St. Otterans Hospital
| St. Otterans Hospital | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1832 |
| Construction Began | 1834 |
| Opened | 1835 |
| Current Status | Active |
| Building Style | Pavilion Plan |
| Location | Waterford, IRE |
| Alternate Names |
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History[edit]
In May 1832, land was acquired from part of the Estate of Sir Simon Newport and Sir John Judkin Fitzgerald for the purpose of erecting a Lunatic Asylum for the Waterford district. Compensation for the land was paid to Sir Simon Newport in the amount of £841 11s 8d, and Sir John Judkin was awarded £300 for his land. The building of the hospital, named after Waterford's patron saint, Otteran, was begun at John's Hill/Upper Grange in 1834, and it was opened in 1835. The builders were Francis Johnston and William Murray and the hospital was constructed of Irish limestone ashlar. The original construction, to house fifty males and fifty females, consisted of a two-storied ‘U’ shaped centre block of five bays, with a tower and clock on the roof. This building was later enlarged to accommodate two hundred persons of both sexes. The hospital facilitated some inmates of the old House of Industry (later the Fanning House).
In 1879, a small chapel for Roman Catholics was built. This chapel was detached from the main, original, building, and a separate place of worship was provided for the minority Protestant inmates. Because of the large number of patients - there were three hundred and fifty-nine in 1891 - two new wings were added to the hospital in1894 at an approximate cost of £17,000. Local building contractor George Nolan was appointed as the builder and the Architect was J. Otway.
The male wing was erected at the south-east end of the original building, and was 150 feet long, and 50 feet wide. The basement was designed to contain the carpenter’s and tailor’s workshops. The principal rooms on the ground floor were dressing and bathing rooms, day rooms and dormitories. The first floor held two large dormitories with attendance rooms and bathing facilities. The exterior walls were built of red brick with limestone dressing, thus giving the building its eponymous name, the ‘Red Brick.’ Two new wings were added to the hospital in1894 at an approximate cost of £17,000. Local building contractor George Nolan was appointed as the builder and the Architect was J. Otway. The male wing was erected at the south-east end of the original building, and was 150 feet long, and 50 feet wide. The basement was designed to contain the carpenter’s and tailor’s workshops. The principal rooms on the ground floor were dressing and bathing rooms, day rooms and dormitories. The first floor held two large dormitories with attendance rooms and bathing facilities. The exterior walls were built of red brick with limestone dressing, thus giving the building its eponymous name, the ‘Red Brick.’
