'Structurally unsound' Finch House facade pulled down

The work has been seen to be taking place over the last few days, and the council says all work is being carried out with planning consent.

Councillor Toby Sturgis, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Spatial Planning and Development Management, said a conservation officer has been in contact with the site owners AHH and they have confirmed that they are implementing the 2019 planning consent and that the current work is being overseen by conservation-accredited engineers, Mann Williams.

Finch House construction work

Cllr Sturgis added: "We are satisfied that the work being carried out is in accordance with a 2019 consent.

“Since the original consent in 2015 there have been many subsequent applications, relating particularly to Finch House. The 2015 application gave consent for the residential conversion of the existing building, which was already in a dilapidated state and included a considerable amount of demolition work, principally of the modern 'hospital' additions but also of the rotten timber structure.

“In 2017 part of Finch House was demolished on the basis that it was a threat to public safety, a view endorsed by our Building Control.

"Following this demolition, we advised the owners to take on board the services of a conservation-accredited engineer, Mann Williams, to advise them in respect of the remaining historic fabric and how it might be repaired and reintegrated into the new structure.

“A report by Mann William's identified further proposed areas of the facades of Finch House that were structurally unsound and in need of demolition and this led to a further application 19/1110/FUL which they are now implementing. The consent includes proposed elevations that reflect the original historic building, so whatever comes down, will ultimately have to be rebuilt to match the existing – in other words, a facsimile replacement.”

Old Manor site

Old Manor

In 1779 William Finch, purchased Laverstock House. It was already a madhouse but William Finch was not a qualified doctor. However, Laverstock House was taken over by his son, Dr. William Finch, a qualified doctor who also acquired Fisherton House (The Old Manor as it became known later)

It is recorded that the first patients were received at Fisherton House on January 25th 1813. By 1828 there were 76 patients in residence. In 1841 Fisherton House was licensed for 70 pauper patients and 30 private patients. In 1920, Fisherton House changed its name to the Old Manor Hospital.

Fisherton House Asylum was owned and run first by the Finch family, and later by the Chubb family – the two families were related by marriage. Around 1923, a limited company was set up to run the hospital with the Chubb family as shareholders.

The asylum was taken over by the NHS in 1954 but prior to this it was England’s largest private mental hospital with more than 700 beds.

Finch House construction work

The main building which is still referred to as Finch House had large cellars and store rooms (I well remember exploring these in the 1990s and again on a special visit in 2015.)

Following the introduction of Care in the Community in the 1980s and also the transfer of services to Fountain Way, the Old Manor Hospital closed in 2003.

In 2014, the site was acquired by the Quantum Group for £4.1 million. The development as a residential estate is ongoing and we can only hope that Finch House, that once proud building now holding onto life via a bright red metal structure, will not suffer the same fate as many other historic buildings.

Frogg Moody said: "I worked at the Old Manor from 1988 until the closure in 2003, first as gardener becoming head gardener in 1993. My office was in Finch House behind the board room so I knew the building well. Looking at the picture of Finch House, the bay window to the right of the front door was the board room (the bay window on the ground floor to the right side of photo) was the pay dept and housed a huge safe.

"The bay window to the left of the main door and all the upstairs rooms were mainly admin offices".

Old Manor painting

With help from Frogg Moody. 

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