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Summary

Former County Hospital and Lincoln Theological College. Later college buildings as part of De Montfort University's Faculty of Art and Design. Converted to flats in 2017.

Full description

Former County Hospital and Lincoln Theological College. Later renamed Chad Varah House, forming part of De Montfort University's Faculty of Art and Design. The building is also known as the Bishop's Hostel. The former County Hospital building was constructed in about 1776-7 by John Carr of York and William Lumby. The chapel was built in 1906 by Temple Moore. The attached house and water tower are late 19th century and there is a rear addition of 1962. The building is of brick with hipped slate roofs, with two ridge and two side wall stacks. The exterior has a symmetrical main block of three storeys with eleven bays, with a projecting pedimented centre and flanking wings. The main block interior has a five-flight open well stair at the east end and a framed newel stair with winders at the west end. The attached house has two storeys and an L-plan with a lean-to glazed porch in the return angle. The octagonal water tower has four stages topped with an octagonal spire. The chapel is in the Decorated style and built of brick with stone dressings and a plain tile roof. The nave and chancel are in one and have three bays. The chapel interior has a pointed tunnel vaulted wooden roof. The west end has a gallery, the north side has a blind arcade of three bays, and the south side has a piscina and sedilia. There are panelled oak stalls and benches and the stained glass is by H Victor Milner. For the full description and the legal address of this listed building please refer to the appropriate List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. {1}{2}

During renovation work in 1998 reused timbers were discovered as part of an existing floor in the innermost west wing of the building. Detailed recording was carried out and the timbers were subject to dendrochronological analysis. This revealed that the timbers had felling dates of 1648 to 1657, consistent with the probable date of construction of an inn which occupied this part of the site prior to construction of the County Hospital (see PRN 70306). The timbers were thought to have been roof timbers from the inn. The timbers were treated for woodworm and replaced for long-term storage within the space below the new floor. {3}{4}

The building is currently (2017) under conversion to residential flats. {5}

<1> Department of Culture, Media and Sport, Dec 1999, Revised List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 02/10/69 269.137-40 (Index). SLI5854.

<2> Nikolaus Pevsner and John Harris, with Nicholas Antram, 1989, Buildings of England: Lincolnshire (Second Edition), p.510 (Bibliographic Reference). SLI1062.

<3> City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit, March 1999, Chad Varah House, De Montfort University, Lincoln, CVH98 (Report). SLI8320.

<4> City of Lincoln Archaeology Unit, March 1999, Chad Varah House, De Montfort University, Lincoln, LCNCC 181.98 (Archive). SLI8321.

<5> Bennet, Mark, 2017, Verbal Communication from Mark Bennet of the Lincolnshire HER, 16/03/2017 (Verbal Communication). SLI15781.

Monument Types

• HOSPITAL (Post Medieval - 1777 AD to 1870 AD?)
• WATER TOWER (Post Medieval to Modern - 1870 AD? to 2050 AD)
• THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE (Post Medieval to Late 20th Century - 1874 AD to 1995 AD)
• CHAPEL (Edwardian to 21st Century - 1906 AD to 2016 AD)
• UNIVERSITY COLLEGE (Late 20th Century to 21st Century - 1996 AD? to 2016 AD)
• FLATS (21st Century - 2017 AD to 2050 AD)

Associated Finds

• STRUCTURAL TIMBER (Post Medieval to Modern - 1777 AD to 2050 AD)

Associated Events

• Chad Varah House, De Montfort University
• Chad Varah House, De Montfort University

Protected Status

• Listed Building
• Conservation Area

Sources and further reading

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