Former Exe Vale Hospital

Former Exe Vale Hospital

This former Devon County Pauper Lunatic Asylum, later a hospital, has been converted to residential use in the early 21st century. Built between 1842 and 1845 by Charles Fowler, it underwent substantial additions throughout the late 19th century, including major work in 1893 by E.H. Harbottle, and further 20th-century additions including work by Percy Morris in the 1930s. The gas, heating and ventilation systems of the original design were supervised by the engineer to Hanwell Asylum.

The building is constructed in Flemish bond red brick with some local red brecchia, slate roofs, and granite dressings. Fowler's original design was a redefinition of the radiating plan adopted at the Bodmin asylum. The layout comprised a grand central administrative block called "Centre House" at the front, behind which lay a 3-storey semi-circular range containing day rooms. This gave access to six 2- and 3-storey radial wings, each 18 bays long, designed to accommodate "the separate classes of inmates". Each wing was completed by a 3-bay crosswing, with perimeter walls linking the crosswings to provide enclosed gardens and exercise areas. Centre House was connected to the semi-circular range by single-storey corridors. A hexagonal kitchen block occupied the semi-circular courtyard behind Centre House, positioned to allow supervision from the administrative block while permitting food distribution "with the utmost promptitude and facility". Single-storey radial service wings projected from the ends of the semi-circular range. The planning principles governing the design were order, discipline, and the comfort and convenience of patients and staff. Although the original plan remains largely intact, it is somewhat obscured by later accretions and extensions. The tall kitchen chimney has been demolished, the single-storey radial service wings have been given additional storeys, and the radial wings have been extended with staircase additions. Later additions are in red brick with slate roofs.

Centre House is a 3-storey building with a half-basement. It has a hipped roof surmounted by a tall clock tower installed by Ross of Exeter in 1854, with brick stacks at the ends. The symmetrical 5-bay front features chamfered rusticated granite quoins, a stone bracketed eaves cornice, and granite string courses with a platband above the basement. Steps lead up to the central entrance, which has a round-headed granite doorway with granite pilasters. The panelled 2-leaf front door has a deep semi-circular fanlight with margin glazing. Basement railings are present. Ground floor windows are 6-over-9-pane sashes with granite architraves; first floor windows are 12-pane sashes with granite architraves and floating cornices; second floor windows are 3-over-6-pane sashes with granite architraves. There are 3 attic dormers. A Doric peristyle at the rear has been partly filled in. The arcaded corridors to the left and right of Centre House have been given additional storeys in part. The interior is very complete, retaining fireplaces, plaster cornices, ceiling roses and cantilevered staircases with iron balusters.

The Kitchen Range is a hexagonal block extended westwards. The Semi-Circular Range is 3 storeys high with small-pane round-headed windows in recesses on the first and second floors and a brick eaves cornice. The Radial Wings are 3 storeys tall (originally mostly 2 storeys), 18 bays in length, with short 3-bay crosswings featuring pedimented gables at the ends. Some windows are round-headed small-pane designs with ingenious ventilation devices; others are segmental-headed sashes. Considerable later infill and extension has occurred in the former exercise yards and at the ends of the wings. One small single-storey building, originally abutting the perimeter walls between the crosswings, survives in altered form. Internally, some of the original arrangement of axial corridors and exercise areas with small rooms leading off remains.

By 1845 total expenditure on the hospital and extras amounted to £55,000. The first Medical Superintendent, Dr. Bucknill, was noted for his liberal views on the treatment of patients. Fowler's account of the hospital, published in the Builder, indicates his intention to correct problems of asylum planning experienced at Hanwell and Bodmin. Centre House is particularly handsome. Exe Vale Hospital is a relatively complete example of an asylum built under Act of Parliament according to the most advanced principles of secure building design at the time. The building was planned to be fireproof using a system of cast iron beams with layers of tiles over them.

Charles Fowler, born in Devon, is best known for his market designs, including Covent Garden Market. Sir John Summerson observed that "His original sense of structure places him alongside engineers like Rennie and Telford". Documentation relating to the hospital has been deposited at the Devon Record Office. A drawing by Fowler and a series of Annual Reports of the Committee of Visitors are held at the hospital.