Historic Newcastle Almshouse to Become Affordable Homes After £4.6m Lottery Grant
A historic Newcastle building considered the city's most at-risk structure is set for a remarkable transformation into affordable housing, thanks to a substantial £4.6 million lottery grant. Keelman's Hospital, which has stood empty for sixteen years, will begin its new chapter as residential accommodation after centuries serving various communities.
From Almshouse to Student Digs
The grade II* listed building overlooking the River Tyne dates back to 1701, originally constructed as an almshouse for retired, sick and often destitute keelmen and their families. These workers operated flat-bottomed boats called keels, transporting coal from the riverbanks to larger ships in punishing, under-appreciated labour famously depicted by JMW Turner in his painting Keelmen Heaving in Coals by Moonlight.
For nearly 300 years, people continuously inhabited the building - first the keelmen themselves, then tenants in tenement housing, and finally students from what became Northumbria University until 2009. The structure was funded originally by keelmen contributing one penny per tide from their wages, with residents historically facing fines for various infractions including being drunk at funerals or showing disrespect to royalty.
Ambitious Restoration Project
The Tyne & Wear Building Preservation Trust, in partnership with Newcastle City Council, is managing the ambitious conversion project. Work is scheduled to begin in March with the first residents expected to move into the planned 20 housing units by Christmas 2027. The council is matching the funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, creating a substantial investment in preserving this important piece of Newcastle's heritage.
Martin Hulse, chief executive of the preservation trust, explained that Keelman's Hospital emerged as the most urgent case during an audit of heritage buildings in Newcastle about five years ago. "We are here to rescue heritage at risk, that's how we get our joy," he said. "This is a really well-known building but it has been forgotten. You talk to people and they remember it but don't really know it has been empty for nearly 20 years."
National Significance and Student Memories
The project is being closely watched by authorities and organisations across the UK who face similar challenges with important but derelict listed buildings. Helen Featherstone, director of England, north: resilience and saving heritage at the lottery fund, called it a "hugely significant" project that demonstrates how renovating historic buildings for social housing is more environmentally friendly than constructing new properties.
Former student residents recall their time in the building with mixed emotions. Katie Liddane of the preservation trust has spoken with alumni who remember alternating smells of soap and animal bone char from nearby factories, notoriously poor heating, and even a rave held in the courtyard. Some students believed the building was haunted, describing "an icy presence walking through you" - though Liddane notes this might simply have been the inadequate heating system.
Students received rent reductions for decorating their own rooms, resulting in one space still featuring walls painted in banana yellow, lime green and postbox red. Despite the challenges, many formed lifelong friendships during their time in the historic accommodation.
Why Residential Conversion Makes Sense
Hulse explained that residential use always felt appropriate for the building, despite questions about potential commercial or cultural alternatives. "It just always felt to me that it should be residential," he said. "When you come here, you can just feel it." The location offers views of the Tyne Bridge and the shimmering Glasshouse music centre across the river, adding to its appeal as housing.
This project represents a significant step forward in addressing the national challenge of repurposing difficult listed buildings while meeting urgent housing needs. As Featherstone emphasised: "There's something really important about renovating derelict historic buildings for social housing... It's really important that we can do this and bring disused buildings back to life."
