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The Pest House Odiham
Click on picture above for a larger version.
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The Pest House was built c. 1622 and subsequently housed local people and travellers
suffering from the plague and other infectious diseases. Many such
“isolation hospitals” were built in that period but the Odiham Pest House is
one of only five examples surviving. It was restored by the Odiham Society
in 1981 to form a mini Heritage Centre.
Opening times:
Access to the Pest House is strictly through
the gate from the churchyard. There is no disabled access.
The key is available at Odiham Cards in the High Street.
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The Pest house lies in the south west corner of the
churchyard of All Saints Church. It is a small single room building of brick and
tile, which was built as cottage for the poor by the Church Wardens and
overseers of the poor, on land given by Julian Smith
Pest is the old word for plague and like other Pest Houses built in England, it
was subsequently used to house local inhabitants or travellers suffering from
the plague, smallpox and other infectious diseases.
It is now in the ownership of the Odiham Consolidated Charities whose trustees have consigned the care and maintenance of the Pest House to the Odiham
Society.
The maintenance of the Pest house and its surroundings costs money and any
donations put into the wall safe are most gratefully received.
A Guide to the Pest House is available - see
Publications
page.
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