THE X-RAY DEPARTMENT, FORMERLY THE UNDERGROUND HOSPITAL, ERITH AND DISTRICT HOSPITAL

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Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1393267
Date first listed:: 27-Nov-2003
List Entry Name:: THE X-RAY DEPARTMENT, FORMERLY THE UNDERGROUND HOSPITAL, ERITH AND DISTRICT HOSPITAL
Statutory Address:: THE X-RAY DEPARTMENT, FORMERLY THE UNDERGROUND HOSPITAL, ERITH AND DISTRICT HOSPITAL

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: II
List Entry Number:: 1393267
Date first listed:: 27-Nov-2003
List Entry Name:: THE X-RAY DEPARTMENT, FORMERLY THE UNDERGROUND HOSPITAL, ERITH AND DISTRICT HOSPITAL
Statutory Address 1:: THE X-RAY DEPARTMENT, FORMERLY THE UNDERGROUND HOSPITAL, ERITH AND DISTRICT HOSPITAL

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

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

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:: THE X-RAY DEPARTMENT, FORMERLY THE UNDERGROUND HOSPITAL, ERITH AND DISTRICT HOSPITAL

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

County:: Greater London Authority
District:: Bexley (London Borough)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TQ 50545 77503

Details

959/0/10030

The X-Ray Department, formerly the Underground Hospital, Erith and District Hospital

27-NOV-03 II Former underground hospital, later X-Ray Department. Built in 1938 by Erith Borough Council and opened in 1939 as a Civilian Field Hospital/Casualty Station for the imminent war. It was constantly manned by permanent staff and volunteers during the Second World War. In 1950 it was converted into an X-Ray department by the additional of some further partition walls and air-conditioning.

EXTERIOR: Semi-underground structure built of shuttered concrete to be bomb-proof. Roughly rectangular in shape with a curved roof with a thick covering of earth and grass designed to camouflage the building from enemy aircraft. Each of the long sides has four reinforced metal casement windows at a high level with horizontal glazing bars. The main entrance is now in the middle of the north front approached by a ramp with four small windows and a right side door with "X RAY DEPT" painted above. The original main entrances were at each end with ramps and doors suitable for stretchers and trolleys with separate entrances for men and women. The east side has five doors, the west side four doors and a double wooden door.

INTERIOR: Series of brick dividing walls probably doubling as load bearing walls and blast walls with flush-panelled doors. The building is divided into a large number of rooms with an almost identical layout at each end with separate departments for men and women. An open drainage gully running the length of the building close to the outside wall was intended to carry off water after hosing down patients caught out in an enemy mustard gas attack. Some wooden storage lockers survive in the side walls and an original stone sink to the rear of the new X-Ray room.

HISTORY: Built as part of the Emergency Medical Service introduced by the Ministry of Health to deal with the anticipated large-scale casualties from enemy bombing. The provision was mainly hutted accommodation and although another five of these concrete structures were planned no others are known to survive. The only other underground hospitals known are the one at Dover Castle built by the military as a Field Dressing Station as part of a combined HQ accommodation and the underground hospital at Jersey built by the Germans with forced labour for their defence from the allies. Neither of these examples are comparable with this structure at Erith.

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:: 501623
Legacy System:: LBS

Legal

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