Original Block of Richmond Royal Hospital

Details

This List entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 15/07/2017


TQ 1875,
11/1

KEW FOOT ROAD (east side),
Original block of Richmond Royal Hospital

II

Formerly a house, later incorporated into a hospital. Mid C18,
formerly comprising 5-bay centre and 2-bay wings set back, the
south wing demolished c1882, when an extra storey was added to
the north wing and a projecting 2-storey wing obscured it.

The
poet James Thomson lived here from 1736 until his death in
1748 and wrote his most famous works here, the masque
"Alfred", which includes the anthem "Rule Britannia" (1740),
"The Castle of Indolence" (1748) and "The Seasons" (1738).
After Thomson's death the house was bought by a friend, George
Ross, who enlarged it, and in 1786 it was bought by Mrs
Boscawen, widow of the famous admiral. On her death in 1805 it
was bought by the 6th Earl of Shaftesbury, who changed the name
to Shaftesbury House.

Built of stock brick with roof partially
concealed by parapet, the other part tiled. Two sections. The
right hand part of three storeys, five bays. Stone coping ramped up in
centre to form a pediment. Cambered sashes, 9-pane to second
floor, 12-pane to first floor. Four bays of ground floor obscured
by late C19 or early C20 projection but original Ionic portico
incorporated in end. Cornice has mutule frieze and 4-leaved
paterae. To left side is a further 2-bay C18 wing with early
C20 mansard roof. Second-floor windows are early C20 in
original architraves but the other floors are obscured by the
later extension. Rear elevation has mainly 12-pane sashes to
the main part and C20 windows to the north wing. Mansard tiled
roof and C19 chimneystacks. C19 attached hospital buildings
not of special interest.

INTERIOR has entrance hall with mid
C18 staircase with scrolled tread ends and two turned balusters
to each step, doorcase with bolection moulding, 6-panelled
door and panelling with dado rail. Other features this floor
include large room to wing with ovolo-moulded cornice and dado
rail and fireplaces with eared architraves. First floor has
mid-C18 panelled room and fireplace with brackets, Vitruvian
scroll and C19 tiled surround. Moulded cornice to rear room.
Second floor retains old floorboards.

Listing NGR: TQ1815175570

-----------------------------------------------------------

Former List Entry:

1.
5028 KEW FOOT ROAD
(east side)

Original block of
Richmond Royal Hospital
TQ 1875 11/1

II


2.
The nucleus is a late C18 brown brick house, 2 storeys, 5 windows. Now embedded in
buildings of many later dates. Pro-style Roman Ionic porch in front of modern single
storey projection.
This house was "Rosedale House" once the home of James Thomson author of "The Castle
of Indolence", "The Seasons" etc.
(This original part of the present hospital complex only is listed; the central
5 bays bearing the name of the Hospital.)


Listing NGR: TQ1815175570

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

205477

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Cundall, H. M., Bygone Richmond, (1925)

End of official list entry

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