Final Evaluation and Next Steps

Overall I am happy that I my images reflect the main ideas behind my project. The images show the change in purpose of these mental institutions but some are still in use and how the main structure of the hospitals are still there without need for demolition. I think that these are stronger images as the focus is on the buildings that stand out against a plain background. I have learnt more about these places which has lead me to interesting places that I hadn't been to before creating new opportunities to keep the project going.

If I were to do this project again I would explore a wider range of areas as I want to continue taking pictures of these places to make a strong series. I would also research into different artists to get a better understanding of what is out there in regards to what artists work is similar to mine so that I am able to get recent inspiration to make my work more current and contemporary. Planning out where I want to go in advance is also important as I will have more time at the places and I will be able to do more research.

I will now be focusing on getting my work seen by people that are interested in my images and continuing my volunteer work with the National Trust. I will be attending the private view of the White Horse Hill exhibition in Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery that is happening in September, which will be help me to network and gain some interest which can lead to work as I am interested in working with the museum. I will also continue to look for photography jobs in Cornwall so that I am still able to take images.

Mark Power

Mark Power's work consists of strong elements that draw the viewer into his images. The main focus changes from a set of buildings to a barren wasteland highlighting the change in landscape and how man has affected it. In his series 26 different endings, there is a variation of subject matter that are linked together through a similar theme. The images appear slightly dead pan that emphasizes the lack of human presence, although it is clear that people are in that environment as they have left traces behind in the form of cars, rubbish and graffitti.

148 South, 26 Different Endings, Mark Power

 In this image the eye follows the road from the bottom of the image up through to the top where the houses and sky appear. There is a lack in colour that draws attention to the mundane and emphasizes the emptiness of the houses. Although there aren't any people in the shot there is still a human presence as there is a car just visible near the top of the image and the foliage has been well kept showing that people have been here. Having the sky as a neutral colour keeps the focus on the houses and the feeling of calm as there isn't any movement in the image, it could have been taken during the middle of the day whilst people are working to draw attention to how empty places like these can be.

 6 North, 26 different endings, Mark Power

Unlike the previous image, not all of the buildings appear to be lived in as the house at the back seems to be boarded up. The viewer is led through the image by the road in the center of the image, that is emphasized by the red sign above the road. The red and orange signs are the brightest part of the image that draw attention to how dead pan the buildings are as they are all the same and are rather dull. This image focuses on the mundane of housing estates and how they all look the same as the next one. Keeping the theme of a neutral sky draws the focus to the main subject of the houses.

Trengweath Unit, Redruth

A small mental health unit that specializes in supporting young people and their families as well as children who have learning disabilities. There are  also seperate buildings that are used to treat people with behavioral difficulties. They also provide support for people in need of housing, it is part of the NHS that provides care across the south west in different areas. Part of the main struture is said to have belonged to a well known banker, Robert Tweedy, who belonged to the Tweedy family which was well known in Cornwall as they were very wealthy.

 

 Main Building, Trengweath, Redruth

Victorian Building, Trengweath, Redruth

Digby Park - Exeter City Asylum

Exeter City Asylum was opened in 1886 which was designed by Robert Stark Williams a local architect who made the 'asylum' into 2 main ranges with the northern part being made up of service areas, administrative facilities and accommodation for laundry workers. The southern part of the hospital was made up of occupations for the male inmates with the central parts being separate wards for male and female patients alongside open land with the wards being separated by a recreation hall. In 1929 the Asylum was renamed to Exeter Mental Hospital and was used in the first World War to accommodate patients from Bristol City Asylum when it was taken over for military use.

Exeter Lunatic Asylum, 1886

The hospital changed name again in 1949 becoming Digby Hospital, to then become Exe Vale Hospital, Digby Branch in 1962 before it's closer in 1987 a year after Devon County Asylum with 301 beds left in 1971. Similarly to what is now Devington Park, Digby Hospital became housing and is now known as Digby Park, earlier plans show the hospital was to be completely demolished to be replaced by a supermarket and a new housing site but the plans were declined as the main hospital and smaller buildings linking to it are Grade 2 listed. There is still the chapel and the gatehouse visible on entry to the main building with the majority of its features still in place.

Administrative Building, Digby Park, Exeter

Wonford House - St Thomas Lunatic Asylum

Wonford House was built on the 18th of October 1866 and was completed on the 7th of July 1869 with the Earl of Devon officially opening the hospital. This came after 1842 when there was a request to increase the size of St Thomas Lunatic Asylum that lead to the pauper 'lunatics' being removed from the hospital in 1845 as "the majority were incurable" Nick Henry 1980 pg. 58. Bowhill House (St Thomas Lunatic Asylum) was purchased in 1801 with the 'asylum' being established in 1815, before being moved to new grounds after the request of expansion. The main hospital consisted of 3 walled courts, 3 gardens and 5 indoor galleries as the design was similar to a french chateau. The hospital also had a billiard room, ballroom and a chapel that was aimed at entertaining gentlemen. There were 120 beds at the time, it is now park of Exe Vale hospital that accommodates the main royal Devon and Exeter hospital that was moved from Southernhay in 1974.

 Wonford House, 1866

Wonford House is now the headquarters of Devon Partnership NHS Trust, who provide occupational therapy services for those in need. As well as care for those with mental health problems, there are art classes as a form of therapy. Wonford also specializes in treating people with problems such as behavioral and eating disorders.

Front of Main Building, Wonford House, Heavitree, Exeter

Devington Park - Devon County Lunatic Asylum

The Devon County Lunatic Asylum was first opened in July 1845 with the architect Charles Fowler who had created such places as Covent Garden market. His design was that of the Radial design with the main administration building being the center piece and several wards radiating outwards that patients would've lived in. It was built in 1842 and completed in 1845, it was also based on the model of Pentonville Prison.

Engraving of Devon County Pauper Lunatic Asylum 1845

John Charles Bucknill was the first medical superintendent in which he campaigned to have people who were mentally in transferred into his institution. He also made publications to expose the abuse of unstable relatives that was inflicted on them from their families. Elderly people who were deemed unwell were sent to the 'asylum' and arrived in extremely poor conditions, some didn't need psychiatric treatment but Bucknill refused to send them back. In 1862 Charles Bucknill left the institute and was replaced by Symes Saunders where the institution began to go down hill. There began to be severe over-crowding in 1864, which lead to several patients being turned away in 1870 until vacancies could be made and admission decisions becoming more biased towards recovery. The number of patients remaining in treatment at the end of each year was around 590 in the 1860s which had risen to over 800 in the 1880s that contributed to the over-crowding.

John Charles Bucknill

It's first peak of patients was in 1915 at 1,421 but the population eased slightly in the next 7 years before growing again from 1923. In 1929 the Devon County Lunatic Asylum became Devon Mental Hospital, with a separate sanatorium being built in 1877 and further extensions in 1906. The patient numbers peaked again in 1951 with over 1,500 patients under treatment in the hospital there were still issues with over-crowding a there had been no further extensions since 1906. In 1961 the hospital had changed names again to become Exe Vale Hospital (Exminster Branch) to be combined with Digby Hospital and Wonford House, the hospital was also expected to half its beds by 1975. It then became Exminster hospital in 1981 with it being sold in the late 1980s to be closed in 1985. The roofs of the main wards were striped with the site being turned into housing bringing it into the present day and Devington Park.

Adminstrative Building, Devington Park, Exminster, Exeter

Redruth Union Workhouse Asylum - Longreach and Barncoose Hospital

Built in 1838 the Union Workhouse Asylum was designed by George Gilbert Scott and William Bonython Moffatt who had designed many building throughout Cornwall. It was intended to accommodate 450 inmates with an expansion in 1897 with a new infirmary block for women being added. It then became part of Barncoose hospital that it linked to Cambourne and Redruth Community Hospital.

Longreach Main Build, Redruth

Longreach was added to the original build in 2003 to house people with mental illness and problems such as eating disorders. It has been closed this earlier year due to the building being unsafe leaving 26 patients in need of re-housing who were staying in Longreach. There is refurbishment work going due to the lack of fire-proofing in the roof of the hospital.

 

Original Workhouse Building, Longreach, Redruth