Monument record MLI126117 - Central Hub, Caistor House of Industry, Later Workhouse and Hospital
Summary
The original Caistor House of Industry building. Constructed in 1802, re-organised in 1836 as the Caistor Union Workhouse, and converted to a hospital in 1937, specialising in the care of mentally ill patients. Closed in 1990, and demolished in late 1998.
Type and Period (2)
- WORKHOUSE (Post Medieval to Mid 20th Century - 1802 AD to 1937 AD)
- PSYCHIATRIC WARD BLOCK (Mid 20th Century to Late 20th Century - 1937 AD to 1990 AD)
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Full Description
This building forms the oldest part of the former Caistor House of Industry, being the main original structure (see MLI52697 for the general workhouse record). Construction started in 1800, with the building opening in 1802. The building was likely subject to some internal alterations in 1836, as part of the site's re-organisation as the Caistor Union Workhouse. It was subject to more extensive alterations in 1937, as part of the conversion of the site to use as a hospital, specialising in the care of mentally ill patients, before closing in 1990. {1}{2}{3}
The first workhouses known to have included a central supervisory core, or hub, were Alverstoke House of Industry in Hampshire, erected for 250 paupers in 1799-1801, and Caistor House of Industry, built in 1800-02 by William Dixon's Society of Industry. The hub of the three-storeyed Caistor House of Industry was rectangular to the front and canted to the rear, and would have been less effective for surveillance - or architectural impact - than that of Alverstoke (where there was an octagonal hub). Its ground floor appears to have housed the kitchen, while its upper floors could have provided vantage points overlooking the paupers' yards. As in contemporary prisons, the hubs of neither Alverstoke nor Caistor enabled the governor to watch the inmates in their day-rooms or dormitories. {4}
The building was noted and photographed in April 1995, during a site visit conducted in response of plans for the possible redevelopment of the former Caistor House of Industry site. Whilst the building was still extant and in relatively fair condition at the time of the visit, most of the windows were boarded up and some deterioration of the structure was becoming apparent.
The building is of three storeys, with brick walls covered by render. The hipped slate roofs features a central chimney stack. The northern (front) elevation is of 12 bays, with large bay windows to the ground and first floors of the central, former Master's House part of the structure. The southern elevation has two 6-bay wings, with a central pentagonal projecting bay. The central face of this projection carries a stone, inscribed 'The Society of Industry, Established at Caistor Anno Domini 1800'. Notable alterations to the structure were made during the early 20th century conversion to a hospital, with the addition of several single-storey extensions to the rear. {5}
Further site visits were conducted in 1998, in response to further plans for proposed redevelopment of the site. It was noted that the central hub building had deteriorated further, with signs of vandalism and weather damage noted in places. All of the windows were now boarded up, and the external render was failing in places, exposing parts of the original brickwork. {6}{7}
The building has since been demolished, with the wider site being redeveloped for housing. The central hub structure was demolished in late 1998, as seen on the Google Earth satellite imagery layers. {8}
Sources/Archives (8)
- <1> SLI17297 Bibliographic Reference: Caistor House of Industry. 1821. Reports of the Several Institutions Established at Caistor, AD 1800, for the Better Relief and Employment of the Poor, and to Save the Parish Money. -.
- <2> SLI3573 Bibliographic Reference: Peter B.G. Binnall. 1934. Caistor Church and Town. p.13.
- <3> SLI17182 Bibliographic Reference: Rex Russell, Alan Frankish and Pat Frankish. 1993. The History of Caistor Hospital: From House of Industry to Caistor Hospital, 1802-1973. -.
- <4> SLI10357 Bibliographic Reference: Kathryn Morrison. 1999. The Workhouse. pp.35-6, 207.
- <5> SLI17184 Unpublished Document: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1995. Caistor Hospital. -.
- <6> SLI7071 Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 1998. Desk Based Assessment of the Former Hospital Site, North Kelsey Road, Casitor. LAS site code: COH 98.
- <7> SLI8285 Report: West Lindsey District Council. 1998. Caistor House of Industry. -.
- <8> SLI11533 Website: Google. 2006->. Google Maps and Street View. www.google.co.uk/maps. Accessed 21/12/2022.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred TA 1023 0140 (41m by 29m) Estimated from Sources |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | CAISTOR, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE |
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (3)
External Links (0)
Record last edited
Jan 17 2023 2:06PM
Feedback?
Your feedback is welcome. If you can provide any new information about this record, please contact us.