Military Hospital

The Old General Military Hospital was designated a municipal heritage structure because it has aesthetic and historical values.

The Military Hospital is aesthetically valuable because it is an excellent example of early 19th century institutional building construction. With concrete parging over early English bricks, the stark nature of this building is broken by the high, narrow windows and a parged, brick cornice. The truncated hipped roof features slate shingles and cornice moulding. Shed roof dormer windows punctuate the roofline, and in particular, the large dormer on the east side features six window openings side by side. Windows play a large role in this building, with many sizes, shapes and styles. On the second story there can be found 9/9 and 6/6 windows, while 9/9 windows are on the main floor. In addition to this the rectangular double windows heavy sills. Finally, the small rear porch at the south end has a hipped roof.

The Military Hospital has historical value because it is one the four oldest government buildings in Newfoundland. Built in 1851, the Military Hospital was first used for soldiers of the garrison. It is one of the last buildings still standing which was used by the British Garrison in Newfoundland. The heavy, solid masonry on stone construction was built by the workers who built the Anglican Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, the Roman Catholic Basilica of St. John the Baptist, and the Colonial Building, all in St. John’s. The garrison was withdrawn from Newfoundland in 1870 and the hospital was given to the Newfoundland Government as a hospital for men only. The adjacent Victoria Wing was constructed in 1897 as a women’s hospital.