Battle Hospital
Encyclopedia
Battle Hospital was a National Health Service
hospital
in the town of Reading
in the English
county of Berkshire
. The hospital was located on a large site between Oxford Road
and Portman Road, in West Reading
.
Battle Hospital began its life in 1867 as a workhouse
, the Reading Union Workhouse. Between 1889 and 1892 an infirmary was added with 185 beds for vagrant
s. During the First World War
it became the Reading War Hospital. In 1930 it became a municipal hospital, taking the name Battle Hospital for the first time. In 1948, by now with 384 beds, Battle Hospital became a general hospital under the new National Health Service.
In 1952 a new maternity unit, Thames Block, opened. In 1972 the new single storey Abbey block opened. By 1993, Battle Hospital had 280 beds, compared with 760 beds at Reading's other general hospital, the Royal Berkshire Hospital
. Both hospitals were administered by the Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust.
In 2005 the hospital closed, with all its patients and services transferred to the Royal Berkshire Hospital. A new block at that hospital, built to accommodate the extra capacity required to support this move, was named the Battle Block.
The hospital has since been demolished. The western half of the site is now occupied by a large Tesco
supermarket
, with its supporting car parks and filling station
. The eastern part of the site is being redeveloped as a housing estate
.
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
in the town of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. The hospital was located on a large site between Oxford Road
Oxford Road, Reading
Oxford Road is a major arterial road in Reading, Berkshire, England, near the town centre. The road leads west to Pangbourne, continuing eventually to the city of Oxford. The road was previously known as Pangbourne Lane....
and Portman Road, in West Reading
West Reading, Berkshire
West Reading is a district of the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire.-Geography:The district has no formal boundaries, but the name is generally used to refer to the area to the west of Reading's town centre, to the north of the suburbs of Coley and Southcote, to the east of the...
.
Battle Hospital began its life in 1867 as a workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
, the Reading Union Workhouse. Between 1889 and 1892 an infirmary was added with 185 beds for vagrant
Vagrancy (people)
A vagrant is a person in poverty, who wanders from place to place without a home or regular employment or income.-Definition:A vagrant is "a person without a settled home or regular work who wanders from place to place and lives by begging;" vagrancy is the condition of such persons.-History:In...
s. During the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
it became the Reading War Hospital. In 1930 it became a municipal hospital, taking the name Battle Hospital for the first time. In 1948, by now with 384 beds, Battle Hospital became a general hospital under the new National Health Service.
In 1952 a new maternity unit, Thames Block, opened. In 1972 the new single storey Abbey block opened. By 1993, Battle Hospital had 280 beds, compared with 760 beds at Reading's other general hospital, the Royal Berkshire Hospital
Royal Berkshire Hospital
The Royal Berkshire Hospital is a National Health Service hospital in the town of Reading in the English county of Berkshire. It provides acute hospital services to the residents of the western and central portions of Berkshire, and is managed by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust.The...
. Both hospitals were administered by the Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust.
In 2005 the hospital closed, with all its patients and services transferred to the Royal Berkshire Hospital. A new block at that hospital, built to accommodate the extra capacity required to support this move, was named the Battle Block.
The hospital has since been demolished. The western half of the site is now occupied by a large Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
, with its supporting car parks and filling station
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
. The eastern part of the site is being redeveloped as a housing estate
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
.