York Historic Environment Record

NMR Information:

No List Case 504814/001

Yearsley Bridge Hospital was built in 1879-81and was designed as a fever hospital by George Styan, the City surveyor, following advice provided by the Local Government Board. The hospital consisted of a central, two storey administration block flanked by a pair of two, single storey pavilion ward blocks. Most of the brickwork is of red brick. The administration block was enlarged in 1890-1909 and the hospital was extended in 1932. Further adaptations were carried out when the building was converted into a day centre for mentally handicaped patients in 1963.
The original design of the hospital featured a 2 storey administration block flanked by single storey pavilions, each containing a pair of 12 bed wards separated by central ablutions areas. On the southern side of each pavilion there was a veranda which provided a covered linkage to the central block. This veranda survives although later alterations have linked the pavilions and the central block to form a single building. The internal plan form of the south western pavilion appears largely unaltered. Externally this pavilion is also the best preserved retaining most of its original windows, ventilation grills and chimneys (although generally truncated). The central 2 stage tower (probably principally forming a ventilator, but possibly also acting as a water tower for the ablutions directly below) also survives well, complete with its decorative ironwork crown. The north western pavilion by contrast has been extensively altered. It has been extended along the full length of its eastern side with the alteration of all of its external openings and the knocking through of approximately the northern third of its original outside wall. The former open wards have been subdivided and most of the windows on the southern side have been converted into external doorways. This pavilion has also lost all except one of its chimneys, although it retains the central ventilator tower. The central administration block has a well preserved south facing show elevation using white bricks to pick out detailing from the general brickwork in red. By contrast the central block is very utilitarian internally with few original interior features surviving. Its ground floor has been extensively compromised by its absorption into a larger building with the creation of a number of new openings.
The building was assessed for listing in 2008 following plans for disposal of the site which would almost certaininly include demolition of the building. The building was not felt to meet the criteria for listing for the following reasons:
Although one of the hospital's pavilions is reasonably unaltered, the other has been extensively compromised by later alteration and extension resulting in the loss of a significant amount of original building fabric. The central administration block has also been altered.
The hospital is too late in date for its pavilion plan form to be of special interest in itself.
The one aspect that is slightly unusual, the use of verandas to provide covered walkways linking the buildings, is not considered to provide sufficient justification to recommend listing given the extent of later alterations. (1)

1 English Heritage Listing File Eric Branse-Instone, 03-MAR-2008

NMR information for York Fever Hospital:
Originally one wing with an administration block built between 1879 and 1881. A new wing was added in 1885 and an open air ward in 1912. New service buildings were added in 1930 and a nurses home in 1932. Planned to close circa 1978.

NMR, 2019, NMR data (Digital archive). SYO2214.