Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 10 October 2022 to correct a typo in the description

SY 6990
7/287

SOMERLEIGH ROAD (East Side)
Dorchester County Hospital (Main block only)

II

Founded 1838, and designed shortly after. North wing opened May 1841: centre 1846: South wing 1859: chapel 1862. Architect: Benjamin Ferrey. Portland hammerdressed stone. Ashlar quoins. Pitched tile roofs. Ashlar chimneys with diagonally placed stacks. Coped stone gable ends with scrolled and fluted kneelers. Two storeys and attics. Continuous dripmould above ground floor. U-shaped main block, with wings projecting west.

Main range has three projecting bays, centre one projecting most, and all three with gable crowning third storey. Central projecting bay has modern door in four centred arch with moulded jambs and voussoirs: recessed moulded panel at dripstone level bearing armorial coat and motto in relief: three-light mullion and transom window with hood mould on first floor and two-light mullioned window with hoodmould on second floor. Two other projecting bays have four-light mullion and transom windows on ground and first floors and two-light mullion windows on second floor - hoodmoulds to windows on first and second floors.
Between projecting bays there are one range each of three-light mullion and transom windows, and one range each of single light windows with transoms. Terminal wings have (to courtyard) two ranges each of four-light mullion and transom windows. End elevations masked by modern additions which are not listable.

Chapel, erected as memorial to Arthur Acland Troyte, who had been introduced to Ferrey by the Williams of Bridehead (Ferrey's original patrons in the Dorchester area, and the sponsors of the Hospital), had himself become an architect under Ferrey's guidance, and who had died in 1857.

Two storeys. Stringcourse. Undercroft has blocked pointed arcade. First floor has four pointed lancets with EE tracery, hoodmoulds and mask label stops, East end has three-light window also with EE tracery.

Interior plain with contemporary pews, lectern,altar rail, and gallery. Stained glass in east window. Cornice decorated with inscription in high relief "Praise the Lord O my soul and forget not his benefits who forgiveth all thy sin and healeth all thine infirmities."

Listing NGR: SY6909890604

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26514273

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

• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)