A toddle through 20th and 21st century architecture at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford

Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, where I have worked since late 1995, was opened in 1940 as a tuberculosis sanatorium. Over the years, it grew to become the main hospital serving the town and the surrounding areas. As it outgrew the original premises, bits and pieces were added, but although some parts were partially demolished, nothing was completely knocked down and rebuilt. The end result is rather muddled, but an interesting catalogue of different architectural styles, and rather attractive in it's own way.

The original TB sanatorium was an elegant modern construction, with two long south-facing wings, designed so that the patients could get as much sunlight as possible.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robmcrorie/8376350205

http://www.fabh.org/hospital-history/

Much of it was standing when I first arrived, but the side wings were later knocked down, and today this is all that remains. It's now somewhere at the back of the hospital, facing a car park.

The South Wing, with it's art deco doorway, also dates from that time.

Planning for the next phase of development began in the 1970s. After the usual delays, construction seems to have started in the 1980s. This was the main entrance to the hospital when I started working there, a building of the time, with it’s brick and concrete facade. It doesn’t look particularly distinguished, although it’s a little hard to tell, as I suspect that some bits might have been tacked on later. This sort of architecture has not been popular in the past, but in recent years, brutalism and concrete have become fashionable again. I think it does have a certain appeal, though this is perhaps not always easy to discern right now with all the skips and other utilities along the road outside.

The next expansion occurred in the 1990s, known at the time as “Project Alpha”. As you can see it’s a mediocre post-modern construction, typical of that rather unfortunate period, with pediments, string courses, and so on, tacked on for that "traditional" look. Quite frankly, it’s not to my taste. What, exactly, is the point of those silly little balls at the top? The less said about it the better.  Fortunately, it's not too obtrusive, and it's OK on the inside.

The most recent phase was completed in 2010. Modernism was back, thank goodness. The result is an inoffensive building, typical of its time, with a rather pleasant light filled atrium at the main entrance.

I haven’t mentioned the oldest building, Broomfield Court, built in 1904 as a manor house, and a rather nice example of t's type.

It currently houses the IT department and some other admin-type services. The hospital management used to be there too, but some years ago they moved out of their splendid isolation into the main hospital where the action was, which was the right thing to do. In case you're wondering, the current inhabitants are definitely not housed in the style to which the original owners were accustomed.

Whatever you might think about the architecture, the grounds are remarkably pleasant. There are trees and woodlands all around, and the green areas are very well planted and maintained. There are in fact two designated nature reserves within the hospital grounds, one of which I walk past on my way from the car park. The other is on my route to and from home if I choose to travel on foot. My father, an architect, thought that architecture was in may ways not as important as town planning or the environment in which the buildings were situated. Broomfield Hospital illustrates this point rather nicely. The architecture is of variable quality, but thanks to the gardens and the greenery, the general effect is very pleasing.

Chelmsford's excellent Summer Beer and Cider Festival

I'm rather fond of beer, and beer festivals are fun and educational.

This year was the 40th anniversary of the Chelmsford Summer Beer and Cider Festival (7 - 11 July 2015), organised by our local branch of CAMRA. There are beer festivals on all the time, but this is my local one, and I've found it very enjoyable whenever I've attended. More so than many others I've been to elsewhere.

The festival is held every year in July in Admiral's Park, one of several contiguous parks extending from the centre of Chelmsford out to the suburbs. It's within walking distance from my home, but it's also an easy walk from the railway and bus station if you're coming from farther away. The summer beer festival takes place in a large area fenced in for the occasion, with a marquee along one edge. Beer and cider is dispensed in the marquee, cooked food from stalls outside at the other end of the field. There are a few tables and chairs, or you can sit on the grass. Toilet facilities are exceptionally good for this sort of event, with proper flushing loos, sinks with running water and soap, and even baby changing facilities.

These are the things I particularly like about my local beer fest.

1. It's in a very pleasant setting, in a very nice park. This year the weather was bright and sunny, but there's lots of space in the marquee if it rains.
2. There's a wide range of beer and cider, at moderate prices, varying according to alcoholic strength, starting at £1 for a third of a pint of low strength beer. Everything is vetted by the committee, and the quality is excellent.  
3. It's a very relaxed and laid back atmosphere. The festival is run by volunteers, and the people behind the counter are friendly and helpful. Soft drinks are available for free, which encourages sensible and moderate consumption. It's a family-friendly affair, especially on the final Saturday when there are fairground rides, face painting stands, and so on. 
4. A reasonable selection of straightforward but good food from the food stands.
5. Good music at one end of the marquee, so you can choose to be as near or far from it as you like (not always possible in some festivals).

I attended on several different days this year., which is worth doing if you can because the way it works is that not all the casks will be available on every day, and if something is very popular and sells out, then it's gone. I really can't drink that much, so I'm not in a position to give a comprehensive review. Everything I sampled was excellent, but these are some of my more interesting discoveries:

1. #100 (ABV 8.9%) from Round Tower. This was an lovely, rich, dark full flavoured Imperial Stout, not at all cloying, and without that alcohol hit that you sometimes find in stronger beers. When brewer Simon Tippler asked the public on Facebook some time ago for suggestions as to what we would like them to make, I suggested an Imperial Stout, but they did not have the capacity at the time. They've expanded since then I'm glad they've made this superb example. It was a small batch that sold out quickly, but I hope there will be more in future.
2. Summer Braggot (8.5%) from Wibblers, another Essex brewery. Braggot is an ancient style of ale mixed with mead. The brewer spent nine months fermenting honey to make mead, which was then blended with beer. Mead, I learnt, is clear and dry. The sweet versions sold at market stalls often have honey added to them, as well as caramel for colour. In the days when braggot was originally made, hops had not yet been introduced to England. The beer used in this Wibblers version was hopped, but lightly. This braggot was a small batch brewed for the festival only. Delicious and educational.
3. Essex Pasties from The Cheese and Pie Man. Peppery, with just the right ratio of beef, potato and pastry. This year I decided that I'd concentrate on sampling bitters, as I'd recently been drinking more of other styles like IPAs, and had recently been on a trip to Belgium where I'd had quite a lot of Belgian beer, of course. These pasties are excellent with bitter, and the Cheese and Pie Man is a regular at the festivals.
4. Doughnuts go very well with stout. Another excellent pairing to remember for future occasions. The doughnuts at the festival (from Cambridge Donuts) were excellent.

I've always had a good time at the Chelmsford beer fest. It's an excellent opportunity to try a range of exceptionally good beer at moderate prices. Its a relaxed, chilled-out event enjoyed by all manner of people of all ages, from pensioners, to students, to young families, and the crowd is socially and ethnically diverse. If you think that the traditional beer scene is not for you, the beer and atmosphere at this festival will change your mind. Likewise if you're put off by the hipster craft beer scene.

Between now and next summer, there's also the winter festival (17 - 20 February 2016), held at the King Edward VI Grammar School (KEGS), which you should try to attend. More details here.