Hillcrest Hospital Leicester

The original workhouse building opened in 1838. The architect was William Flint. A Leicester Guardian, William Parsons, had been a contender for the design but was felt to be ineligible because of his position on the Board. Flint’s design was a variation on the hexagonal “Y” plan published by the Poor Law Commissioners in 1835.

A suggestion to erect a much larger workhouse was thwarted by the election of an anti-poor-law Board of Guardians. However, by the end of 1848, the new board had come round to accepting this proposal.Various plans were considered and in 1850-1 the workhouse was substantially rebuilt on the existing site, retaining little more than the entrance block at the west. The new building had a large main block in the shape of an elongated “H” running west to east. The architects of the scheme were W Parsons and MJ Dain of Leicester.

Many further additions and alterations were later made to the buildings. The site later became known as Hillcrest Hospital and was the main geriatric unit in Leicester until its closure in 1974. The former workhouse buildings were demolished in 1977. I visited this hospital just prior to closing. It was my first experience of so called geriatric hospital care.I did not expect to see what I saw.