The Hospital of Sir John Hawkins and Attached Front Railings
THE HOSPITAL OF SIR JOHN HAWKINS AND ATTACHED FRONT RAILINGS, HIGH STREET
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1268233
- Date first listed:
- 29-Oct-1952
- List Entry Name:
- The Hospital of Sir John Hawkins and Attached Front Railings
- Statutory Address:
- THE HOSPITAL OF SIR JOHN HAWKINS AND ATTACHED FRONT RAILINGS, HIGH STREET
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 1999-08-08
- Reference:
- IOE01/01271/23
- Rights:
- © Mr M.K Lofthouse. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1268233
- Date first listed:
- 29-Oct-1952
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 09-Oct-2009
- List Entry Name:
- The Hospital of Sir John Hawkins and Attached Front Railings
- Statutory Address 1:
- THE HOSPITAL OF SIR JOHN HAWKINS AND ATTACHED FRONT RAILINGS, HIGH STREET
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- THE HOSPITAL OF SIR JOHN HAWKINS AND ATTACHED FRONT RAILINGS, HIGH STREET
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Medway (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 75249 67922, TQ 75256 67936, TQ 75262 67923
Details
762-1/3/10 HIGH STREET 29-OCT-1952 (North side) THE HOSPITAL OF SIR JOHN HAWKINS AND A TTACHED FRONT RAILINGS (Formerly listed as: HIGH STREET 1-12 THE HOSPITAL OF SIR JOHN HAWKINS) (Formerly listed as: HIGH STREET 1-12 THE HOSPITAL OF SIR JOHN HAWKINS)
GV II Almhouses, now sheltered housing. The original foundation was of 1592 but the almshouses were rebuilt in 1789. They were converted into flats in 1983.
BUILDING MATERIALS: Brick with rendered plinth, brick rear lateral stacks and a tiled hipped roof.
PLAN: Two parallel ranges each with four single-depth plan houses facing a quadrangle, with a central rear Council House and rear three house range.
EXTERIOR: The ranges are each of two storeys with one window to each almshouse. The parapeted flat gables to the street have a plinth, blind round-headed arch and rectangular sunken panel above. Each house has cambered heads to a doorway nearer the rear and three-light mullion and transom windows with central metal casements and leaded lights. The Council Room is a single-storey, three-bay range. A shallow pedimented gable opens above the doorway, round-arched openings flank the doorway with a radial fanlight and flush-panelled door, and blocked flanking windows. A brick archway to the right of the Council Room leads to a C19 range of yellow brick houses matching the front ranges.
INTERIOR: Not inspected but known that a hall passage leads to C20 lateral stairs; altered 1983.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Attached metal railings on dwarf walls connect the two ranges with a central round overthrow.
HISTORY: The original almshouses were founded by Sir John Hawkins for poor seamen, shipwrights and their wives in 1592 and followed his 1590 scheme with Drake called the "Chatham Chest" which deducted 5% from all seamen on the royal ships to pay compensation to injured and disabled sailors, pensions to the aged and burial money for the dead. The present building is a rebuilding of 1789. The almshouses were converted into flats in 1983.
SOURCES: Newman, J. "The Buildings of England: West Kent and the Weald" 1976. p202. Dictionary of National Biography entry for Sir John Hawkins. REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: * These are little altered 1789 almshouses with classical details and an unusual central Council House. * The almshouses have additional historic interest as a rebuilding of Sir John Hawkins 1592 almshouses for 12 poor seamen or shipwrights and their wives. * It is an example of an early maritime charitable bequest.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 462091
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Newman, J, The Buildings of England: West Kent and the Weald, (1976), 202
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 04-Jun-2026 at 10:58:32.
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