Listed Building: CHESTER ROYAL INFIRMARY (1376177)

CHESTER CITY (IM) SJ4066SW CITY WALLS ROAD 595-1/3/140 (East side (off)) 10/01/72 Chester Royal Infirmary (Formerly Listed as: WALLS ROAD Chester Royal Infirmary) GV II Hospital. 1761, altered and extended late C18, C19 and C20. The C18 court and buildings directly abutting, only, are included in this item. The C18 buildings enclose the south-west court of the present hospital with extensions C19 and early C20 north and east in compatible style. Stone-dressed brown brick; grey-green slate roofs. EXTERIOR: the west front to City Walls Road of the C18 portion has basement and 2 storeys; the north, east and south ranges around the court are raised to 3 storeys plus attics. The front has a projecting porch with 2 columns derived from the Roman Doric and 2 scroll brackets supporting a canted upper-storey bay; replaced double doors have a lozenge-paned overlight in shouldered and pedimented doorcase with a recessed 15-pane horned sash to each side; a moulded second-storey floor band with segmental pediment to central face; a replaced 2-pane sash to each face of the upper storey, the central one round-arched with head painted ERECTED 1761; frieze and simple cap of stone; pedimented gable behind inscribed INFIRMARY. Each wing has a basement of lined render behind a ha-ha, and 2 storeys of 2 recessed 15-pane sashes with moulded stone sills and cambered brick heads; plain stone copings. The west ends of the north and south ranges have lined rendered basements and 2 recessed 15-pane sashes to each of the first and second storeys, a central pair of double glazed doors with radial bar fanlight to a now removed second storey balcony, a pair of French windows to removed third storey balcony, with a 6-pane window to each side and a moulded cornice beneath the added attic storey of three 6-pane windows to the south wing and 3 stained glass windows, probably late C19, to the north wing depicting a child patient, morning, noon and night; round pediments. The sides of the north and south ranges have recessed 15-pane windows detailed as in the west wing. The east wing has a canted central projection, the second storey windows altered as round-arched stained-glass leaded lights; other sashes and hoppers have stone sills and plain wedge lintels. The courtyard has similar 15-pane windows, partly concealed by an added upper gallery on posts. INTERIOR: the principal visible internal feature is a large full-height open-well stair of stone with square balusters and swept rail carved at its lower end. HISTORICAL NOTE: the hospital was funded by subscriptions, free to patients who at first had to be recommended by subscribers. Listing NGR: SJ4013166413