The hospital was founded in 1755 following a bequest by Dr William Stratford, who had died two years earlier.

The appellation "Royal" was added in 1914 when George V opened the Albert Wood wing, which contained six new wards.

[3] During the 1990s patients were transferred to new facilities provided by the Countess of Chester Hospital, and the infirmary closed.

[2] The hospital is constructed in brown brick with stone dressings and has grey-green slate roofs.

It has two Doric columns, and supports the middle three bays of the upper storey that form a canted projection.