The Old South Range Of Hospital

0/D2 TOTNES PLYMOUTH ROAD

The Old South Range of Hospital

II

Former Totnes Union Workhouse, now a hospital. 1838-1839. Local stone rubble and dressed stone quoins and red brick window dressings. Some sections of the rear wall have been roughcast. Slate hipped roof with gable-ended wings left and right. Plan: This is the central range of 3 parallel ranges according to the 1888 OS map; The front north range was rebuilt in 1906 and what was probably the service range behind has been demolished. It is a long range facing south with a slightly deeper central and right hand block, its entrance at the centre in a canted bay and short projecting wings at either end. Later in the C19 2 storey wings were added to the front and rear of the left hand end. In the C20 wings were added to the front of the right hand end, one was probably the laundry and the other the administration office. Late in the C20 a covered corridor was built at the front to the right of centre to link the original building with the rebuilt front range.

Exterior: 3 storeys symmetrical 2:7:2:3:2:7:2 bay north front. The centre 7 bays break forward with a 3-window full height canted bay at the centre. The end 2 bays project slightly, each with an oculus in its gable. The windows have red brick dressings and segmental brick arches. The central 7 bays have larger windows and only those on the first floor of this block have their original 12-pane sashes, except for the 2 second floor windows of the right hand gabled projection which are also original but smaller 12-pane sashes. The other sashes at the front have all been replaced in the C20 and the ground floor window openings have been enlarged by lowering their sills. Some of the windows are blind or blocked and a few additional corridors have been inserted. The doorway in the central canted bay has a dressed stone surround with a recessed panel above containing a C20 clock. Over the ridge of the centre block there is an ornate wrought iron weathervane. Attached to the front of the left hand end a later C19 2-storey stone rubble wing with a gable-ended slate roof and C20 sashes. Mid to late C20 brick wing covered corridor at right angles to the right of the central doorway and to right of that a C20 2-storey wing with a hipped roof and large brick stack. Projecting at the front of the right hand end is a C20 single storey wing with a gable end. The rear elevation is assymmetrical(only the right hand end is recessed and the centre has a canted bay. Various sash windows, some of which are original 12-pane sashes. To the left there is a small C20 projecting wing and at the right end a large mid to late C19 2-storey wing with sash windows. Those on the ground floor the original 24-pane sashes. There are 2 fire-escapes and other small C20 accretions at the back. Interior: Not accessible at the time of survey, October 1987.

Listing NGR: SX7957060374