Building record 1160/7/3 - St John's Church Hall

Former Infirmary of the Hospital of St John. Almshouse from Reformation to 1870. Ashlar and coursed rubble.

{1} Former Infirmary of the Hospital of St John. Almshouse from Reformation to 1870. Ashlar and coursed rubble. Nearly rectangular plan. Early C14 west wall has doorway in arched tall panel under round traceried window. C15 and C16 north wall. C18 east and south walls. Interior: symmetrical C17 staircase. St John's Roman Catholic Church and Hall form a group.

{2} Former infirmary of hospital of St John; almshouse from Reformation to 1870; ashlar and coursed rubble; nearly rectangular plan; early C14th west wall with doorway under round traceried window; C15/16th north wall; C18th east and south walls; C17th symmetrical staircase inside.

{4} Original infirmary hall was probably aisled and opened into chapel; second hall raised on site of south aisle to increase accommodation; early hall could therefore have been demolished C15th when became almshouse; would account for west wall of chapel and north wall of domicile being of that date; domicile has early C14th front; doorway and niche set within blind arch and circular window with tracery; C15th north wall; south and east walls are later rebuild; mention of detail in stained glass window.

{5} Details of window and doorway; pillars on each side with good moulded capitals; hall with rooms on right for women; staircase leading to two large rooms occupying whole of upper storey; stained glass details some possibly from chapel.

{6} Ancient building in Bridge Street with apartments for eight almspeople; common hall or kitchen with fire kept for use of all inmates; dilapidated room upstairs without floor or ceiling called apartment for co-brethren but not occupied.

{7} "….The hospital consists of……a hall or common room with lodgings for the poor and two rooms over them for the co-brothers."

{8} The domicile is a parallelogram standing east-west; west end fronts Bridge Street; approximately 64ft long by 27ft wide; built wholly of red sandstone; ground storey and upper storey; west end C14th; most of south wall was rebuilt between 1700-1750; roof covering of Collyweston slates; details of building given.

{9} Richard Sherd became Master in 1474 and it was during his time that considerable alterations were made to the structure of the domicile; his name occurs on a pane of glass in one of the windows.

{10} The Infirmary or Almshouse is an oblong building approximately 64ft long by 27ft wide with its west end abutting Bridge Street; earliest part appears to be entrance doorway on north which is end of C13th; west end of building put up 1300-1310; originally large hall of one storey with open timber roof; east end may have been screened off as chapel but not certain; considerably remodelled in C15th; centre of hall still open to roof but floors inserted at east and west ends of building providing two upstairs rooms; details of C15th window; eastern first floor chamber has fireplace; during latter half of C17th staircase was replaced.

{11} Infirmary dated 1540.

{13} West front of almshouse dates from mid C14th though rest of building late C15th or later; may date to Richard Sherd represented in stained glass window in south wall; possibly constructed on foundations of south aisle of original hospital buildings; designed to meet needs of hospital with master and two co-brethren or chaplains and eight infirm; long central passage with individual chambers for inmates opening of it; open hall and kitchen on north side; staircase opposite hall gave access to two large rooms on first floor; in 1955 two surviving hospital buildings were gutted.

{14} Undated photo, probably 1990s;

{15} Photos, 1872, plans, sketches and drawings with measurements;

{16} As above;

{17} Photo dated 7th February 1971;

University for the Creative Arts, 2005, The Henry Dryden Collection on VADS, Accessed 07/07/2021 (Website). SNN112545.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 3/532 (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), H14 p.34 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN1000.

<3> 1871, MAP, (unchecked) (Map). SNN57563.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1950s/1960s, Ordnance Survey Record Cards, SP76SE48 (unchecked) (Index). SNN443.

<5> Wetton, 1849, Guidebook to Northampton and its Vicinity, p.79-81 (unchecked) (Book). SNN1032.

<6> The Charities Commission, 1837, Report of The Commissioners, p.808-9 (unchecked) (Report). SNN1204.

<7> Bridges J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of Northamptonshire, (unchecked) (Book). SNN100366.

<8> Dryden H., 1873, Hospital Dedicated to St John The Baptist at Northampton, p.213+232-34 (unchecked) (Series). SNN1119.

<9> Serjeantson R.M., 1912, The Hospital of St. John, Northampton, (unchecked) (Article). SNN1129.

<10> Serjeantson R.M., 1913, The Hospital of St. John, Northampton, (unchecked) (Article). SNN1135.

<11> 1998, Buildings At Risk Survey, p.45 (checked) (Report). SNN43352.

<12> Page W. (ed), 1930, The Victoria History of the Counties of England: Northamptonshire, p.59-60 (unchecked) (Series). SNN100370.

<13> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1985, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p.65+341-3 (checked) (Series). SNN77383.

<14> Photographs of buildings in Northampton (Photographs). SNN114989.

<15> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/198/434-437,439,443-450,462,465,467,469,470,472-474,476,479,481,493 (Archive). SNN115.

<16> Dryden H.E.L., 1842-1895, Dryden Collection, DR/25/198/564,567,571-573,575,577,579-581 (Archive). SNN115.

<17> Miss June Swann, 1960s- 70s, Miss June Swann Photographic Archive (Photographs). SNN116665.

Record last edited

Mar 26 2025 10:44AM