Late 19th century cottage hospital, 'Braintree and Bocking Cottage Hospital', Broad Road (EHER 15636)

Late 19th century cottage hospital established in 1871. It was enlarged in 1897 but replaced in 1921 by a new, purpose-built hospital.

1999. Field survey. The Braintree and Bocking Cottage Hospital was founded in 1871 at the junction of the Halstead and Highfield Stile roads, Bocking. Established by Mr G. Courtauld within a pair of existing cottages this small hospital was originally designed to cater for four patients ‘where cure or permanent benefit can be reasonably anticipated’ and was not ‘intended to be used as a sick home for the reception of indigent sick people’ (Burdett 1896). In 1897, it was renovated and enlarged to seven beds, in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. An extract in ‘The Hospital’ dated 1913 describes the cottage hospital as a simple building with little pretension; it housed a tiny operating theatre, simple wards and a bathroom of the smallest proportions. The hospital, presented to the public by Sydney Courtauld esq., was supported by voluntary contributions, but by 1921 it was replaced by the new purpose-built William Julien Courtauld Hospital (EHER 15642) and reverted back to a domestic dwelling. The hospital is a two-storey 'H-shaped' building with gable ended cross-wings and a single-storey flat roofed porch/ante chamber to the front. Built in a Victorian Gothic style, all the elevations are of red stock brick in Flemish bond; the roof is covered with plain clay tiles with three fish-scale bands of four tile courses deep and is surmounted by crested ridge bonnets. Whilst most of the roof is double pitched, the rear of the central range is hipped. Carved barge-boards with turned timber finials are present on all four gable ends and an ornate chimney with four circular stacks, oversailing brickwork and terracotta pots extends through the northern roof. The single-storey ante-chamber to the front has a flat roof which was used as an open air balcony; it is surmounted by a parapet with courses of both saw-tooth and dentilated brickwork. A modern porch extends from the front. The window apertures on the main facade contain square-headed Tudor-style windows with central stone mullions and a moulded label with stopped ends above. ‘Cottage’ and ‘Hospital’ were formerly written in bold letters over the two first-floor windows, but these have since been removed. Most of the original diamond light windows survive, but the apertures to the side and rear elevations are less pretentious containing simple segmented heads. A small free-standing building to the rear of the site may have contained toiletry and laundry facilities. <1> NRHE data transfer: Cottage hospital established in 1871 in a pair of existing cottages. Enlarged in 1897 but replaced in 1921 by a new, purpose-built hospital. <2>