IN 1891, Queen Victoria entered her 53rd year on the throne, new Prime Minister Lord Salisbury headed the Government, and the Great Blizzard caused widespread disruption across Somerset – and Wellington District Cottage Hospital’s foundation stone was laid.

The hospital was officially presented to the town by local clothing manufacturer Egerton Burnett a year later on June 21, 1892, costing £1,200.

Many healthcare services have utilised Wellington Hospital over the years, including maternity birthing units and outpatient services, inpatient wards, and dementia care.

Fast forward to 2025 and the hospital is home to more than 40 different specialties running outpatient and diagnostic clinics for hundreds of patients every week.

The hospital serves a Wellington’s population of about 16,000, with 27,000 in the surrounding area, including Wiveliscombe.

Lead outpatient nurse Kate Henbest has been working at the hospital for two-and-a-half years, having moved from London, although she tells how her local links mean the hospital has always been close to her heart.

Kate said: “I have such fond memories of this hospital while growing up in Wellington, so to be able to come here to work was a fantastic opportunity that I simply could not turn down.

“My job involves co-ordinating and running all the existing clinics in the outpatient department and bringing in new ones, too.

“I also oversee some of the renovation work that has happened to make the clinics possible, and, of course, I liaise with our incredibly supportive league of friends.

“Since I have joined, we have introduced many more outpatient and diagnostic clinics, and my ultimate goal is to utilise every single square inch of the hospital for the purpose of the local and wider community.

“Utilising this 134-year-old building, with such a rich history, for the wider community, from pre-birth checks all the way up to audiology, eye screening, and cancer services, is fantastic.

“I absolutely love working here, and we have such an amazing team, including two dedicated healthcare assistants, Cheryl Keogan and Susan Harding, and a very conscientious housekeeping team.

“We are also so fortunate to have the guidance and support of our senior matron, Norma Coombes, who oversees our hospital, as well as the community hospitals in Minehead and Burnham-on-Sea.

“We are all incredibly passionate about delivering the best possible experience for our patients and the feedback we get is that they are really happy with the services we provide.

“Being able to offer treatments such as chemotherapy is an absolute game changer for people, who no longer need to travel into Taunton for it.

“We run so many clinics now, far too many to list right now, and it is having a massively positive impact on people in the community.”

Norma said: “I feel that we have been really forward thinking at Wellington Hospital as we are already one step ahead of the new NHS 10 Year Plan in making our hospital a local health hub that can support the health needs of the local community.

“I feel we are now a real asset to the local community.”