Building record 1160/358/1 - Front Central Block, Northampton General Hospital

1793 central block, C19 and modern wings. Ashlar, Welsh slate roof.

{1} 1793 central block, C19 and modern wings. Ashlar, Welsh slate roof. 3 storeys, ground floor entablature, second floor band, parapet, central pediment with round window in tympanum. Sides recessed, 5:3:5 sash windows in reveals. Ground floor windows arched with keystones between Roman Doric pilasters. Tetrastyle central Roman Doric porch, arched window above with attached columns and archivolt, similar second floor window with short columns, flanking first and second floor windows in eared architraves, first floor pediments. C19 projecting end wings of generally similar character with eaves level entablatures, no parapets.

{3} Photograph of hospital frontage from 1910 report; Plan of hospital at the close of the 19th century showing phases from the initial 1793 build onwards; The brewhouse was part of the original premises and reference to the brewing the report of Rev. P. Whalley's committee has already been quoted. It has also been stated that the new hospital was to have a bakehouse, brewhouse and laundry, separate from the main building.

{5} The General Infirmary was built of Kingsthorpe White Sandstone. Fig.7.1 shows the hospital as built in 1793; it has since been covered in Bath Stone.
Waddy describes the new Infirmary building erected in 1793 on 'Northampton Fields' just outside the town to the east, for which Benjamin Drayton, then owner of the Kingsthorpe quarry, gave £1,000 worth of white sandstone. The original front elevation was subsequently lost to view when in 1872 the hospital was extended forward in Bath Stone, and most of the rest has been replaced.

{7} Two photos dated 1973;

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 6/104 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> 1976, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), H14 p.29 (checked) (Catalogue). SNN1000.

<3> Waddy F.F., 1974, A History of Northampton General Hospital 1743 to 1948, p.40-41+ 62 (checked) (Book). SNN104767.

<4> Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group, 1996-2013, Northamptonshire Industrial Archaeology Group Newsletter, Issue108 p.15 (unchecked) (Newsletter). SNN55360.

<5> Sutherland D.S., 2003, Northamptonshire Stone, p.66 (checked) (Book). SNN104515.

<6> Wells W.W., 1793, The Infirmary, (unchecked) (Engraving). SNN108321.

<7> Photographs of buildings in Northampton (Photographs). SNN114989.

Record last edited

Mar 31 2025 12:38PM