Monument record MLI52697 - Caistor House of Industry, Later Workhouse and Hospital

Summary

Former workhouse, founded in 1800. 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, with almost all of the former structures being subsequently demolished.

Type and Period (2)

  • (Post Medieval to Mid 20th Century - 1802 AD to 1937 AD)
  • (Mid 20th Century to Late 20th Century - 1937 AD to 1990 AD)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Full Description

The Caistor House of Industry was founded in 1800 under the benefaction of Mr William Dixon of Holton le Moor, with the main building opening in 1802 (see MLI126117). Its burial ground was consecrated in 1815 (see MLI126177). The site was re-organised and expanded in 1836, after the New Poor Law of 1834, and was re-named as the Caistor Union Workhouse. It was converted into a hospital in 1937, specialising in the care of mentally ill patients. {1} The history of Caistor workhouse is well documented. It was established as a House of Industry by William Dixon in 1800 with the aim of improving the condition of the poor. The main house was occupied in 1802 and by 1814 there were 51 parishes united within the Society of Industry. It is one of the precursors of the polygonal hub, so characteristic of the new Poor Law houses built in the 1830s. In 1834 the New Poor Law Act was passed and the Poor Law Commission began reorganising the parishes into Poor Law Unions. In 1836 the Caistor Poor Law Union was officially formed and embraced 76 parishes. New buildings were added to the original House of Industry at this time, including a U-shaped northern entrance block (see MLI126119), and single-storey rear ranges (see MLI126120). A further phase of expansion occurred in the 1860s, with the addtion of an infirmary with separate mortuary (see MLI126121 and MLI126122), a Master's House with schoolroom (see MLI126125), and a chapel (see MLI126176). The site acquired a new function in 1937, when it was repurposed as a hospital institution caring for the mentally ill. Major improvements were conducted at this time including the conversion of part of the rear range to a new boiler house and laundry, modernisation of the kitchen and the installation of central heating. The hospital was eventually closed in July 1990 and has been empty since that time. {2}{3}{4}{5}{6} A site visit was conducted in April 1995, in response of plans for the possible redevelopment of the former Caistor House of Industry site. Whilst all of the principal structures on the site were still extant and in relatively fair condition at the time of the visit, some deterioration of the buildings was becoming apparent. {7} Further site visits were conducted in 1998, in response to further plans for proposed redevelopment of the site. The visits were primarily focussed on investigating the original central hub and the northern entrance building, but did look across the site more generally. Whilst all the principal structures were again still extant, some further deterioration was apparent, with signs of vandalism and weather damage noted in places, and some buildings now in a poor state of repair. {8}{9} All of the former workhouse and hospital structures have since been demolished, with the site redeveloped for housing. The demolition works can be charted across four main phases on the Google Earth satellite imagery layers, with the original House of Industry building, rear range, infirmary and mortuary being demolished in late 1998. The northern entrance block was demolished c.2005, with Rowan House (thought to have been the former school addition) being demolished c.2008, and the Chapel of St Lawrence being demolished c.2018. The former burial ground remains extant. A memorial built to commemorate the site and its former residents was erected close to the site entrance in late 2022. Athough largely built of modern brick, the memorial includes fragments of stonework salvaged from some of the former structures on the site, including the original House of Industry dedication stone (with restoration work conducted in 2022), and a cross finial originally located on the roof of the former chapel. {10}{11}

Sources/Archives (11)

  •  Bibliographic Reference: Peter B.G. Binnall. 1934. Caistor Church and Town. p.13.
  •  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. -.
  •  Article in Serial: Charles Rawding. 1987. 'The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834-1865: A Case Study of Caistor Poor Law Union' in Lincolnshire History and Archaeology. vol.22, pp.15-23.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Rex Russell, Alan Frankish and Pat Frankish. 1993. The History of Caistor Hospital: From House of Industry to Caistor Hospital, 1802-1973. -.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Kathryn Morrison. 1999. The Workhouse. pp.35-6, 207.
  •  Bibliographic Reference: Harriet Richardson. 1998. English Hospitals 1660-1948: A Survey of their Architecture and Design. pp.54-75.
  •  Unpublished Document: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. 1995. Caistor Hospital. -.
  •  Report: Lindsey Archaeological Services. 1998. Desk Based Assessment of the Former Hospital Site, North Kelsey Road, Casitor. LAS site code: COH 98.
  •  Report: West Lindsey District Council. 1998. Caistor House of Industry. -.
  •  Website: Google. 2006->. Google Maps and Street View. www.google.co.uk/maps. Accessed 21/12/2022.
  •  Verbal Communication: Richard Watts. 2023. Information from Richard Watts. 13/01/2023.

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Location

Grid reference Centred TA 1019 0134 (257m by 372m) Estimated from Sources
Civil Parish CAISTOR, WEST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (8)

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Record last edited

Jan 17 2023 2:04PM

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