# Eastry Union Work House - Dec 11 - Pic Heavy



## tank2020 (Dec 23, 2011)

Clocked of work early and took a drive to Eastry. Most of the hospital has been flattend but the original Work House buildings remain, being that they are grade 2 listed.

Inside these buildings is rotten, for want of a better word. Some spots I dared not wander as I did not want the express route down stairs. May have missed some of the features on other reports due to not risking it, but if something is gonna brake, I will be the one that brakes it, those of you who of met me will understand.

I called the report the work House as that is the buildings that remain, as I said the newer hospital part is gone.


_Eastry was part of a Gilbert Union formed under Gilbert's Act of 1782 which provided a variety of powers including the operation of a workhouse for the elderly, infirm and children. The Union erected a workhouse at the south side of Mill Lane in Eastry. Its layout is shown on a plan for the new Poor Law Union workhouse by which it was replaced. It appears to have consisted of a main house in the north-west corner, with half a dozen smaller blocks around a central yard.

After 1834
Eastry Poor Law Union officially came into existence on 27th April 1835. Its operation was overseen by an elected Board of Guardians, 27 in number, representing its 26 constituent parishes as listed below (figures in brackets indicate numbers of Guardians if more than one):

County of Kent: Ash (2), Barfeston, Betshanger otherwise Betteshanger, Chillenden, Eastry, Elmstone, Eythorn, Goodnestone, Ham, Knowlton, Great Mongeham, Little Mongeham, Nonington, Northbourne, Preston next Wingham, Ripple, Sholden otherwise Shoulden, Staple next Wingham, Stourmouth, Sutton by Dover, Tilmanstone, Waldershare, Walmer, Wingham, Woodnesborough, Word or Worth.

These were joined on 6th April 1836 by: Deal (2 Guardians), Sandwich St Clement's (1), Sandwich St Mary's (1), Sandwich St Peter's (1).

The population falling within the enlarged Union at the 1831 census had been 23,870 with parishes ranging in size from from Betshanger (population 20) to Deal (7,268). The average annual poor-rate expenditure for the period 1833-5 had been £21,177 or 17s.9d. per head of the population.

A new Eastry Union workhouse was erected in 1835-6 to the west of the existing workhouse on Mill Lane. It was designed by William Spanton following Sir Francis Head's model courtyard plan which was also adopted by other Kent Unions such as Bridge, Cranbrook, Dartford, Dover, East Ashford, Malling, and Tonbridge. The new Eastry workhouse was designed to accommodate about 500 inmates. 

Taken from_ -http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Eastry/

Outside shots



























The insides






















































































The Chapel


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## Priority 7 (Dec 23, 2011)

Really nice work bud


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## TeeJF (Dec 24, 2011)

Looks bodacious! Great pix.


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## krela (Dec 24, 2011)

Very nice Tank, that last B&W photos is great.


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## Cuban B. (Dec 24, 2011)

Looks quite good in there. How much of the place is still standing?


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## tank2020 (Dec 25, 2011)

Pretty much the buildings you see in the report is it. all the hospital stuff has pretty much gone


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## Ratters (Dec 27, 2011)

Great work


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## fleydog (Dec 27, 2011)

Fab Tank, you have a great eye! Thank you


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## Faing (Dec 27, 2011)

Thanks for shjaring.


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