The Somerset Hospital, Froxfield.

I took the children to school in Marlborough then continued my journey to Hungerford this morning. I have always been intrigued by this building as it it a bit out of place in the small village of Froxfield. I will blip a more detailed shot another day.

Some information about the hospital.

The Duchess of Somerset's Hospital is not a hospital at all, but a sheltered housing scheme for women, operated by an historic trust.

The accommodation was first founded around 1695, under the Will of Sarah, Duchess of Somerset, an important social benefactress, who wanted to build a set of houses and a chapel for widows from Wiltshire, Somerset and Berkshire. Over the course of time, this group of houses came to be called 'the collegiate' and is now referred to by residents as 'The College'.

Today, these 50 historic self-contained units, known as cottages, are fully modernised and maintained to a good standard. They are arranged in four terraces in the form of a quadrangle, with views into the serene and secure grounds, with the ancient chapel at the centre of the green. The residents, all female and over 55, are from a rich and diverse mixture of backgrounds.