Carmarthen Infirmary

Carmarthen Infirmary
An orange building with a black door, behind a fence
Site of Carmarthen Infirmary after renovation into apartments in 2018
Geography
LocationPriory Street, Carmarthen, Wales
Coordinates51°51′32″N 4°18′03″W / 51.8588°N 4.3007°W / 51.8588; -4.3007
History
Former names
  • Priory Street Hospital
  • County and Borough of Carmarthen Infirmary
  • Carmarthen County Infirmary
  • Carmarthenshire Infirmary[1]
Founded25 December 1847
Opened1 July 1858
Closed31 March 1996

Carmarthen Infirmary (also known as Priory Street Hospital and Carmarthenshire Infirmary; Welsh: Ysbyty Gaerfyrddin) was a hospital in Carmarthen, Wales, between 1847 and 1996. Originally housed in Carmarthen Jail, the infirmary moved to a new building on Priory Street in 1858. This building is one of the few remaining examples of a Victorian former infirmary and along with its gatepiers, it is protected as a listed building.

The hospital ran on voluntary contributions for almost a century until it was adopted into the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948. Between 1955 and 1968, the building was gradually retired as its services were moved to the newly redeveloped West Wales General Hospital. Priory Street Hospital reopened for geriatric patients in 1972 before closing in 1996. The site then became derelict and has since been redeveloped into housing.

History

The creation of an infirmary intended to provide the sick poor with medical treatment in Carmarthen was proposed in 1841.[2] This idea was considered again in the wake of the Rebecca Riots and particularly the rioters' attack on the Carmarthen Workhouse in 1843. The county administrators began discussions to provide an infirmary in 1846. Colonel Rice-Trevor proposed plans to temporarily house an infirmary in the Carmarthen Borough Gaol.[3]

The use of the Borough Gaol, free of rent, be granted to the infirmary subscribers until more suitable premises be obtained and that notice be given to the Officers of the Gaol that their further services be discontinued and the salaries paid up to 25 December 1847.

— Carmarthen Town Council, Minutes of a meeting held 10 May 1847

Carmarthen Infirmary was founded on 25 December 1847 and was originally housed inside Carmarthen Jail with space for 12 patients. They were cared for by a house surgeon, matron, nurse and servant. Overcrowding was a common problem.[3][4]

In 1855, plans were made to fix the overcrowding problem by building a new 30-bed infirmary on a site in Priory Street that had been occupied for the prior 250 years by Queen Elizabeth's Endowed Grammar School.[3]

The purpose-built infirmary was opened on 1 July 1858. In that year, the hospital cost £601 to run.[5][6]

Carmarthen Infirmary in 1861

Rules in the new infirmary were strict, with patients not allowed to leave the infirmary and no swearing, smoking or card-playing allowed. Patients who were able to work were required to help with cleaning, laundry and caring for other patients.[3]

Before 1912, visiting time was between 9 am and 4 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays only. The visiting times changed to between 2 pm and 4 pm, with only two visitors per patient and a maximum visitation time of 30 minutes.[3]

The hospital was taken over by the National Health Service upon its creation in 1948.[5]

The NHS also purchased the old American Military Hospital at Glangwili to create the West Wales General Hospital. Carmarthen Infirmary became known as Priory Street Hospital. Instruments and equipment were shared between the two hospitals.[3]

The West Wales General Hospital began redevelopment, with a new building built for a general theatre in 1954, and services transferred over from Priory Street Hospital as they became available at Glangwili. The Casualty Department at Carmarthen Infirmary was replaced by the new Accident and Emergency Department in Glangwili in 1960. The final departments to relocate were obstetrics and gynaecology and some general surgery. The West Wales General Hospital was fully operational by December 1968.[3][7]

Priory Street Hospital was remodelled and reopened in 1972 for long-stay geriatric patients, allowing the Penlan Hospital in the Carmarthen Workhouse building to close.[3]

In 1986, the planned closure of Priory Street Hospital was delayed due to structural defects at the West Wales General Hospital. The required major reconstruction work continued until 1995.[3]

On 25 February 1996, all patients were transferred from Priory Street Hospital to the West Wales General Hospital. Priory Street Hospital was formally closed on 31 March 1996.[3]

The site was sold to developers in October 1998 for £50,000. This resulted in a loss to the NHS of £120,000 due to security and other costs.[3]

Development and current status

The derelict buildings of Carmarthen Infirmary in 2011

Carmarthen Infirmary was located on Priory Street, Carmarthen. It was built in 1857–1858 by architect William Wesley Jenkins, London, for the cost of £3,260. The foundation stone was laid by Bishop Connop Thirwall on 14 May 1857. The building is in the Italianate style and bears the inscriptions "Carmarthenshire Infirmary Supported by Voluntary Contributions", "Founded 1847" and "Built 1858". The building was Grade II listed in 1981.[5] The gatepiers at the entrance to the infirmary are also listed, along with the World War I memorial in front of the building.[8][9]

Extensions were added to the rear from 1899 to 1934. These were demolished in 2002.[5][10]

The building was left vacant after the hospital's closure and had fallen into a state of disrepair by 2007, when heritage campaigners attempted to recruit a buyer to restore it.[7] In 2013, it was derelict when plans to convert it into 19 flats were approved.[10]

In 2017, the building was converted into apartments for those over 50.[11] The site is now known as Plas y Milwr.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Records of Carmarthen Infirmary. National Archives; County and Borough of Carmarthen Infirmary, Carmarthen County Infirmary, Carmarthenshire Infirmary. 1846–1954.
  2. ↑ "Carmarthen Infirmary". The Welshman. Carmarthen, Cardiganshire, UK. 5 November 1841. p. 3 – via Welsh Newspapers.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Bolwell, John S.; Evans, Andrea (2005). A History of the County Infirmary, Carmarthen 1847 to 1948 and the NHS and the West Wales General Hospital 1948 to 2004. Noon Books, Carmarthen. pp. 12–14, 28, 29, 31, 33–34, 36–37, 44, 72–73, 91, 205–206, 209–210, 212, 214. ISBN 9780954966300. The Rebecca Riots...resulted in a number of commissions of enquiry...there was no infirmary attached to the workhouse. He demanded that something be done about... the sick ward... The matter of providing an infirmary for the County and County Borough of Carmarthen was raised... the 8th July, 1846... Col. Rice-Trevor... suggested that the necessary alterations to the Gaol to make it fit for patients should be carried out forthwith... The Borough Gaol had been converted into comfortable wards... with requisite appurtenances for the accommodation of the House Surgeon, Matron and Nurse... On 17 December 1847 the Carmarthen Journal announced that the infirmary would be open for the reception of patients on Christmas Day... Initially, there was accommodation for 12 inpatients... The matron's bedroom on the ground floor... The house surgeon's room was identical... The nurse and servant... their rooms were similar to the matron's... In 1851 it had been stated that 5 or 6 patients were being crammed into wards intended for 3 or 4... The female ward was so overcrowded that one of the patients was sleeping with the nurse... The sub-committee were interested in a narrow strip of land in Priory Street... occupied for 250 years by Queen Elizabeth's Endowed Grammar School... By January, 1858 the new 30 bed infirmary was close to completion... A rigid system of discipline was imposed... No ambulant patient was to leave the Infirmary... Patients who were able to work were to '...assist the Matron, nurse or other servant in nursing the patients, washing and ironing the linen, washing and cleaning the wards and in doing such other works as the Medical Officers and Matron may require.' It was required that: 'They do not swear or give abusive language... they shall not be allowed to play at cards or dice or any other game or smoke in the wards.'... Visiting time was between 9 am and 4 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays only... No major change was made until 1912 when new rules were drawn up... Visiting time was to be between 2 pm and 4 pm, two visitors only to a patient and no visitor was to remain in the Infirmary for more than 30 minutes... The hutted Glangwili site of the old American Miliary Hospital... which had been acquired from the War Office in 1947... In 1954, a new general theatre in a purpose-built brick building had been provided at Glangwili... Construction of a new hospital had commenced in 1956... In 1960, the new Accident and Emergency Department... replaced the old Casualty Department in Priory Street Hospital... The Penlan Hospital in the old workhouse... closed in 1972 on the reopening of the old Infirmary... The ex-military hospital... was formally handed over by the War Office to the Infirmary in October 1947... and named the West Wales General Hospital... Instruments and equipment were shared between the two hospitals... The new hospital was fully operational by December, 1968... The old Infirmary... as the new wards and departments opened on the Glangwili site, it gradually reduced its activities until only obstretrics & gynaecology (Mr. J. R. E. James) and some general surgery (Mr. D. C. Williams) remained... The Infirmary was then remodelled... The admission of long stay geriatric patients began in 1972 and the old Penlan geriatric ward was finally closed... In 1986 when structural defects were discovered in the four main Word Blocks at Glangwili requiring major reconstruction which continued until April, 1995 and prevents the planned closure of Priory Street Hospital... On Sunday, 25 February 1996 patients... at Priory Street Hospital were transferred to... the West Wales General Hospital... On 31 March 1996 when Priory Street Hospital was formally closed... It was put on the market for £250,000 and sold to a developer in October, 1998 for £50,000 for conversion into apartments...It was reported that there was a loss to the NHS of £120,000, at the time of sale, because security and other costs had amounted to some £170,000.
  4. ↑ "County and County of the Borough of Carmarthen Infirmary". The Welshman. 17 December 1847. p. 3 – via Welsh Newspapers.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Listed Buildings – 9542". Cadw. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "County and County of the Borough of Carmarthen Infirmary". The Welshman. 23 July 1858. p. 5 – via Welsh Newspapers.
  7. 1 2 Williams, Sally (11 December 2007). "Rare historic hospital seeks wealthy benefactor". Wales Online. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Listed Buildings – 9543". Cadw. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "Listed Buildings – 82207". Cadw. Archived from the original on 21 February 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Carmarthen's Infirmary flats plan is approved". BBC News. 24 September 2013. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  11. ↑ Harries, Robert (3 October 2017). "Take a look inside as 159-year-old building reopens as luxury apartments". Wales Online. Archived from the original on 3 June 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  12. ↑ Lewis, Ian (5 July 2017). "Former Carmarthen infirmary has a new name as its redevelopment continues". Wales Online. Archived from the original on 8 July 2017. Retrieved 12 May 2026.

Further reading

  • Bolwell, John S., and Andrea Evans (2005). A History of the County Infirmary, Carmarthen 1847–1948: The NHS and the West Wales General Hospital 1948 to 2004. Carmarthen, Cardiganshire, UK: Noon Books. ISBN 978-0954966300. OCLC 62890208.
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