King Edward VII Sanatorium
| King Edward VII Sanatorium | |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1906 |
| Closed | 1964 |
| Current Status | Preserved |
| Building Style | Single Building |
| Architect(s) | Percy Adams |
| Location | Midland, West Sussex |
| Alternate Names | |
History[edit]
After a public competition to solicit ideas for how to build the new hospital, architect Percy Adams won the commission to create the facilities, which were opened by the king in 1906. The facades were designed by Charles Holden, who later became known for his innovative Tube stations, while leading garden designer Gertrude Jekyll laid out the hospital grounds. The buildings were set in ornamental gardens and woodland, in accordance with prevailing medical theories which suggested that TB patients should be exposed to unpolluted air and get plenty of exercise. Among the fine Arts and Crafts-inspired buildings is an unusual chapel in an L shape, originally so that men and women could each have a separate wing.
In 1964 the sanatorium was converted into a general purpose NHS hospital thanks to the demise of TB, but the institution finally closed in 2003. After 12 years of standing empty, the Grade II*-listed estate is now close to re-opening as a luxury block of flats, with larger family homes located in the grounds. The original buildings will contain 162 different flats, including one-bedroom properties from around £200,000 with the most expensive selling for £1.5million. Developer City & Country insist that the restoration of the estate has been carried out with particular sensitivity in a bid to undo the aesthetic damage caused by the necessity of running a modern hospital on the site.
