Durham
Kepier Hospital
Last Updated:
3 Jun 2022
Durham
This is a
Hospital & Mansion House
54.783854, -1.562857
Founded in
Current status is
Preserved
Designer (if known):
Now a Scheduled Monument (ID: 1002360)
Heath Mansion was built by the Heath Family between 1590 and 1617. Previously the land had been occupied by Kepier Hospital which was founded in 1180, and became a wealthy almshouse.
Heath Mansion was a dwelling until the 17th century. During the 18th and 19th century, the gardens were used as public pleasure gardens and as an inn. The former hospital gardens have been used as a farm since the mid 19th century. Heath mansion forms part of the Scheduled Monument of 'Kepier Hospital'.
- Keys to the Past
Listing Description (if available)
Kepier Hospital as seen on the 6 inch 1861 edition and 25 inch 1896 edition. At both these points, the site was used as a pleasure gardens and an inn, as well as a farm which remains today. The garden plot still remains but isn't decorated. It does contain ruins of a related building.
By 1923 the city had further encroached on what was once a quite rural setting. As it is today, there is still some space between the suburbs of Durham and the farm itself, and sets itself as the boundary between wider County Durham and the city. The city's sewage works was recently built just over the river as it is today, and an infectious diseases hospital has been built close by.
Undated photograph of the rear entrance to Kepier Hospital and Heath Mansion. The arch forms the centerpiece of the older part of the structure, and remains much the same.
The front facade of Kepier Hospital. This side is facing the river, and the generations of extensions are obvious.
A closer look of Kepier Hospital's archway from the front of the building.