Chelmsford and Essex Hospital (EHER 15634)

Infirmary and dispensary of 1883 by Frederick Chancellor, with alterations of 1909 and later.

In 1882, subscribers to the Chelmsford Infirmary and Dispensary approved plans prepared by London and Chelmsford-based architect Frederick Chancellor for a new 35 bed hospital to the north of New London Road. The original building was of two-storeys and comprised a projecting central three bay administration block with two bay ward wings to either side and, a single-storey dispensary annexe and kitchens to the rear. In the central block at ground-floor level were the committee and matrons' rooms with fee paying private wards directly above; ward kitchens and toilets flanked the central block. The dispensary annexe comprised gender-separated waiting rooms, doctor's room, drug room, dispensary, operating ward and a detached mortuary. The elevations are of gault brick laid in Flemish bond with stone dressings and embellishments. The central block has stone-faced bay windows; those on the first-floor are surmounted by shaped gables whilst, at ground level they flank a door-case with stone pilasters. The semi-circular headed porch incorporates seaxe carving on its keystone. Over the head of the door is a recessed rectangular plaque inscribed 'INFIRMARY AND DISPENSARY' and below, the buildings completion date, '1883'. A moulded stone first-floor band and a cornice at eaves level extends around the structure. The window apertures have segmental brick voussoirs and brick aprons with large vertical sliding sashes which contain top-hung hopper windows. Alterations and additions to the hospital were completed in 1909. This work was primarily undertaken as a result of an inspection of the building by Sir Henry Burdett and Mr Pearce Gould in 1903. They condemned its existing layout and arrangements; these included the over-crowded wards, insufficient sanitary facilities which were not properly disconnected from the wards, inadequate nurses accommodation and the ill-devised provision for isolation. Based on these recommendations, the architect Keith Young of Young and Hall, working in collaboration with W.H. Pertwee of Chelmsford was appointed to re-build the hospital. As a result the existing ward was replaced by a two-storey block erected on the south-west side of the central range. This contained a 12 bed ward on the ground-floor and a 14 bed ward at first-floor level with a detached two-storey sanitary annex connected by a cross-ventilated bridge on its southern canted end. The north-eastern ward was not extended due to limitations imposed by the rear dispensary, but a new two-storey sanitary annex with fleuron decoration on its gable and a circular date plaque of 1908 was erected. The rear annex was extended to the east to provide a new dispensary and causality room, and parts of the annexe were enlarged to two-storeys providing additional nurses bedrooms, duty rooms and isolation rooms with integral sanitary facilities. Parts of the annexe and the roadside frontage were also re-faced with the same fleuron bricks that decorated the sanitary block. The site was again enlarged during the 1920s and 30s with the addition of a nurses home in 1921, two further ward blocks in 1924 and two ward wings in the 1930s. These have all been demolished and the land re-developed. To the south-east of the main complex stands a Grade II listed Villa named 'Thornwoods'. Erected in 1848, the building became part of the hospital in c.1900 being used for administrative and training purposes. Archaeological potential: currently used as a hospital both the original structure and its 1908 extension survive. These buildings are likely to retain important information on segregation, spatial layout and circulation within a Victorian general hospital. Site significance: one of five surviving general hospitals identified during the survey, Chelmsford retains a fine example of a mid- to late-Victorian hospital. The original building was designed by the prolific local architect, Frederick Chancellor, whilst Young and Hall were involved in the 1909 extensions; the latter being influential in the design of hospital buildings throughout England. The front range is especially attractive and forms an important local landmark. <1> Photo ref. <2> No new information from NRHE