Cranleigh Heritage Cottage Hospital project moves forwards

Please help us by telling us you support the project to take over the

Cranleigh Heritage Cottage Hospital for Cranleigh’s community –

Cranleigh Village Hospital is providing day services and the League of Friends is hoping to bring more services to the empty rooms.  In addition to these areas the very old cottage at the front of all the buildings, beside the The Three Horseshoes pub, was part of the hospital continuously from 1859 to about 10 years ago!

you can read this article in a word document and complete our questionnaire by clicking here

The community have an opportunity to save  this GRADE II listed 15th Century Cottage Hospital Building – it’s on our High Street and we could repair it and use it for our Community’s benefit.  This project does not include the Victorian and 20th Century extensions, which are in current use providing day services.  it has not been used by the NHS for the last 10 years and its not viable for clinical modern uses.  Therefore the NHS no longer require it and  will lease it to a charitable organisation for a peppercorn rent.

Why?

 The original Cranleigh Cottage Hospital building is of national and local historic interest, and as such should be preserved for community use where its architectural elements can be fully appreciated.  It is also one of the most important buildings in the village and deserves a central role in the local community, at present standing empty and disused.  I fully support this initiative to secure its long-term future.’ Charles Brooking http://www.cbah.uk/

  • This building displays many of the features present when it was originally built using methods practised at the time.  It is unusual in Surrey in that it remains largely intact and where modifications have been made these are visible and contribute to the history of the building over the centuries.  As such it would provide an excellent learning centre for those interested in the development of building techniques over the centuries.  It is structurally sound and having stood for over 500 years there is no reason to doubt that given routine maintenance it should survive for another similar period.’ Michael Miller – leader of Cranleigh History Society and local medieval historian and writer.
  • We know from dendrochronological analysis that the cottage was built around AD 1446.  We do not who the original owners were but they were clearly of some status in the community.’ * Moir,A.K. 2008 Dendrochronological analysis of oak timbers from Cranleigh Village Hospital. Tree-Ring Services Report CVLh/11/08.

The cottage is one of Cranleigh’s oldest buildings, dating back to 1446 and was later owned by St Nicolas church.  In 1859 the Reverend Sapte agreed to donate the cottage to the village and Dr Napper and it became a cottage hospital for Cranleigh. Villagers could pay for their treatment if they could afford it, but a fund was set up for less fortunate people to pay for their treatment. In those days people who couldn’t pay their bills would become paupers, which was as bad as being a criminal. In the first year over 30 people were patients. Dr Napper travelled the country and a Cottage Hospital movement began and grew.

The Royal College of Surgeons declared it a great model for patients and doctors alike,  and it is recognised as the first cottage hospital of its type in England. Cranleigh (known as Cranley in those days) cottage hospital was successful and continued to serve the community with their fund raised money for buildings as well as equipment, continuously until recently. It is arguably the true foundation of the NHS. In 1948 it was transferred into the new NHS and was part of Cranleigh Village Hospital until 10 years ago.  People who worked there remember it fondly as it was used for meetings and a tea room.

What could it be used for? 

The cottage has a small set of rooms, both upstairs and down, and can accommodate the following ideas: A meeting room for up to 24 people; Health and Wellbeing Services; Exciting Museum style displays of local artefacts and information to include the history of the hospital, Cranleigh and areas nearby;  Information point for the Community;  Educational visits by local schools;  There is an area that would be just right for a repair shop for the community

Where is the money coming from? 

The NHS will not put any more money into repairing the building. We are looking to raise the finance for the project from local charitable grants. One grant that we are currently applying for supports the preservation of historically buildings where they are on High streets and able to help revitalise the village. The building requires careful conservation, opening up and making safe, and that will cost at least £200,000.

What has been achieved so far?

NHS Property Services have agreed that the building is a problem for them, have done a few essential repairs and undertaken a condition survey. They are keen to provide Cranleigh community with a long lease at a peppercorn rent so that the building can be conserved and used.  They are especially keen that the uses include health and wellbeing uses. They say the lease will include a clause stating that it only has to be returned to them in the condition we find it in!

How can you support the project?

For us to move to the next stage  WE NEED EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT please, because we must show Grant making bodies that our community wants the work done, and will benefit from the outcomes.

Why does it need to be taken on by our community?

The property is falling into disrepair and the NHS is not able to spend money on it.  It is a national treasure. Being on the High Street and attractive it would form a new, vibrant place to visit and for wonderful and special events and displays to take place. Volunteers would oversee its uses. It would be served by a website to match those of other towns with well organised information for tourists, new people to Cranleigh and locals alike. People have always said it should be a museum and there are other exciting uses we can imagine to compliment that part of its new life going forwards.

How can you support the project?

We would like to hear from you about your views on the project.

Please have a look at our questions below and  email or write to:  Secretary Civic Society 42 Horsham Road GU6 8DU or info@cranleighsociety.org : –

Do you believe that the community should take the cottage over, and save it for community benefits? Yes / No, Comments

Potential uses for the building

Meeting Room for up to 24 people for the Community to hire out to help with overheads (we intend to provide kitchenette and toilets) – Yes / No   Comments:

Repair Shop managed by volunteers for the community to recycle equipment – Yes / No   Comments:

Display of Cranleigh’s history including celebrating the first Cottage Hospital in England – storyboards, digital displays, artefacts and medical tools – Yes / No   Comments:

Cranleigh Information hub promoting local facilities, events, local clubs and organisations. – Yes / No   Comments:

Educational visits to include the history of Cranleigh and surrounding villages, and of medicine and Cranleigh, – Yes / No   Comments:

HOW COULD YOU HELP WITH THE PROJECT?

Specialist skills to support this project – Yes / No   Comments:

We believe the project will help to keep Cranleigh a special place and provide a great place on the High Street.  Do you support the project for Cranleigh and surrounding villages? Yes / No   Comments:

Please contact the Civic Society info@cranleighsociety.org

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Cranleigh Civic Society secretary Sue Dale – suemdale@gmail.com

thank you so very much!

 

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Wendy Hills
Guest
Wendy Hills
3 years ago

I definitely support this project, it will certainly benefit the village if this important building can be conserved

Andrea Bamford
Guest
Andrea Bamford
3 years ago
Reply to  Wendy Hills

Support from me too, hopefully we can include the old hospital front garden I help to look after, perhaps gardening for wellbeing?

Angie Jenkins
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Andrea Bamford

I think this is a great idea and support it any way we can at Natural Life . Could it have the same charitable status as The League of Friends ? Local shops could maybe support this then ?

Sue Dale
Admin
3 years ago
Reply to  Angie Jenkins

Angie, yes we are about to create a charitable trust, we have 3 of 9 trustees lined up…..

Geoff trigg
Guest
Geoff trigg
3 years ago
Reply to  Wendy Hills

Having lived in the village all my life I fully support this project.

Hilary Mitchell
Guest
Hilary Mitchell
3 years ago

This building is part of the history of Cranleigh and needs to be preserved. The flexibility of the rooms will allow different events and local groups to use the building as well as perhaps more permanent displays eg local history .
I support this project.

John
Guest
John
3 years ago

I do support the order however as an NHS building they must be required to maintain it.

Saying they cannot is not right as a listed building. They have a duty to do so and if the don’t (Waverly country Council) I think can step in and make repairs and retrospective charge them.

My worry with a museum is content and how much we have. Cranleigh has changed but other local museums in market towns have struggled (pre covid) in both Godalming and horsham.

I don’t want the building to go to ruin I just hope that it can be put into good use.

Myself I cannot think of anything other than maybe re housing something like at CAB the re purpose a newer building.

Sarah Wood
Guest
Sarah Wood
3 years ago

I feel it should be a small museum with small displays.
I would fully support this and be happy to donate/loan things from Cranleigh.
As the village is growing it would be good to show the new residents how it used to be.
Perhaps also have the garden as it would of been originally.

Claire Clarke
Guest
Claire Clarke
3 years ago

I definitely support this idea. It is a wonderful opportunity to maintain fan historic & unique Cranleigh building that is part of the fabric of the community as well as something to be really proud of.
A museum, rooms for wellbeing as well as a community repair shop sound fantastic. If a cafe can be included it would bring people in!

Kasia Smeatham
Guest
Kasia Smeatham
3 years ago
Reply to  Claire Clarke

I support the project, the building is beautiful and should be preserved for future generations.

What about having some adult classes there in the evenings? I think there will be quite a few people working from home now, that will be happy to go out, socialise and learn something new. Many offices will not reopen after pandemic and people will feel stuck at home 24/7.

Wendy gibson
Guest
Wendy gibson
3 years ago
Reply to  Claire Clarke

It’s a wonderful opportunity for cranleigh to own some of its heritage. I support this project wholeheartedly . A museum would be fantastic .

Sheila Turner
Guest
Sheila Turner
3 years ago

I fully support the aim for the community to maintain and use this building. Use as a community hub, Workers Education Society, history teaching, somewhere that appeals to all social classes, so bingo one day, Shakespeare another. Cranleigh Arts Centre seems to appeal to middle class people and does not reflect all of our community.

Christina harris
Guest
Christina harris
3 years ago

We would love to keep this beautiful old building as it is a part of the history of Cranleigh. We support the restoration plans.

Trevor Dale Chair Civic Society
Guest
Trevor Dale Chair Civic Society
3 years ago

Thank you for your support. Just to be clear NHS Property Services do not have to repair it. As a Grade 2 they only need to stop it falling down. They have repaired the roof but the rest is down to us – if we have enough expressions of support, which I am delighted we are getting. A museum will almost certainly be part of the ultimate use but alone that is probably not enough to keep it funded. If it has a healthcare use as well then it will attract more funding. Social prescribing is one option. Please keep the ideas coming! Many thanks

geoffrey trigg
Guest
geoffrey trigg
3 years ago

It would be nice to see a nice tea room like we had with the cromwell house as this was a sad lose to the older generation.

Lisa Walmsley
Guest
Lisa Walmsley
3 years ago

I definitely support the building maintained for community use and think it should keep a link with its history by being used as a wellbeing centre for community prescribing etc and also a repair shop if possible.