There are growing fears that Somerset County Council are poised to destroy one of Bridgwater’s most famous buildings.

Built in 1836 the Bridgwater Union Workhouse housed the poor of 40 neighbouring parishes for almost a century before becoming Northgate Hospital. The main hexagonal building was demolished in the 1980s while the infirmary or hospital block became Blake Hospital and later Sedgemoor Register Office before being declared surplus to requirement. It now stands alone in the grounds of the former hospital, a forlorn reminder to many in the town of a bygone age.

Some in the area recall the elegant symmetrical 19th century three story building with a mixture of affection and fear. The workhouse history is not one that many will cherish but as a hospital it was a place of work for hundreds of locals.

It is owned by the county council who have deemed planning permission to knock it down and replace it with a primary school as part of the redevelopment of Northgate. However there have been calls by some in the town for the brakes to be put on the project and for residents to engage in a public debate over the future of the building.

The Bridgwater Civic Society feel that although it is not a listed building the former infirmary should be incorporated into the new school or another usage found for it. Somerset say the building has asbestos in it and the rooms are not the right size for a modern school.

For the town council there is a move to hold the debate with a meeting in the town hall at 4pm on Wednesday, January 6, for interested parties with a further meeting involving the Civic Society and the County Council on January 14. Bridgwater Town Council support the development of the Northgate site that includes the under-threat building but feel that the County needs to make a stronger case for the school. They recognised the building’s unique heritage and history.

One figure from history that may be familiar to students of the Boer War is that of ‘Breaker’ Morant. Harry ‘The Breaker’ Harbord Morant was born in the workhouse in 1864 and moved to Australia to be a drover but later joined the British Army and led an elite unit in the South African War. Charged with war crimes that included the murder of Boer prisoners he was arrested, tried, convicted and executed by firing squad.

The buildings hold a vast catalogue of collected social memories of Somerset citizens, including many who died in the buildings as paupers, while others lived to tell the tale or to find work in the hospital in later years.

Do you have memories of the hospital, the registry office or even the infirmary? Email your opinions about the future of the building to harry.mottram@nqsw.co.uk