Monument record 1160/441 - St Edmund's Hospital (Formerly The Union Workhouse)

Northampton Union Workhouse was built in 1836 to designs by George Gilbert Scott. The cruciform plan building is of red brick with slate roofs. A male infirmary was added in 1869 and temporary addition to the infirmary was added 1877. A school was built to the northwest in 1872 and a smallpox hospital was built in 1882. A nurses home was built in 1897, with an extension added in 1915. The male infirmary was refurbished in 1939. At the time of a RCHME (Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England) survey in 1992, the buildings were occupied by St Edmund's Hospital; however by about 2004 it was unoccupied and has become semi-derelict by 2009. [This record relates to the listed part of the complex; other buildings are decribed separately]

{1} 1837 by Scott and Moffatt. Originally a Workhouse. Traditional modified Georgian style. Red brick, hipped Welsh slated roof with central pedimented projection. 3 storeys, 1:3:1 sash windows under stucco lintels, those on ground floor rusticated above stucco impost band. Similar central doorway. Back extension probably original but with little architectural pretension; side wings probably later.

{3} The building is in an imposing Georgian style. The south frontage has a central three-storey, pedimented projection of five-bays with the three central bays breaking further forward than the outer ones. The ground-floor windows have rusticated stucco lintels, joined by an impost band, whilst those on the upper floors have gauged brick arches, painted white. The windows are two-over-two pane sashes and the centrally-placed front door is of C20 date. On the left (west) side of the central projection is a double-height, single-storey range of three bays with moulded brick eaves and tall windows, now boarded up, with gauged brick heads. To the left is a lower single-storey range of four irregular bays, probably of later date as it has dentilled brick eaves. The windows are divided by shallow brick piers and set in shallow recesses. They are also boarded up, as are many of the windows in the building (2013). On the right (east) side of the central projection is a single-storey range of five bays, divided by shallow brick piers, with moulded brick eaves. The windows are irregular and the third bay is blank. This is followed by the two-storey 1897 block which has a central projecting chimney incorporating a small pedimented panel inscribed ‘1897’. There is a window either side with a cambered brick arch. The first floor has a blank bay on the left and a window on the right. The side, rear and inner courtyard elevations are even plainer, the sole embellishment being the moulded brick eaves. The fenestration is mostly regular, consisting of two-over-two pane sashes under gauged brick arches, but a number have been replaced in the C20 and most have broken or missing glazing. INTERIOR: a complete interior inspection (2013) was not possible due to the unsafe state of the building. Few fixtures or fittings survive except for a small number of plain C19 staircases, the remains of a moulded cornice in the former entrance block, and some doors of C20 date. The roof structure, where visible, appeared to be of good quality carpentry, including the queen post roof truss over the east range.

{7}The dormitory for infirm men added in 1897 formed the east range. The western range also added later (unspecified date) shows evidence of modification in the form of flat roofs, different upper bricks, along with irregularities in the ornamental brick courses at the eaves. Photographs show this range as formerly having a ridged roof. The central range orientated north to south laying directly behind the listed portion of the building were originally kitchen stores. Two extending arms to the east and west would have housed male and female dining rooms at ground level. These ranges appear on the 1884 OS map as separate buildings connected by a series of covered passages. The Physiotherapy Hall circa 1936 is a large building at the end of the northern central range of the original workhouse form. The hall occupies the former site of the shoemaker’s shop. The Occupational Therapy Suite is situated in the northern block of the central range, which was originally designed as the female wing of the workhouse, containing the female receiving ward, dairy, nursery, store, laundry and washhouse. All traces of this usage have been replaced by later modifications. The Kitchen was erected in 1887 and is the only building in the block still retaining its original form, and was used for its original purpose until closure in 1998. Original fixtures and fittings have been removed in line with modern usage. The Darlington Ward and Associated Rooms occupy the N/E range of the workhouse, and would have comprised male facilities, no original fittings survive. The building contained the coir picking shop. Building 16 originally contained the blacksmiths and carpenter's shops well established by 1884. The gate House constructed in 1897 was formerly a male receiving ward and accommodation for short-term lunatics. The original design contained a padded cell. No evidence of the early usage was visible. The Boiler House contained a roof ridge lantern for light. This building was constructed between 1904-11 in the location of the original hearse shed. The School buildings were constructed in 1872 and were internally subdivided for boys and girls. The buildings were converted between 1904-11 into a female infirmary. The Nurses Quarters were constructed in 1897 adjacent to the north perimeter wall. A covered way linked the quarters to the infirmary, school and laundry. Clare House was built between 1924-1936 abutting the original Nurses Quarter build. Its construction obscures the original external features. The Infirmary was built circa 1884 as two distinct abutting structures and may have been one of the earlier ancillary buildings. The original form was subdivided to separate the sexes. The mortuary appears on the 1936 Ordnance Survey map. Previously there were separate buildings in the same location comprising the dead house, washhouse and disinfecting room. The current building is harled obscuring any external detail. The Old Mission Hall situated in the North East corner of the site does not appear to have been included within the workhouse boundary on the 1884 OS map. This suggests its incorporation into the site by 1923. Northampton Unions response to the political and economic climate is evident in the creation of a casual cellular block by 1887, as a result of reinforcing the workhouse tests creating harsher environments for inmates. This block contained work and sleep cells in small rooms acting as a deterrent for able-bodied poor.

{8} Detailed building recording of the complex. The central cruciform block contained the former Infirm men's Dormitory and men's Day Room (latterly the Dallington Ward) located at the south-eastern corner of the building; the old waiting room in the south-west corner; the west side of the south-west yard was the female receiving room and the dairy; the Kingsthorpe Ward; the womens and mens dining room; administrative offices and stores and accomodation for the Master and Matron.

{9} Northampton Union Workhouse was built in 1836 to designs by George Gilbert Scott. The crucifrom plan building is of red brick with slate roofs. A male infirmary was added in 1869 and temporary addition to the infirmary was added 1877. A school was built to the northwest in 1872 and a smallpox hospital was built in 1882. A nurses home was built in 1897, with an extension added in 1915. The male infirmary was refurbished in 1939.

<1> Department of the Environment (DoE), 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p.133 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN3381.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), H14 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN1000.

<3> ENGLISH HERITAGE, 2013, English Heritage Advice Report: Former St. Edmund's Hospital, Northampton, (checked) (Report). SNN109097.

<4> Richardson H. (Editor), 1998, English Hospitals 1660-1948: A Survey of Their Architecture and Design, (unchecked) (Book). SNN62723.

<5> Smith, G., 2005, County Tales: Hard Times in the Workhouse, (checked) (Newspaper cuttings). SNN107652.

<6> Higginbotham P., 2002, The Workhouse: Banbury & Northamptonshire Extract, (unchecked) (Extract). SNN102266.

<7> Henderson M., 2003, St Edmunds Hospital, Wellingborough Road, Northampton: Pre-Determination Evaluation, (unchecked) (Report). SNN102548.

<8> Zeepvat B., 2004, Historic Building Survey: St Edmund's Hospital, Wellingborough Road, Northampton, P. 25 (checked) (Report). SNN104796.

<9> Morrison K., 1999, The Workhouse: A Study Of Poor-Law Buildings In England, p. 62, 72, 208 (Book). SNN100282.

<10> Historic England, Undated, St Edmund's Hospital, formerly Northampton Union Workhouse, Northampton, BF100471 (Archive). SNN113872.

Record last edited

Dec 16 2024 9:23AM