Building record 15347 - Countess of Chester Hospital (Original Block)

<1> Wellcome Library & The National Archives, 2012, Hospital Records Database (Digital Archive). SCH9075.

Present name: Countess of Chester Hospital. Foundation Year: 1829. Previous name(s): Cheshire County Lunatic Asylum (1829-1855), Cheshire Lunatic Asylum (1855-1870), Cheshire County Lunatic Asylum (1870-1921), County Mental Hospital (1921-1948), Upton Mental Hospital (1948-c.1955), Deva Hospital (c.1955-c.1965), West Cheshire Hospital (c.1965-1984).

<2> Historic England, 2005, National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE), SJ 46 NW 160 (Digital Archive). SCH9076.

U shaped, classical-style, corridor-plan asylum for ninety patients built in 1827-9 to designs by Willian Cole Junior. The hospital consisted of a lodge and a main building with service yards. Built of brick and stone with many additions. The original hospital block and the church are listed grade II, but the other buildings on the site are not listed.

<3> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 404828 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Mental hospital, now offices. Formerly the Cheshire County Lunatic Asylum. 1827-29, by William Cole jnr. of Chester. Additions c1840 and 1849.Internal alterations 1852-1970. Red brick with ashlar dressings and hipped slate roofs.

Original block, two and three storeys over basement. Symmetrical elevation, nineteen windows, arranged 3:5:3:5:3. Painted basement, ground floor band, moulded cornice and blocking course. Glazing bar windows of various types, with brick flat arches.

Projecting central block, three storeys, has bands to each floor and pediment containing the County Arms, inserted c1840. Glazing bar sashes with wedge lintels. Ionic porch in antis, approached by divided stone steps within balustrade walls. four-panel door with sidelights and overlight.

Side ranges have regular fenestration. Projecting end pavilions have tripartite central windows on each floor, with heavy mullions. Returns have similar fenestration and projecting end bays.

Rear central block has canted corners. Addition, two storeys, has regular fenestration and wider terminal bay, three windows.

1849 wings, three storeys, seven windows arranged 2:1:1:2, E-plan. Bands to each floor and moulded cornices. Projecting central bay with canted bay window, three storeys, three lights. Side bays have unusual tripartite mullioned windows to the first floor, with cambered lintels. Second floor has similar two-light windows. Projecting central rear bay has canted corners.

Interior, much altered, has a stone cantilever open well staircase with double iron stick balusters and ramped handrail.

<4> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 407/2, 1839 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

This map depicts a U shaped building at this location and the plot is named as Lunatic Asylum Gardens.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ4068, 1873 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

The hospital building has been substantially expanded from the building depicted on the tithe map of 1839. A central projecting wing has been added to the main building, which now forms an E shape, with further wings along the main north-west to south-east axis to the north and south. Further large buildings, aligned roughly north-east to south west, are located at either end. To the south-west if the chapel building and a further large building beyond. A gasometer and other buildings lie to the east. The hospital is located in extensive gardens which appear to include a possible house.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ4068, 1899 (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.

A large complex of additional buildings has been constructed to the north-west and west. The buildings are interconnected, and connected to the existing buildings, by long corridors or covered walkways. A small somewhat irregular building, labelled as a fever hospital, is depicted to the north of the main complex. The gasometer, and those buildings nearby, have been demolished.

<7> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 468947 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Church. 1856. Red brick, with ashlar dressings and steep pitched roof with octagonal slates. Early English style. Plinth, small buttresses, moulded eaves, coped gables. Chancel, vestries, nave with bellcote, porches. Openings are sharply pointed, with hood moulds. Windows are mainly single lancets with deeply splayed reveals. Chancel, single bay, has angle buttresses and a three-light east window. Towards the east end, a single lancet on each side. Vestries have rebuilt square gable stacks. To east, a quatrefoil window, to north and south, a door. Nave, six bays, has buttressed gabled porches to north and south. West end has a slightly projecting centre with sill band, containing a tall window, two lights. Above this, a gabled bellcote with blocked openings, and containing a clock. On either side, a single lancet.

Interior, rendered and painted, has pointed arched openings with hood moulds. Chancel has moulded arch, flanked to left by a door and to right by a small organ case. Plain matchboard ceiling with cornice. East window has stained glass dated 1885. Nave has common rafter roof with intersecting arch braces and king post. At the west end, a tall recess containing a large traceried panelled wooden cabinet with attached bench. The cabinet contains a clock mechanism dated 1856, by Joyce of Whitchurch. At the top of the cabinet is a small clock dial. Fittings include an octagonal wooden pulpit, possibly original, altered mid twentieth century. Other fittings mid twentieth century.