Old Newark Hospital

Seventeenth Plaque is unveiled

By Nalhs Newark

Newark Hospital  

Newark’s first hospital was founded by Bishop Alexander of Lincoln. It was one of a number of religious foundations by the bishop in order to purge himself of the sin of castle building.  

The hospital was dedicated to St Leonard and was located outside of the town in the area of the Northgate railway station.  

The foundation soon became a parish and in this form and as a charity with almshouses, it carries on to this day.  

There appears to have been a second St Leonard’s in the part of the parish of Stoke in which the castle stands. This was founded by Ralph D’eyncourt but was dissolved in Elizabeth’s reign.  

Several other charities served the poor and sick in the intervening years, notably, Brown and Phillipot, Stone and others.  

In 1786 a workhouse, hospice and gaol was built using funds from the Brown and Phillipot charity, this building became part of Holes brewery and still exists as apartments.  

Talking started in 1872 to replace this building with a state of the art hospital. A committee was formed in 1875 and further impetus given to the scheme when Godfrey Tallents left £500 in his will for the building with the caveat that it must be spent within 3 years.  

Progress was made and funds raised by public subscription, major donors were Lady Ossington, Mr. Branston and Mr. Pratt.  

The building, designed by Bliss and Saunders and built in red brick by Smith and Lunn cost £6,965 13s 1d.  

A maternity wing was added in 1939.  

A new hospital was built on Bowbridge road and the original building was closed in 1996.  

The building was subsequently acquired by Derry Building Services who restored and extended it for their business.  

On Sunday 11th December 2011, Newark Archaeological & Local History Society, (in conjunction with Derry Building Services, part of the Bowmer & Kirkland Group) marked the unveiling of a Plaque, denoting this historic local building.  

The unveiling was done by Mr. John Kirkland OBE, Managing Director of Bowmer & Kirkland, seen here with Mike Cox, Chairman of our Society.  

The Plaque, the seventeenth that the Society has erected in the Town, can be seen at the front of the building, on London Road, Newark