Downe Hospital (administration block)

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Two storey classical style fever hospital of 1834 by John B. Keane, (now the admin block of Downe Hospital), with mid to later 20th century single storey extensions to the rear. The hospital was built as a subsidiary to the Down County Infirmary, (sited just to the N), a larger building of the same date and style also by Keane. The building is set on a commanding rise to the S of Pound Lane, to the S of Downpatrick town centre.

Basically the building originally consisted of a long front wing with three rear returns (the central of which was single storey). It has retained much of this form, but the N and central returns are now linked via flat roofed single storey extensions, and the S return has a single storey extension has been added to the gables of the N and S returns.

The symmetrical front façade faces roughly W. To the centre of the ground floor there is a single storey square bay with flat roof, cornice and blocking course. This bay has been built over the original entrance. To the front face of the bay there are three sash windows with Georgian panes (4/4) with a single similar window to the shorter N and S faces. [Georgian paned sash windows have been retrained throughout the building.] To the immediate left and right of the bay there are two semicircular headed windows (6/6), set within semicircular headed recesses. To the first floor are five windows, mainly flat arch (3/6), but with that to the centre tripartite ‘eyebrow’ window (1/1, 3/6, 1/1). The first floor windows rest on a sill course.

To each end of the front façade there are full height projecting gabled bays. These each have a tall flat arch window to ground floor (6/6) and an eyebrow window (as before) to first floor (on sill course). Both windows are set within a tall semicircular headed recess. Above the ground floor window (to both bays) there is a small unmarked panel. The gable of each bay is finished as a broken pediment. In-out quoins to bays.

The N elevation consists largely of the N façade of the N return. This façade is symmetrical with a doorway to the centre of the ground floor with segmental fanlight and small sidelights, all contained within a semicircular headed recess. To the left and to the right of the door are two tall windows (all 6/9), with five windows to the first floor (all 6/6 except that to centre which is an eyebrow window- as front). To the left (E) of the façade merges with the N face of a single storey flat roofed extension.

The S elevation is largely as that to N but handed. The extension to the right (E) the façade of the return merges with the S face of a single storey gabled extension.

The rear elevation has a complex appearance. To each end are the two storey gable ends of the N and S returns, with the extended single storey return to the centre. Each of the two storey gables have a single storey extension, that to N flat roofed with that to S gabled. To the first floor of the S gable there is a single window (6/6), whilst to the first floor of the n gable are two windows (both 6/6 but of different sizes). The single storey central return has been extended to N and S with the addition of flat roofed portions (the N of which now links to the N return). This central section has modern windows throughout.

To the N (‘inner’) façade of the S return, there is a single ground floor window. Where the S return abuts the main front section there is a slim full height ‘corner’ projection with small upper level window (3/3) to E face. To the left of the exposed portion of the rear of the main section there is a window to the ground floor (6/6) with a modern window directly above to first floor. To the right of this there is a gabled half-dormer with segmental headed window (3/6).

The façade is finished in lined render and painted. Tall bevelled base to front façade. The gabled roof is slated and has six rendered chimney stacks. Mainly cast iron rw goods.

To the rear of the building is a low, two storey hipped roof former outbuilding, which now appears to be used as a store.

Historical information

This former fever hospital, was built in 1834 to designs by John B. Keane of Dublin. It was constructed as a de facto appendage to the larger Down County Infirmary, built at the same date and sited to the north. John Lynn was engaged as builder and the cost amounted to £2,050. The building is shown on the OS map of 1834 with its three rear returns. The OS Memoirs of December 1836 commented that it ‘together with the infirmary, has added most evidently to the health and comforts of the poorer classes, the infirmary by distributing advice and medicine and by affording an asylum to the sick when necessary, and the hospital by preventing spread of contagious diseases’.

The building of another fever hospital, (at the Union workhouse), to the north of Downpatrick in the 1840s, and the decline in outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, meant that by the late 1860s the numbers of patients within the hospital began to drop and for periods it was completely empty. In 1872, therefore, it was handed over to the infirmary for use as female wards.

The building appears to have maintained in its original form externally until the mid 20th century [?c.1957], when single storey extensions were added to the rear. The building now serves as the administration block for the hospital complex.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/37/1 OS map, Down sh 37, 1834
2 Ordnance Survey memoirs of Co Down (IV), ed Angélique Day and Patrick McWilliams (QUB 1992), pp.45-6 [Dec. 1836]
3 PRONI VAL/1B/378 First valuation, Down, c.1838
4 PRONI VAL/1D/3/7 First valuation town plan of Downpatrick, c.1838
5 PRONI OS/8/9/1/1-24 OS town plans of Downpatrick, 1859
6 PRONI Second valuation, Down, 1863 [in print]
7 PRONI VAL/12E/120/1 Revaluation manuscript books, Downpatrick, 1864-1901
8 PRONI VAL/12E/120/1/1-24 Revaluation town plans of Downpatrick, 1864-1901 [12 sheets missing]
9 PRONI OS/8/9/2/1-3 OS town plans of Downpatrick, 1901
10 PRONI VAL/12E/120/2/1-3 Revaluation town plans of Downpatrick, 1906-35

Secondary sources
1 Archaeological survey of Co Down (Belfast HMSO 1966), pp.401-2. plate 194
2 R.E. Parkinson, ‘The bi-centenary of Down County Infirmary’ 1767-1967 (1967)
3 Lady Dunleath, P.J. Rankin, A Rowan, ‘Historic buildings…Downpatrick’ (Belfast 1970), p.19
4 Anthony M. Wilson, ‘Saint Patrick’s town’ (Belfast 1995), pp.127-29, 155-6, 161, 165, 174, 186, 187, 191, 192, 194, 203, 209 etc.
5 R.H. Buchanan and Anthony Wilson, ‘Irish historic towns atlas no.8: Downpatrick’ (Royal Irish Academy 1996)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
Y. Social, Cultural or Economic Importance
X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

Two storey classical style fever hospital of 1834 by John B. Keane, (now the admin block of Downe Hospital), with mid to later 20th century single storey extensions to the rear. The hospital was built as a subsidiary to the Down County Infirmary, (sited just to the north), a larger building of the same date and style also by Keane.

General comments

This record was previously numbered HB18/19/018.