Description

CHARD

756-1/4/120 HIGH STREET
24-MAR-50 CHARD
(North side)
HARVEY'S HOSPITAL AND ATTACHED REAR BO
UNDARY WALLS TO EAST AND WEST

(Formerly listed as:
HIGH STREET
CHARD
HARVEY'S HOSPITAL (ALMSHOUSES) INCLUDI
NG BOUNDARY WALLS TO NORTH AND SOUTH)

GV II
Almshouse. Rebuilt 1841 or 1842 in the Tudor-Revival style, largely of stone from the previous building of the late-C17.

MATERIALS: Ham Hill stone ashlar with slate roofs and concrete chimneystacks of the early-C20.

PLAN: Two parallel ranges of two storeys, each two rooms deep with central through passage. They are linked by high walls which enclose a central courtyard with outside water closets flanking the courtyard.
EXTERIOR: The principal elevation of the south range has a symmetrical five-window façade onto the High Street. It has a central door with Tudor arch under hoodmould with carved stops. Above is a two-light oriel window. All lights have cast-iron lattice glazing with shallow segmental arches, three-light to far left and right, two-light flanking door; those to the ground floor are transomed. All the windows have label moulds. The end and centre bays break forward slightly and are gabled; centre gable has a carved shield in the apex, and the side ones have ornamental finials. A string course follows the contour of the gables except at the centre; below it in the gables and above it elsewhere, is an inscription in oxidizing copper. The stacks at gable ends have two shafts and the square stack over the central gable has four shafts, all octagonal. Plainer two-storey rear elevation with label moulds over Tudor-arched casement-moulded outer doorways with sunk spandrels and more elaborate central doorway with foliate label stops set in the slightly projecting gabled central bay. There are label moulds over similar two-light windows with diamond-latticed cast-iron casements which are transomed to ground floor, except one-light window above. Three-light first-floor windows to central bay.
The front (south) elevation of the north range matches the rear elevation of the front range, except for mid-C20 leaded casements, and stack with four octagonal shafts surmounting gabled bay to front. The rear elevation is of limestone rubble with Ham Hill stone dressings. It has a central planked door under label mould and all the windows are two-light under label moulds; those to ground floor with transoms.
INTERIOR: Partial inspection only. The through passages have two Tudor-arched, casement-moulded doorways. There are two-panel doors in the flats.

The COURTYARD is flanked by high rubble walls with Ham Hill stone coping and two former water closets, one to each side (now heating and storage units). These are canted and brought forward with Tudor-arched chamfered entries to loggias, and cornices to the parapets with moulded coping. Further walls enclose the rear garden of approximately 70m x 12m. They are of limestone rubble to the west and of English bond brick to right (east) side.

HISTORY: An almshouse known as Harvey's Hospital was established in Chard in 1663, founded and endowed by the will of Richard Harvey, a merchant from Exeter who was born in Chard. By the C19 the almshouse was in a poor state of repair and was demolished and replaced by the existing buildings in 1841/2 at a cost of £1741. They contained sixteen apartments which were available for both males and females; the latter occupying the first floor apartments. Research by the applicant has indicated that the almshouse underwent repairs in 1876 when the chimneys were replaced, and that these were again replaced in 1922/3. The sixteen apartments were converted to eight units in the 1970s.

SOURCES: Tony Prior, Harveys, The Story of an Almshouse (2009)
Nikolaus Pevsner, The Buildings of England: South and West Somerset (1958), pp. 119

REASON FOR DESIGNATION: Harvey's Hospital is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Its overall high level of architectural quality, particularly visible in its key external features
* The degree of alteration to the buildings is minimal and does not impact upon the special interest of the whole ensemble
* The almshouse forms a cogent grouping with the Grade II listed detached meeting house to the north

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26491931

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

• 
  For the Record
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)