Monument record 130/48 - Brackley Cottage Hospital, Pebble Lane

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Summary

In 1876, an 18th-century, three-bay stone house was acquired as a nursing home, the following year becoming a cottage hospital. In 1886-7 an L-shaped extension was added, which housed new wards and a kitchen. In 1936, a major refurbishment programme led to the demolition of a 19th-century range to the rear of the hospital and construction of a long single storey along the east boundary. A final phase of refurbishment took place in the late 1980s, when the single-storey rear wing was further extended. The hospital transferred to a charitable trust in 1991, then became a nursing home, closing in the early years of the present century.

Map

Type and Period (4)

Full Description

{1} Brackley Cottage Hospital. The Brackley Cottage Hospital was established in 1876, the building was purchased and considerably enlarged in 1886. A memorial plaque claiming that it was erected by voluntary contributions is displayed on the building. The building is still being used as a hospital today, although it has been considerably enlarged.

{5} A level 2 building recording survey was carried out prior to the conversion of the former hospital buildings into two dwellings. Prior to the survey the two 20th-century outbuildings to the rear of the hospital had been demolished.
Opened in 1876, initially as a nursing home and the following year as a cottage hospital. New wards and a kitchen were opened in 1887, and an operating room was added in 1908. However, during the early 20th century the buildings fell into disrepair: in 1936, the sixtieth anniversary of the hospital’s founding was celebrated by a major programme of building and refurbishment. During WW2 the hospital was officially designated an Emergency Medical Services hospital, but was never called upon to act in that capacity. The Cottage Hospital became part of the National Health Service in 1948. Although in Northamptonshire, the proximity of Brackley to Banbury, Oxfordshire, resulted in its being placed with the Banbury and District Hospitals Management Committee, centred on the Horton Hospital, Banbury. Responsibility passed to Oxfordshire Area Health Authority (Teaching) in 1974 and Oxfordshire Health Authority (OHA) in 1982. The hospital was again extensively refurbished in the late 1980s. In 1990, under extreme financial pressure, the OHA proposed a series of measures to reduce deficits, one of which was the closure of the Cottage Hospital. Local people resisted the closure and in November 1991 the hospital ceased to be part of the NHS and became the responsibility of a charitable trust. It subsequently became a nursing home, closing in the early 21st century.

Structurally, the Old Cottage Hospital has a footprint measuring c.33 x 22m max, with its long axis aligned nearly north-south. It is comprised of three principal elements. The earliest of these, at its south-east corner, is a two-storey, three-bay stone building, with a slate roof probably dating to the 18th century. Built onto the west end of this is a single-storey, L-shaped structure of stone and brick, with a steeply-pitched roof clad in plain clay tiles. This was the extension containing the new wards and kitchen built in 1886-7. Extending to the rear of the core building, along the east side of the site, is a long, single-storey brick–built wing with a slate roof, probably built around 1936. The area between these structures contains a number of smaller structures, mostly having a single storey with flat or pitched roofs.


<1> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Industrial Period, (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN4.

<2> Richardson H. (Editor), 1998, English Hospitals 1660-1948: A Survey of Their Architecture and Design, (unchecked) (Book). SNN62723.

<3> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 1996-2013, Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group Newsletter, Issue 117 p.3 (unchecked) (Newsletter). SNN55360.

<4> SOUTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL, 2012, South Northamptonshire Council Survey of Significant Historic Buildings, checked (Catalogue). SNN108984.

<5> Zeepvat B., 2020, Historic Building Recording: The Old Cottage Hospital, Pebble Lane, Brackley, Northants (Report). SNN111965.

<6> Historic England, Undated, BRACKLEY COTTAGE HOSPITAL, BF100344 (Archive). SNN114111.

Sources/Archives (6)

  • <1> Digital archive: Ballinger J.. 1999. Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Industrial Period. Mapinfo\Archive\ExtensiveSurvey\Rushden. Northants County Council. (unchecked).
  • <2> Book: Richardson H. (Editor). 1998. English Hospitals 1660-1948: A Survey of Their Architecture and Design. RCHME. (unchecked).
  • <3> Newsletter: Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group. 1996-2013. Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group Newsletter. NIAG Newsletter. 62 - 131. NIAG. Issue 117 p.3 (unchecked).
  • <4> Catalogue: SOUTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNCIL. 2012. South Northamptonshire Council Survey of Significant Historic Buildings. checked.
  • <5>XY Report: Zeepvat B.. 2020. Historic Building Recording: The Old Cottage Hospital, Pebble Lane, Brackley, Northants. Bancroft Heritage Services. 371143. Bancroft Heritage Services. [Mapped feature: #324 ]
  • <6> Archive: Historic England. Undated. BRACKLEY COTTAGE HOSPITAL. Historic England Archive. BF100344.

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (1)

Location

Grid reference Centred SP 58839 37312 (32m by 33m) Central
Civil Parish BRACKLEY, West Northamptonshire (formerly South Northants District)

Protected Status/Designation

Other Statuses/References

  • NRHE HOB UID: 1057750

Record last edited

Sep 22 2022 2:53PM

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