Administrative Block and Children's Ward

ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK AND CHILDREN'S WARD, BRITANNIA ROAD

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed building
List Entry Number:
1300787
Date first listed:
24-Aug-1994
Statutory Address:
ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK AND CHILDREN'S WARD, BRITANNIA ROAD
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Date:
1999-10-31
Reference:
IOE01/00633/01
Rights:
© Clive Jones. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed building
List Entry Number:
1300787
Date first listed:
24-Aug-1994
Statutory Address 1:
ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK AND CHILDREN'S WARD, BRITANNIA ROAD

Location

Statutory Address:
ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK AND CHILDREN'S WARD, BRITANNIA ROAD

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:
Bedford (Unitary Authority)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
TL 04666 48881

Details

The following building shall be added to the list:-

TL04NW BEDFORD BRITANNIA ROAD

5/10006 Administrative Block and Children's Ward

- II

Administrative block and Children's Ward. 1897/8 by H Percy Adams in Free Renaissance style with Jacobean and flemish details. Red brick with terracotta dressings, tiled roof and brick stacks. Administrative block of two storeys and attics; 9 windows. Centre has cupola with finial to roof. Central projecting portion of 3 bays has central Dutch gable, fretted balustrade and octagonal corner turrets. Mullioned and transomed windows, including first floor 5-light canted bay. Elaborate doorcase with swansneck pediment with terracotta sculptures of seated mother with two children flanked by two medical practitioners in classical attire by Eames. On either side are set back sections of 2 bays with mullioned and transomed windows and gabled dormers. Projecting end bays have large gables with console brackets and 4-light canted bays on two floors. Plinth. Ward block to rear of one storey red brick with 5 gables. Administrative block has central Staircase Hall with imperial staircase with wooden balusters, arched features at top and bottom and tessellated floors. Committee Room on ground floor has 4 Ionic columns and original fireplace. Children's Ward attached to rear of Administrative Block has 20 ceramic Nursery rhyme panels by W B Simpson and a tiled plaque over the entrance with the names of the benefactors. The tiles were probably made by Maw's. These tiles are some of the best examples of early ceramic art work in children's wards and it is rare to find such panels' in situ'. [See "Brightening the Long Days - Hospital Tile Pictures" by John Greene, published by the Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society, P 2-3].

Listing NGR: TL0466648881

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:
350231
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Greene, J, Brightening the Long Days Hospital Tile Pictures, (), 2-3

Legal

Ordnance survey map of Administrative Block and Children's Ward

Map

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End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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