Description

SP 50 NW
612/24/10040

OXFORD
WARNEFORD LANE, Headington
The Warneford Hospital

II

Mental hospital. 1821-26; by Richard Ingleman of Southwell; as the Oxford Lunatic Asylum; extended 1852 by J.C. Buckler and in 1877 by William Wilkinson and in 1887. Headington stone ashlar; centre of SW front of original range rendered. Slate hipped roofs. Ashlar stacks with moulded cornices. PLAN: The original 1821-6 asylum facing SW comprises a long symmetrical range, the 3-storey centre block containing a central entrance hall flanked at the front by male and female parlours and staircases and at the back a central reception room and offices of the governor and matron. The lower flanking 2-storey male and female wings have axial galleries [wide corridors] at the front and patients` rooms behind; the ends of the wings project and contained the day rooms for the violent. The wings were extended in 1852. At the front there were male and female airing courts for the "superior class" and at the back there were 2nd and 3rd class airing courts and a central passage to a service block. In 1877 the service block was replaced by a new front block with an entrance hall and waiting rooms in a single-storey front range and a 2-storey block behind with a recreation hall and a large clock-tower behind in a French chateau style. The extensions included a female wing to the NW, but the male wing to the SE was not built until 1887-90. EXTERIOR: SW front of original 1821-26 asylum: 3:6:7:6:3 bays, the 7-bay centre block is three storeys, the centre three bays break forward with a pediment, cross-mullion-transom iron windows with glazing bars in chamfered openings, ground and first floor replaced by sashes [except for centre first floor], later C19 2-storey bow windows to left and right of centre and central doorway with stone porch with 4-centred arch; 2-storey flanking wings, the end three bays project; the rear has 3-storey bow at centre and 2-storey bows to left and right; bows also on the ends. The original range is attached to the 1877 extension by a single-storey corridor; north east front has single-storey front range with central portico with pairs of pilasters, carved pediment and round-arch doorway, pilastered bays to right and left with arched lights and lantern above; 2-storey recreation hall behind and behind that a large clock tower with a steep hipped roof with ironwork cresting and aedicules breaking the eaves with clock faces; flanking single-storey wings with bow windows and large 2-storey outer wings also with bows. INTERIOR: The original 1821-6 range has central reception room with bow window to corridor, simple chimneypiece, mahogany cupboard and Gothick style safe; female parlour has chimneypiece with consoles and hatch to corridor; staircases with stick balusters and wreathed mahogany handrail; corridor with arched partitions and panelled and glazed doors. Main entrance in 1877 addition has lantern over polygonal vestibule which contains seated marble statue of Dr Warneford by Peter Hollins, 1840; recreation hall has elaborate trusses cutting through a deep cornice and a carved stone chimneypiece. NOTE: It was planned to build an asylum at the Radcliffe Infirmary, but it was built on this site instead. Originally known as the Oxford Lunatic Asylum, then the Radcliffe Asylum and after 1843 as the Warneford Lunatic Asylum. It was intended for non-pauper patients; there were three classes who would pay according to their financial circumstances. SOURCES: Buildings of England, pp 337-338. Parry-Jones, B., The Warneford Hospital, Oxford 1826-1976.

Listing NGR: SP5376406068

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26537999

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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