Walnutree Hospital, past history and future plans.

The former hospital

I hear that the new homes built on the site of the former Walnutree Hospital in Sudbury are due to be marketed from September by the developers, P.J. Livesey.  Apparently the new area will be known as 'St Gregory’s Place'.

A good deal of the structure of the old hospital has apparently been preserved int he development.  I am personally less enthralled about this than some, and agree with the comments of a local historian than perhaps demolition followed by a full archaeological excavation of what must be an important historic site might have been a more valuable procedure overall.  However, I know that people become fond of buildings regardless of their architectural merit, and that therefore mine is probably a minority view.

Co-incidentally on Saturday evening, 5^th August, at St Gregory’s Church nearby Phyllis Felton, the author of the book ‘Behind Brick Walls’  which traces the history of the site,will be ruminating on the time when the hospital was used as a workhouse.  Phyllis was a nurse at the Walnutree for 26 years, and her book traces the history of the hospital site since Anglo Saxon times.

This will be the fourth and last of an unusual series of  free events that last just an hour from 6-7pm, so you are able to go on elsewhere for the rest of the evening. During the hour there will also be music from Elizabeth Cobb (flute) Ron Spivey (French horn) and Tom Cogan (piano). You can enjoy a glass of wine or soft drink afterwards.

There are no tickets but it is a fundraiser - the organ needs £3,000 worth of treatment for starters - so Tom Cogan, St Greg's organist and director of music, is hoping that all comers will be generous with their donations.