Frieston's Hospital

FRIESTON'S HOSPITAL, KIRKTHORPE LANE

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1313217
Date first listed:
14-Feb-1952
List Entry Name:
Frieston's Hospital
Statutory Address:
FRIESTON'S HOSPITAL, KIRKTHORPE LANE

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Date:
2004-06-27
Reference:
IOE01/12751/06
Rights:
© Mr W. Robin Hodges. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1313217
Date first listed:
14-Feb-1952
List Entry Name:
Frieston's Hospital
Statutory Address 1:
FRIESTON'S HOSPITAL, KIRKTHORPE LANE

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

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.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
FRIESTON'S HOSPITAL, KIRKTHORPE LANE

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

District:
Wakefield (Metropolitan Authority)
Parish:
Warmfield cum Heath
National Grid Reference:
SE 36072 20896

Details

SE32SE WARMFIELD-CUM-HEATH

1/102 KIRKTHORPE LANE (west side)

14.2.52 Frieston's Hospital

GV II*

The Grade shall be amended to read I

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

SE32SE WARMFIELD-CUM-HEATH KIRKTHORPE LANE

(west side) 1/102 Frieston's Hospital 14.2.52

GV II*

Former almshouses, now converted to a dwelling. c1595. Large well-coursed gritstone, stone slate roof. An unusual building square-on-plan with large rectangular central hall lit by gabled dormers rising out of roof on 3 sides with low single-storey aisles on 3 sides under sweeping lean-to roofs. South entrance front: has slightly off-centre doorway to right with composite jambs and chamfered surround with 2 bays to either side of 2-light double-chamfered mullioned windows. Chamfered eaves band. Set back at 2nd-storey level small coped gable surmounted by finial has 4-light double-chamfered mullioned-and-transomed window. Rear: has large external stack with shouldered offsets with, to right, 2-light window and, to left, doorway with composite jambs and broad chamfered surround with, above, modern plaque inscribed "JOHN FRIESTON OF ALTOFTS SQUARE FOUNDED AND ENDOWED THIS HOSPITAL ANNO DOM 1595. HE THAT HATH MERCY ON THE POOR HAPPY IS HE. PROVERBS 14.21" Above is a small chamfered light. To left end, 2-light window to gable. Right-hand return has two 2-light windows. Left-hand return has three 2-light windows. Both have gabled dormer rising out of roof with 4-light mullioned-and-transomed window and coped gables with bases for finials to kneelers and apex stones (gone).

Interior: large impressive open hall rectangular in plan has 3 doorways to east and west with 2 doorways to south all with composite jambs and monolithic lintels with broad chamfered surrounds. To north a large fireplace with depressed Tudor arch, keystone, voussoirs, skewbacks with deep chamfered surround; inner jambs have recess with chamfered stone seat, doorway to right has window above with deeply- splayed surround. Each internal doorway retains original oak plank door with iron strap hinges. These lead into 7 rooms with oak stop-chamfered posts and sill and head beams most retaining plank and muntin panelling. Windows have wooden lintels formed by wall plate. South rooms are open to roof with close studding above tie beam and straight-braced post to high wall plate at ridge level.

The hospital is of interesting design and ingeniously contrived so as to require only one fireplace. J. W. Walker (pp424-425) records that John Frieston built the hospital for the accommodation of 7 poor men, fuel for the hospital to be provided by the tenants of Frieston's lands in the surrounding area.

N. Pevsner, Yorkshire West Riding, 1974, p294. RCHM (England) report. J. W. Walker, Wakefield, Vol. II, 3rd ed., 1967.

Listing NGR: SE3607220896

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:
342407
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Walker, J W, Wakefield, (1967), 424-425
Pevsner, N, Radcliffe, E, The Buildings of England: Yorkshire: The West Riding, (1967), 294

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Frieston's Hospital

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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