Hillside 1-8, Hillside Cottage & attached railings & wall to Cromwell Lane (EHER 38442)

A workhouse built in 1719, extended in 1834 and altered in 1874. It is now a house and flats. The building is timber framed and rendered and the gabled roofs are covered with Welsh slate. The main range is parallel with the street and has a 'T-shaped' extension at the north-east end. There is a second parallel range to the rear, and a further building, Hillside Cottage, in the yard. It is the former purpose-built workhouse, financed from the residue of the estate of Thomas Plume (qv Plume Library, High Street). The 1834 improvements were undertaken to form the Union Workhouse. In 1874 the complex was subdivided vertically to form residential units, following the opening of St Peter's Workhouse (EHER 15380).

January 1980. Grade II listed. A workhouse built in 1719, extended in 1834 and altered in 1874. It is now a house and flats. The building is timber framed and rendered and the gabled roofs are covered with Welsh slate. The main range is parallel with the street and has a 'T-shaped' extension at the north-east end. There is a second parallel range to the rear, and a further building, Hillside Cottage, in the yard. It is the former purpose-built workhouse, financed from the residue of the estate of Thomas Plume (qv Plume Library, High Street). The 1834 improvements were undertaken to form the Union Workhouse. In 1874 the complex was subdivided vertically to form residential units, following the opening of St Peter's Workhouse (EHER 15380). The main range is three storeys with a cellar. The frontage has two three-storey canted bay windows with lead roofs. The ground floor has a doorcase from 1719 which has a moulded hood on console brackets and is approached by two stone steps with iron handrails. This is flanked by four (two either side) early 19th century door surround with flat hoods. The main range has a two-storey hardwood timber-frame from 1717 with chamfered spine beams and substantial hanging knees under tie beams. In 1834 a further storey of good quality softwood timber-framing was added to this, with cambered tie beams. This improvement work also installed wide staircases and heavy doors which are made up of two layers of thick rebated boarding on large iron hinges. The plan form of the former Master's House remains substantially unaltered but subdivided, with many early 19th century features. The early 19th century extension to the north-east has full-height pilasters on the south-west and north-east elevations. The gable end, facing the road, has a central circular window, and there are two windows to the basement. The recessed elevation to the north is suspended over a flat-headed carriage arch, leading to the rear yard. This elevation joins the building to No.29 Market Hill, Trotters End (EHER 38429). The rear parallel range is the former 'Master's House' and is a three-storey building with cellars. The principle elevation faces north-west. The ground floor has an early 19th century doorcase with a hood on console brackets and moulded architrave, and is approached by a flight of 19th century stone steps and elegant contemporary handrails. It has one bow window with flat roof on the ground floor, and a pair of windows and door to the exposed basement level beneath. Also to the rear is a projecting early 19th century toilet extension. Hillside Cottage is the former workhouse reception/utility building and laundry room. It is a two storey building with a slate roof, which is gabled to the north-west and hipped to the east. It is brick-built and is now substantially rendered, with 20th century small-paned sash windows. The front forecourt has stone-slab paving and late 19th century cast-iron railings. There is a red-brick boundary wall to Cromwell Lane, which is partly retaining and links the main range with Hillside Cottage, then projects beyond. <1> See photos <2>. The original town workhouse was a purpose-built structure financed by the residue of Dr Plume's estate. It was built in 1719, and is timber-framed and rendered. In 1834 it was extended, heightened and improved to form the Union workhouse. In 1874 the complex was sub-divided to form residential units following the opening of St Peter's Workhouse on Spital Road. The plan-form of the Master's House is essentially unaltered (but sub-divided), and contains many early 19th century features. <3> NRHE data transfer: Houses of 1719. <4>