Fielding Johnson Building

The Fielding Johnson Building is an administrative structure at the University of Leicester displaying late Georgian architecture with symmetrical wings and an early corridor layout. Its interior now houses various university departments and offices in spaces designed long before their current educational use.

The building opened in 1837 as the Leicestershire and Rutland County Asylum and later served as a military hospital during World War I. These earlier purposes shaped its physical design and internal arrangements, which remain visible in its structure today.

The building shows how a place created for medical care transformed into a space for learning, reflecting Leicester's changing needs over generations. Today it stands as a reminder of how institutions can shift their purpose while keeping their physical form.

The building sits within the University of Leicester campus and is visible from outside, though some interior spaces are restricted to university staff and students. Visitors can appreciate the Georgian exterior and explore the campus grounds to understand how this structure fits within the broader university layout.

Local businessman Thomas Fielding Johnson purchased and donated this building in 1921, making it the starting point for what became the university. His name was attached to it as a tribute to his generous gift that established the foundation for higher education in Leicester.