Description

SU 9949NE GUILDFORD HIGH STREET
(North Side)

5/83 Hospital of The
1/5/53 Blessed Holy Trinity
(Formerly listed as
Abbots Hospital)

GV I

Almshouses. 1619-1622, endowed by George Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury. Dark
red brick, originally with chalk dressings now replaced with stone, on flint plinths
and with plain tiled roofs; lead covered domes on angle turrets of entrance gateway.
Rectangular plan around a central courtyard with sides placed approximately to
compass points, entrance front (to south) of half-H shaped plan. Two storey
entrance range with third storey in gables to ends, four storey gatehouse to centre.
3-storey sides wings and two storey rear (north) wing. Multiple stacks of two
designs, the first comprising square flues with chamfered angles and moulded tops,
the second with octagonal flues under corbelled tops with spur projections.
Entrance front (south side): moulded plinth with stone string courses above over
ground and first floors, moulded brick coping to shaped gables of end wings and
tiled coping to remainder. Triple stacks to left end, 4 stacks to right. Stone-
dressed mullioned and transomed diamond-pane leaded casement fenestration with one
3-light window on the third floor of each gable under label moulding. One 5-light
window on first and ground floors of each end wing with one 3-light window on each
floor of return sides. 4-light windows on each floor either side of gateway. Square
entrance gateway of three floors with fourth floor in angle turrets, each floor
separated by stone string. Rectangular single light leaded casement fenestration
on turrets with windows on front face on lower floors and upper windows placed in
angled faces. Square sun dial over central second floor string course, 4-light
window below with arched heads to stone mullions. Large 5-light mullioned and
transomed window on first floor over C19 Coat of Arms in scrolled surround.
Rusticated stone frontispiece on ground floor with pedestalled Doric pilaster order
supporting entablature, faceted rustication on the pilasters. Round arched surround
to double doors with inscribed outer moulding on the arch and faceted rustication on
the soffit. Panelled double doors with piered fan patterned heads; coved plaster
ceiling in entrance archway leading to central courtyard beyond. 3-light stone-
dressed, mullioned fenestration on wings with 4 windows on the ground floor. Two
doors in ogee half-octagonal stopped chamfered surrounds to each wing each giving
access to staircase. 3-light mullioned first floor fenestration on rear wing, with
4 windows across, 3 mullioned and transomed windows on the ground floor. Round-
arched panelled doors to re-entrant end angles and further doors to centre, one
leading to passage to rear garden. Central crow-stepped gable with brick corbel
decoration across base, diagonal clock face in gable flanked by terracotta panels.
Octagonal lantern above with diamond panel decoration on plinth, narrow arched
openings and ribbed dome above under scrolled weathervane finial. Stone panel over
the centre doors records the foundation of the hospital.
Interiors:- Board Room (first floor of gatehouse) - C17 oak panelling with pedestalled
fluted Doric pilasters on each wall and modillioned cornice above. Chalk fireplace
with strapwork panelling on mantle, small door in north-west corner to turret stairs
has original latch and fittings. Lodgings in wings have common C18 staircases and
doors. Internal doors tongued and moulded. Chapel (in north west corner of court-
yard) - retains original wooden seating and almsbox on a turned post. The stained
glass is of differing dates, some C17 possibly from Guildford Friary and some
Flemish.
Common dining room:- Early C17 panelling with butted mouldings and dentilled
cornice; the upper range of panels is carved with flat arabesques. Wide 4-centre
arched chalk fireplace with projecting oval hearth, fixed benches around the walls
with moulded baluster legs. Early C18 staircase to north west angle with moulded
handrail and turned balusters leads to the hall over the dining room which has
elaborately carved chalk fireplace. The hospital was based on that of Archbishop
Whitgift in Croydon and its statues, drawn up in 1629, provided for 12 brethren
and 8 sisters, the brethren in the west wing and the sisters in the east, the
number of sisters being increased in 1785 to 12. The Duke of Monmouth was kept in
The Board Room for one night on his way back to London, and execution, after the
Battle of Sedgemoor.

PEVSNER: BUILDINGS OF ENGLAND, SURREY (1971) pp.278-80.
V.C.H. (1907 EDN) VOL III pp.548-581 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS AND PLANS.
GUILDFORD AS IT WAS: MATTHEW ALEXANDER (1978).
PROCEEDINGS OF OXFORD ARCHITECTURE AND HISTORY SOC. VOL. 4 (1880-85) pp.347-352.

Listing NGR: SU9986149561

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Abbot's Hospital at Wikipedia
• Abbot's Hospital official website
• Wikidata Q4664183

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)