Built around 1818, the Historic Royal Naval Hospital is an early example of the use of cast iron in construction. It was designed by a team headed by naval architect Edward Holl and constructed using the labour of enslaved Africans. The prefabricated cast iron units were imported from Sheffield, England, and the bricks were made from local clay. The building rests on a raft foundation, that is, all supporting iron columns are linked beneath the surface.The hospital was built on the foundation of an earlier one erected in 1743 and destroyed by fire in 1812. Outbuildings included kitchens, staff quarters, isolation ward, mortuary and a storeroom. The services at the new hospital received high praise from those who were treated there. One of the first to be nursed at the hospital was Captain Botelier, RN.Over the years and since the naval station at Port Royal closed in 1905, the building has been used for a variety of purposes.
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