Description

SK1109SE
1094-1/8/167
05/02/52

LICHFIELD
ST JOHN STREET
(South West side)
Hospital of St John without the Barrs and Chapel
(Formerly Listed as:
ST JOHN STREET
(South West side)
St John's Hospital, including Master's House and Chapel)

GV
I

Almshouses and chapel. Founded 1135, by Bishop Roger de
Clinton; refounded 1495, by Bishop William Smith, when the
almshouse range was built; alterations and additions,1929, and
large addition of 1966-7 by Louis de Soissons; chapel extended
1829 and restored 1870. Brick with ashlar dressings; tile
roof; ashlar chapel.
PLAN: long range with later ranges forming U-plan, with chapel
to north. 2 storeys; 9-window range.
EXTERIOR: facade articulated by 8 large projecting stacks with
offsets, now disused; offset buttress to right end. Entrance
between 6th and 7th stacks has Tudor head in architrave with
label mould battened door with strap hinges; oval plaque
above, erected 1720, records the refounding of 1495, a
cartouche above with the arms of Bishop Smith. Most windows
are small, with brick sills, chamfered jambs and ashlar
lintels, and leaded glazing; larger window to left of
cartouche, windows to right of entrance are larger, that to
ground floor with brick label, that to 1st floor has 2-light
casement with small-paned glazing; right end has 2 small
windows to ground floor and later gabled oriel above, with
1:3:1-light single-chamfered-mullioned window.
Right return next to chapel has blocked elliptical-headed
window and leaded light. Left end has 1929 additions forming
canted angle and wing to rear, 1966 additions of single-storey
return wing and 2-storey rear wing.
Rear elevation has 4-centred entrance to cross-passage with
brick arch and niche above with C19 statue. 2-light, 3-light
and single-light windows to left; to right are six 2-storey
canted bays of 1929 with 1:2:1-light windows.
INTERIOR: some flat joists with runout stops; front corridor
inserted 1929. Chapel has single-vessel nave and sanctuary,
with north aisle of 1829.
East end: coped gable with kneelers and offset angle
buttresses to right; segmental-pointed window of 5
double-cusped lights, small window of pointed arch above and
enriched C19 rainwater head to left; blind return has cornice.
North aisle has coped west gable with kneelers and gabled bell
cote, angle buttresses; 3-light west window has intersecting
tracery; north return has similar windows flanking
buttress/stack.
South elevation has offset buttresses; double-chamfered
pointed entrance to left end; 2-light plate tracery window,
lancet, 3-light window and 2-light square-headed window both
with Perpendicular tracery, and traceried lancet to right end.
INTERIOR: roof has cusped arch braces to collars and queen
struts; sanctuary has blocked 3-light square-headed window to
north; 3-bay arcade to north aisle has octagonal piers and
head stops to hoods; north aisle has king post roof; west end
has vestibule with re-used panelling. Fittings: sanctuary has
bolection-moulded fielded panelling, fluted frieze and
cornice, large central panel with frieze with grapes and
wheat; piscina to south with arch over restored bowl; gabled
tabernacle to north; encaustic tiles. Aisle has organ to west
end and small octagonal font.
Monuments to members of the Simpson family to west end and C19
stained glass to south; 1984 east window by John Piper.
The hospital was founded as a place of refuge for pilgrims
after the city gates were closed, run by a community of
Augustinian brothers and sisters; it was refounded as an
almshouse and school in 1495, the school becoming the Grammar
School in the C16.
(Victoria History of the County of Stafford: Oxford: 1970-:
P.279-89; Clayton H: St John's Hospital Lichfield: Lichfield:
1984-).

Listing NGR: SK1176109175

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Hospital of St John Baptist without the Barrs at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5908752

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.

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