

The principal north elevation displays the building's symmetrical Elizabethan Gothic character across thirteen distinct bays. From the west (left), bay one comprises a double-gabled projecting section. The left gable contains a central dipartite window flanked by small windows on either side at ground floor level, with a double-height canted oriel window on a corbelled bracket rising to a trefoil oculus in the apex. The right gable contains two dipartite windows at each floor, with a replacement square-headed timber sheeted entrance door at ground floor right, abutted by a single-storey flat-roofed porch dating from around 1970. The west elevation is abutted at ground floor by a roughcast extension; the exposed section contains four windows at each floor, with a central projecting gabled bay containing a single window at each floor to each elevation, and two windows at each floor to the right.

Bay two contains four openings at each floor; the third opening from the left at ground floor is a replacement square-headed timber sheeted entrance door with transom light surmounted by a concrete canopy. Gabled projecting bay three features a tripartite window at each floor surmounted by a quatrefoil vent within a lozenge panel to the apex; the east and west elevations each contain a dipartite window at each floor.

Bay four contains seven windows at each floor. Gabled projecting bay five has two dipartite windows at ground and first floor levels, a single tripartite window at second floor surmounted by a louvred loophole to the apex. The east elevation contains square-headed replacement double-leaf vertically sheeted timber entrance doors with transom light surmounted by a dipartite window at first floor and single window at second floor. The west elevation has a single window at ground floor, with upper floors matching the east.

Bay six contains nine windows at each floor and is abutted on the right by a tower with crenellated parapet containing a single window at each floor. The west elevation contains a tripartite window at each floor to the left (including basement level) and a Tudor arched vertically sheeted entrance door in chamfered sandstone surround at ground floor right, surmounted by a single window at first floor.

Projecting bay seven forms the centrepiece of the composition and rises to four storeys. It consists of two projecting gables flanking a central Tudor arched entrance opening. Square-headed double-leaf six-panelled timber entrance doors with sidelights and transom light are surmounted by a fretted sandstone canopy with quatrefoil carvings and spandrels on corbelled brackets, with a tripartite window at each upper floor. The left gable contains a quadripartite window at basement and ground floor, two dipartite windows at first and second floor, and a tripartite window at third floor. The right gable features a double-height canted bay at ground and first floor levels, with upper floors matching the left gable, and a quatrefoil vent in a lozenge panel to the apex. The east and west elevations are abutted at left by towers; there are dipartite and tripartite windows at each floor to the centre, with a projecting gable at right containing a tripartite window at ground floor and dipartite windows to upper floors.

Bay eight contains nine openings at each floor; the sixth opening from the left at ground floor is a replacement square-headed timber panelled entrance door surmounted by a concrete canopy. It is abutted at left by a tower detailed as before. Gabled projecting bay nine contains two dipartite windows at ground and first floor, a single tripartite window at second floor surmounted by a louvred double loophole to the apex. The east elevation contains a dipartite window at first floor and single window at second floor; the west elevation has a dipartite window at ground floor with upper floors matching the east.

Bay ten contains seven windows at each floor. Gabled projecting bay eleven has two dipartite windows at ground floor and a tripartite window at each upper floor surmounted by a louvred loophole to the apex. Bay twelve contains four windows at each floor.

Bay thirteen consists of a double-gabled projecting section. The left gable contains two dipartite windows at each floor, with ground floor right featuring replacement double-leaf timber panelled entrance doors with transom light and a cruciform loophole to the apex. The right gable contains a central entrance as described for the left, flanked left and right by single windows at ground floor, with tripartite and dipartite windows at each upper floor and a quatrefoil vent within a lozenge panel to the apex. The east elevation is abutted by a projecting gable containing a single window at each floor to each elevation; the exposed section at left contains dipartite and tripartite windows at each floor, while the exposed section at right contains five windows at each floor.

East Elevation and East Rear Wing

The east elevation is abutted at left by the east rear wing. The original building visible from the left comprises bay one with a central projecting chimney-breast flanked left by a dipartite window and right by a tripartite window. This is abutted at ground floor right (at the re-entrant angle) by a single-storey flat-roofed extension dating from around 1900, and at left by a square stair-tower containing pointed-arched windows to each elevation, surmounted by a flat-roofed octagonal tower. Projecting gabled bay two is abutted at ground floor by an extension from around 1970; the exposed section contains a tripartite window at first and second floor right, with replacement timber doors at each floor left leading to a fire-escape stair. The south elevation contains two dipartite windows at first and second floor and is abutted at ground floor by an extension.

The east rear wing's east elevation begins from the left with bay one consisting of a double-gabled projecting section, each gable containing two dipartite windows at each floor surmounted by a trefoil oculus to the apex. At right, replacement timber panelled doors at each floor lead to a fire-escape stair. The north elevation contains six windows at each floor. Bay two contains seven windows at each floor. Projecting gabled bay three features a double-height canted bay surmounted by a tripartite window at second floor. The north elevation contains three dipartite windows and a single window at each floor; the south elevation has a tripartite and dipartite window at each floor to the left and replacement timber doors at each floor right leading to a fire-escape stair.

The south elevation of the wing contains eight windows at each floor and is abutted at ground floor left by a single-storey canted extension. The west elevation from left begins with bay one abutted on the left by a lean-to rubble link block to an annex, and on the right by a two-storey flat-roofed extension. Bay two is abutted by a hipped return itself abutted at ground floor by a rubble link block; the exposed section contains a single opening at each floor. The south elevation is abutted at ground floor by a roughcast extension; the exposed section contains four openings with brick voussoirs to each floor (displaying a variety of timber framed and metal windows). The north elevation contains six sliding sash windows with brick voussoirs to each floor. Bay three is abutted at ground floor by a lean-to link block; upper floors each contain two dipartite windows and a single window. This is abutted on the right by a flat-roofed three-storey extension.

South Elevation

The south elevation from the left begins with bay one abutted by the east rear wing. Gabled projecting bay two has been extended and contains three uPVC casement windows with brick voussoirs and masonry sills at each floor. The east elevation contains a tripartite window at each floor to the right, separated from the extension at left by a buttress with offsets, and a single window with brick voussoirs at each floor.

Bay three consists of a central projecting chimney-breast; at left, two dipartite windows at each floor; at right, dipartite and tripartite windows at each floor. This is abutted at right by a projecting bay containing a window at each floor and abutted at ground floor by a rubble link block to a recreation hall. A single-storey porch to the re-entrant angle contains a window to the south and a Tudor-arched vertically sheeted timber door to the west.

Projecting gabled bay four contains two dipartite windows at each floor and a loophole to the apex. The east elevation contains a tripartite window at each floor. Bay five contains two dipartite windows at each floor. Bay six is abutted by a hipped rubble extension with brick voussoirs and quoins, featuring two dipartite (with timber mullions) sliding sash windows at each floor. The east and west elevations contain two large sliding sash windows at each floor.

Bay seven contains a dipartite window at each floor left and right; at centre, a Tudor-arched vertically sheeted timber door flanked at left by a dipartite window surmounted by a tripartite window at first and second floor. This is abutted at right by a hipped rubble link block to rear accommodation.

Bay eight (the entrance bay) contains five six-over-six sliding sash windows at each floor divided by buttressing with offsets, and two flat-roofed dormers to the attic. Bay nine is detailed as bay seven. Bay ten is detailed as bay six. Bay eleven is detailed as bay five. Bay twelve is detailed as bay four.

Bay thirteen contains three dipartite windows at each floor. Bay fourteen is abutted at centre by a two-storey canted rubble extension; the exposed section at second floor contains a dipartite window, with a projecting chimney-breast to the left and a dipartite window at each floor to the right. Bay fifteen is abutted by a hipped rubble extension and a further two-storey hipped extension.

West Elevation and West Rear Wing

The west elevation is abutted at right by the west rear wing. The original building from the left comprises projecting gabled bay one containing a tripartite window at ground floor, replacement timber doors at upper floors left leading to a fire-escape stair, flanked at right by a dipartite window. The south elevation consists of a pair of windows at ground floor centre surmounted by a projecting chimney-breast supported on corbels at first floor level, replacement double-leaf timber panelled entrance doors at ground floor left, and two dipartite windows at first and second floor.

Bay two consists of a projecting chimney-breast to centre; the exposed section at left contains two tripartite windows at each floor; at right, dipartite and tripartite windows at each floor. This is abutted at right (at the re-entrant angle) by a square tower detailed as the east elevation, surmounted by an octahedral roof, with a Tudor arched timber entrance door to the north elevation.

The west rear wing's west elevation from the left begins with bay one, which is hipped and contains eight windows at each floor (some plain glazed, some original metal casements, some replacement). Bay two consists of a double-gabled projecting section, each containing two dipartite windows at each floor surmounted by a trefoil oculus to the apex, with replacement timber doors at each floor left leading to a fire-escape stair. The north elevation contains six openings at each floor.

The south elevation contains eight windows at each floor (the right is dipartite) and is abutted at ground floor left by a flat-roofed canted rubble extension. The east elevation from the left comprises bay one abutted by a flat-roofed rubble extension; bay two is abutted by a hipped rubble return containing a single window with brick voussoirs at each floor. The south elevation contains three windows at second floor and five at first floor, all with brick voussoirs, and is abutted at ground floor by an extension. Bay three is abutted at ground floor by a single-storey extension and at right by a flat-roofed extension containing two windows at each floor (first floor windows have brick voussoirs); the exposed section at left contains a window at each floor. A court is enclosed to south and west by single-storey outbuildings.

Bay four is a gabled square stair-tower containing a tripartite window at first floor, two windows at second floor and a single window at attic level. It is abutted at ground floor by an outbuilding. The south and north elevations contain a window at half-landing level, with a gabled dormer to the attic. This is abutted at ground floor by a rubble extension.

Recreation Halls and Chapel

The recreation halls dating from around 1865 are located to the rear and feature steep hipped roofs. Tudor arch openings containing square-headed timber and metal casement windows are divided by buttresses with offsets. At the centre of this arrangement, the gabled private chapel contains replacement uPVC windows and a gabled bell-cote to the north gable. All these buildings are abutted at ground floor by link blocks and additional rubble and roughcast flat-roofed extensions and outbuildings.

Associated Buildings

A rubble link-block to the south-west leads to a multi-bay single-storey former County Infirmary, built around 1895 to designs by C.A. Owen (now an annex to the school occupying the main building). This building, designed in the style of the main hospital, is abutted by a hipped return to the north and by a hall and further canted bays to the south. To the west of the main building stands a further former ward, again designed in the style of the hospital, now converted for office use.

Setting and Grounds

The hospital complex is set within extensive private grounds containing several structures of note including a gatelodge, a Roman Catholic Chapel, and a Church of Ireland church. Throughout the remainder of the complex are a series of single- and two-storey rubble, brick and roughcast outbuildings dating from the late 19th century and throughout the 20th century, providing supporting and additional accommodation. These include a concrete water tower. The roofing throughout is natural slate, with sandstone walling predominating and replacement uPVC casement windows in most locations. Cast-iron rainwater goods survive.