COLTISHALL COTTAGE HOSPITAL

by Chris Weston

Should you have missed the first half of this story in the last edition, here’s a quick recap of the Introduction to Part l followed by a potted history of the Hospital:Every day, dozens if not hundreds of motorists travelling through Coltishall on the B1150 may have no idea that at one point, they pass a former hospital site. The building still stands today, but now accommodates a different type of resident. But where was it and who provided it?

Coltishall has long enjoyed the existence of several facilities, all originally ‘provided’ by the same donor, Robert Atkinson Gorrell (1804-1904). One of these was the Cottage Hospital, located on the High Street, between today’s Coltishall Pharmacy (once betterknown as a local branch here of Roys in Hoveton which later became a U-Save Discount store with its bright orange carrier bags and black wording) and Old Bakery Court, nearer the Little Hautbois road junction. The pharmacy site has also carried forward with it, memories of the original Roys Bakery. Before it finally closed in 1975, the bakery was held in such high regard that other bakers travelled from near and far to admire and learn from the business. It seems fewer people shopping in smaller specialist stores and new laws following the bakers’ strike of 1974 caused the Coltishall bakery’s demise.

The Cottage Hospital opened in 1881 and in the financial year 1911/12, was recorded as having 8 beds and was otherwise able to cater for up to 46 patients. Later becoming The Hermitage Rest Home, it closed in the 1990’s on safety grounds. So today, the properties of the former hospital complex have all become private dwellings. The idea of corridors with

A few months before the Covid epidemic began, I was unexpectedly fortunate to meet the outgoing resident of the “old hospital property” in Coltishall just before moving out to his new location. And while waiting for the removal men to complete their final load, he told me some of its history and allowed me a look inside.

Some of the hospital’s corridors he told me, had once been on different levels and here and there, some ceilings were suddenly lower than expected - as he’d often discovered!! This first arose when the original hospital building was extended into the adjoining building behind, built at a different time. It somehow seemed I was in a fascinating building of long ago and could easily have been described as going back to a much earlier era.

While the hospital continued to function as such, any difference in levels wasn’t a particular problem but by the 1990’s, such quirks didn’t strictly conform to European standards, so closure was the only option. The entire property then subsequently became flats and apartments but architecturally it still retains some of its external former features.

© Chris Weston, June 2023 sudden but slight rises or falls in level wasn’t new to me, as many residential properties within the Close surrounding Norwich Cathedral have been that way for a long time and some may still be so.

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Tracey De-Abreu, The Wroxham & Coltishall Book, 1 Oakdale Road, Brundall, Norwich, NR13 5AF

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Welcome… to the latest edition of THE WROXHAM & COLTISHALL BOOK

Summer is here - it’s time to get out in the garden and enjoy the fine Norfolk sunshine! Should you need any help in and around your property, you’ll find lots of thriving local business services inside this magazine. Give them a call and kindly let them know where you spotted their advert. Remember, when you choose to ‘Keep Trade Local’ you are directly helping our local economy - Thank you!

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The celebrity featured in this edition is popular TV Chef James Martin – discover more about him in the centre pages.

Enjoy June & July…

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What’s Inside…

Page:

4 - Home & Interiors; Five Ingre dients for a Great Hallway

10 - Home Products; Doormats -

A warm welcome

24 - Beauty; The Brow Code

28 - Health; Glucose Regulation

32 - Celebrities; TV Chef James Martin

34 - Recipé; Barbecue Steak with grilled Asparagus & Teriyaki Sauce

42 - Puzzle Page; Sudoku, Quiz, Pictogram & Two -Minute Trial

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48 - Community Events & What’s On

50 - Wordsearch; Prime Ministers of Great Britain

52 - Local Reports (+ page 57)

54 - Motoring; The History of the Audi TT

55 - Pets; Curious Cats

56 - Jokes

58 - Coltishall Cottage Hospital by Chris Weston

59 - Did you Know?

59 - Quiz Answers

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60 - Business Card Section

62 - Advert sizes & fees

46 - Gardening; Exotic Plants for UK Gardens

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62 - Index

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This magazine is one of 8,000 copies delivered to residents & businesses in: Wroxham, Hoveton, Horning, Badersfield, Coltishall, Horstead, Stalham, Stalham Green, Sutton, Tunstead, Frettenham, Scottow, Belaugh, Sco Ruston, Ashmanhaugh, Smallburgh, Sloley & Buxton.