Bodmin Gaol Including Boundary Wall To North, West And South

Bodmin Gaol, including boundary wall to north, west and south

Prison, now a prison museum and partly roofless and ruinous. The original structures date from 1778–1800 and were built for John Call JP, designed by Jones of Exeter. The prison was enlarged in 1842 and 1847 by George Wightwick of Plymouth. Around 1855 it was replaced by a new building on an extended site, designed by Porter, architect, of London.

The building is constructed from local rubble with granite dressings, including chamfered surrounds to mullioned windows and stepped gables. The roofs are dry slate except where the main cell blocks are roofless. Eaves cornices feature granite brackets, and granite ashlar stacks rise from the structure.

The gaol occupies an irregular sloping site and is enclosed by tall perimeter walls. The plan is T-shaped, with a west-east block comprising a long 6-storey cell block with chapel and administration block over further cells to its right. A crossing tower links the cell block and chapel, with stair turrets to the south connecting to a further 6-storey north-south axis cell block, which later served as the naval prison and had 3 bays added in 1901 to the south. Parallel to the east are offices, stores, hospital and administration blocks, formerly linked by a bridge to the cell block. The Governor's House and Chaplaincy stand to the east. North of the Governor's House is the gatehouse, originally fronting a pair of porters' lodges, of which the south lodge survives. This leads into a stable and entrance yard with stables to the north and a mounting block by the gatehouse. The complex also included gardens, mill, workroom and kitchen to the north, an exercise yard for female prisoners to the west, and two further exercise yards to the south-west. Former naval officers' quarters stand to the south, dating from 1892.

The two cell blocks each contain parallel ranges of cells flanking a central former hall, originally with slate walks to each floor carried on surviving slate corbels. The north block features a narrow round-arched central axial vault with similar cross vaults to vestibules in front of cells on part of the ground floor. This arrangement may be part of the original structure, with vestiges of a similar arrangement on the next floor, now partly roofed with a flat roof. The architecture displays Chateau-style features.

The exterior shows 5-storey plus attic cell blocks, 4-storey administration and chapel block with a 2-stage tower, and a hospital with 3 surviving floors topped by a Nissen hut. The cell blocks have regular fenestration with one window per cell, most retaining their original 12-pane cast-iron windows. The chapel has 3 dormered windows to both north and south elevations over various single or paired lights, most with original or copy hornless sashes and outer cast-iron bars with central roundels.

The chapel's east entrance front is symmetrical, comprising 2 storeys plus attic over basement in 3 bays. The central gable contains a bellcote with stepped gable over an oculus over a small window, flanked by small gabled attic dormers. 2-light windows appear on the ground and 1st floors, those on the ground floor with round-arched lights; 1st-floor windows are cast-iron. A large central segmental-arched doorway is approached by a flight of granite steps with slotted vents to the basement. A 20th-century door retains older sidelights. Left and right-hand 2-window returns stand under stepped gables, with many original windows surviving. Nearly symmetrical gablets flank the sides, each 2 storeys plus attic with end drum towers all under one steep roof with granite corbels under the eaves, the central section having deep eaves with multi-corbelled detail resembling machicolations. A central diagonally-set stack rises through the roof. The central segmental-arched carriageway features a hoodmould continued as a string course. Small 1st-floor windows, stair windows to the drums, and ground and 1st-floor openings are positioned according to the functional layout.

The interior of the chapel contains a gallery at the east end with 3 round arches and a panelled front. The cell blocks feature original granite staircases. Each cell is vaulted and contains a doorway, food slot, one window and ventilation holes. Many retain original quadrant shelves in one corner, and some have a central drain.

The complex is bounded by very high rubble walls to the north, east and south.

The prison was built following an Act of Parliament and was designed to hold 100 prisoners, mainly debtors and those guilty of minor offences. James Chapple, foreman for Jones of Exeter, became the first governor and held the position for 50 years. The 1855 replacement structure contained 200 cells, a quarter of which were for female prisoners.