'Remarkable' maternity hospital gets listed status

The Princess Royal maternity hospital is largely unchanged from its 1928 design

A "bungalow" maternity hospital which is said to have transformed maternal healthcare has been awarded Grade II listed status.

Historic England highlighted the building at the Princess Royal hospital in Huddersfield as one of 17 of the most "remarkable and unusual" properties to be listed in 2024.

An electricity junction box installed in Huddersfield in 1895 was also included.

Charles O'Brien of Historic England said listing was "extremely" important, and encouraged people to submit applications to give other properties similar status.

Historic England said the ward at the former Huddersfield Municipal Maternity Hospital had "changed the lives of countless mothers and babies".

"It's unusual to find a building of that type that is largely intact from how it was designed in 1928," said Mr O'Brien, director of listing.

"It represents a development in the evolution of maternity services and child welfare in the inter-war period."

Built following the introduction of the 1918 Maternity and Child Welfare Act, the ward was designed with well-ventilated single-occupancy rooms to aid infection control and support new mothers.

The building started as a vicarage and remains part of the Princess Royal Community Unit.

This electricity junction box in Huddersfield is a "very early example" of power distribution in the town, Historic England says

Another listed property recognised by Historic England in its 2024 list was an electricity junction box in Huddersfield.

"It is a very early example of how electricity was distributed to a local neighbourhood, because Huddersfield got electricity in the late 19th Century, and within a few years is the date of this box," Mr O'Brien said.

"It's pretty rare. There will be others already on the list, but they're unusual.

"They're rather loveable because they are so discreet, and they're part of the everyday buildings that make listing so interesting."

Mr O'Brien encouraged community groups and individuals to apply for properties in their local area to be listed, if they meet the criteria.

He said: "Listing is just the first step in the conversation because that's the stage at which you can identify what's important to people and help to protect it for the future.

"Buildings have to change and evolve, but special thought and consideration is given to making sure the central character of those buildings is protected."

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