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

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

Royal Naval Hospital Stonehouse

The Royal Naval Hospital in Plymouth was built opposite Stonehouse Creek in 1791 during the 7 years war. It was intended to be primarily accessible by water. The building of the hospital began in 1758 and was completed in 1762. Extra blocks were added in 1905 to house 'lunatics' and alcholics with the blocks being numbered which was changed to names and letters in 1924. Within each block the wards were numbered 1, 2 or 3. The quadrangle in the main part of the hospital was detached from over wards to stop the spread of infection.

Royal Naval Hospital, Stonehouse, Plymouth

The hospital has been converted into housing with Devonport School For Boys at the rear of the site, the quadrangle is still in place with the majority of the original buildings as it is Grade 2 listed. The extra blocks are that were used for housing 'lunatics' have also been converted into housing. The hospital is now called Millfields.

Front Left Wing, Stonehouse, Plymouth