Reasons for Designation The Adminstrative Building to Severalls Hospital, opened in 1910 to the designs of Essex County Council architect Frank Whitmore, is a fine Queen Anne Style building with a handsome facade and well preserved interior, that makes a dignified architectural announcement to this early-C20 echelon plan former county asylum, the landscape of which is Grade II on the Registry of Parks and Gardens.. 584/0/10056 BOXTED ROAD 10-NOV-03 Administration Building at Severalls H ospital II Administrative Building. 1910-13. Frank Whitmore, Essex County architect and W.H. Town, ARIBA. Red brick with stone dressings, hipped and mansard tile roofs. 2-storey rectangular plan building in a Queen Anne style, sited at the northern apex of the central spine of buildings in this echelon plan asylum. EXTERIOR: NORTH elevation symmetrical with central entrance bay flanked by 5-window bay ranges. These are have multi-pane sashes, taller at first floor, and dominant 2-storey bows of 3 bays. A deep cornice follows the bows to the slightly advanced central entrance bay. This has a prominent stone portal with deep overhanging segmental arch canopy on stone brackets, within which a canted entrance with abstract voussoirs radiating from the round-headed doorway, and a fixed light with keystone to each side above stone dedication plaques. Double wooden doors have metal detailing to overlight with 'S', the 3-sword symbol of Essex, and 'X'. First floor has group of 3 tall paned sashes within stone surround to cornice level, above which a deep stone segmental pediment with central clock. Behind this a tall mansard tower with circular louver in scrolled copper surround, and capped with stone cupola supported by arched openings with corner dwarf ionic columns. Deep cornice wraps to SIDE elevations, blind except for narrow sash to rear. REAR elevation has small later-C20 extension and links to the central spine of the hospital complex that is not included in the listing. INTERIOR: includes plastered beamed ceilings, tall wood fireplaces, and wide stair framed by tall ionic columns with metal balusters in Art Nouveau style. Central dome to first floor with glazed oculus. HISTORY: This formed the main administrative building to the second Essex County Lunatic Asylum, a large echelon plan complex built 1910-13 to serve c.1500 patients. Plaques announce the foundation stone was laid in 1910. SOURCES: Elain Harwood, The History and Plan Forms of Purpose Built Lunatic Asylums. Harriet Richardson, Ed. English Hospitals 1660-1948. RCHME, 1998. Adam Garwood, Essex Hospitals 1800-1948. ECC 1999. Administration Building with a handsome facade and well-preserved interior that makes a dignified architectural announcement to this early-C20 echelon plan former county asylum, the landscape of which is Grade II on the Registry of Parks and Gardens.