H M Prison Dartmoor: The Old Kitchen

A former prison block originating from 1812, re-modelled in 1880-1, and extensively altered in the mid-1940s when it was lowered and converted into the prison kitchen (out of use since the 1990s).

MATERIALS: granite stone rubble, with a pitched roof from the 1940s, covered in corrugated metal sheets, and a glazed roof lantern built on to the ridge, almost following its entire length. Its two chimneys have been lost.

PLAN: rectangular in plan with a slightly lower, former flour store attached to its far south-east corner, and with a small urinal block attached its east elevation (the later with a small late-C20 extension attached to the side).

EXTERIOR: The west elevation is blind and the east elevation has a number of boarded up window openings. The north gable end has an entrance, now no longer visible as it is attached to a late-C20 covered walkway. The south gable end has two entrances now covered up.

INTERIOR: could not be inspected (2015). 1940s plans indicate the kitchen had an open plan with stoves along the west side and a larder, cook’s room, vegetable store, bread room, proving room and flour store along the east side with the windows.