Description

CHARMINSTER HERRISON HOSPITAL
SY 69 SE
7/27 Former Chapel Block

4.10.89 II

Former chapel, now store and general purpose rooms. c.1860. Red, blue and
cream brick in Flemish bond, limestone dressings; slate roof. Central section
of original hospital buildings, being a chapel above high undercroft; symmet-
rical front with full-height central gable, in good Ruskinian gothic - an early
exemplar. Front is in 2 storeys, 2:1:2 bays (but 2:2:2 bays to lower floor).
At lower level are paired sashes in stone surrounds with central colonnette to
shouldered lintol immediately below mid-band in yellow and blue diaper pattern
brickwork. The upper level has 5-light decorated window flanked by two 3-light
similar, all to Venetian voussoirs over pointed heads and under continuous
moulded drip course. Steep central and end gables to saddle-back raised
copings, and set to kneelers. Plain gabled returns, mainly concealed by
adjacent buildings, which are not of special interest. The front has angle
buttresses at either end, diagonal buttresses to centre projection, and plain
buttresses at intermediate points, all from stepped plinth, with steep sloping
offsets, stone cappings, and a series of blue-brick bands in very fine brickwork
throughout. Back of block concealed by other structures, not of special
interest. The interior has an original 6-bay arch-braced tied hammer-beam roof
of high quality with very decorative brick end gables, all concealed by later
dropped ceiling, and doors have flat pointed segmental heads with heavy roll
moulding, mostly with original doors. An important piece of Ruskinian influence
of early date.

These buildings were previously included in the 55th list for the District of
West Dorset.

Listing NGR: SY6784894718

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26413132

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

• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
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  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
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  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House