Cornwall

BODMIN

Bodmin Union Workhouse
 SX 074 673 100260

Bodmin Union Workhouse, from the 25-inch OS map surveyed in 1881reproduced by permission of the National Library of Scotland CC-BY (NLS)

Bodmin Union Workhouse was built in 1838-42, the plans being drawn up by William Dwelly. It became a Public Assistance Institution in 1930, and passed to the control of Cornwall County Council. It was renamed Berry Tower House, or Berry Towers. It was not transferred to the NHS in 1948. The buildings have been converted to domestic and commercial uses.

East Cornwall Hospital
 SX 072 672 100300 demolished

Bodmin Hospital, 1938 revised OS map, CC-BY (NLS)

St Lawrence’s Hospital (Cornwall County Lunatic Asylum) SX 055 669 100359

Architecturally one of the most significant of the early asylums built in Britain, the Cornwall Lunatic Asylum was designed on a radial plan on similar lines to William Stark’s Glasgow Royal Asylum. The architect was John Foulston; the foundation stone was laid in 1817 and the asylum was opened in 1820. It comprised six ward wings that enabled the patients to be classified according to social class as well as the type or severity of their illness. Three standards of accommodation catered for paupers at the bottom of the scale, those whose payment was connected with a subscriber, and ‘superior’. The range of illnesses included those classed as noisy and/or violent, incurable, ordinary and convalescent.

In 1838 a separate house for the Medical Superintendent was added, followed by the ‘High Building’ in 1841-3 (demolished in 1964), and the Williams Building in 1847. A new chapel was added in 1859-61, and the Carew Building in 1865 for high class private patients. The latter was designed by Norman and Hine and Odgers, who went on to design a block for paupers built in 1881-4, named the Rashleigh Building, and a recreation hall built around 1885.

At the end of the twentieth century an isolation hospital was added, designed by Slivanus Trevail, who also designed the large annexe added in 1901-6, known as the Foster Building.

St Lawrence’s Hospital, 6-inch map revised 1938, CC-BY (NLS)

BUDE-STRATTON

Stratton and Bude UDC Isolation Hospital
 SS 240 064 100314

Stratton Hospital (Stratton Cottage Hospital) SS 228 064 100351

BUDOCK

Falmouth and Truro Port Health Authority Hospital SW 782 333  100293

CAMELFORD

Camelford Union Workhouse SX 101 834  100301

CARN BREA

Barncoose Hospital (Redruth Union Workhouse) SW 685 416  100357 part demolished

Barncoose Hospital originated in the workhouse built for Redruth Union in 1838, designed by Scott and Moffatt for 450 inmates. The workhouses at Liskeard, Penzance, St Austell and St Columb Major were similarly built to designs by Scott and Moffatt.

Redruth Union Workhouse, from the OS Map revised in 1906, CC-BY (NLS)

The site was extended in 1897 to the south-west where an infirmary for women was erected (architect Sampson Hill).

Barncoose Hospital, former infirmary for women of 1897. Photographed early 1990s © Louis Holmstadt
Barncoose Hospital, photographed early 1990s © Louis Holmstadt
Barncoose Hospital, photographed early 1990s © Louis Holmstadt

FALMOUTH

Falmouth Hospital and Dispensary (Falmouth Hospital) SW 802 324  100302

Budock Hospital (Falmouth Union Workhouse) SW 788 333   100313

Falmouth and District Hospital (Falmouth Hospital) SW 796 329   100354

Royal Cornwall Sailors’ Home and Hospital SW 811 324   100292

FOWEY

Fowey Hospital
   SX 123 520   100296

HAYLE

St Michael’s Hospital
   SW 556 367   100294

HELSTON

Helston and District Hospital (Helston and District War Memorial Cottage Hospital)

SW 665 264 100303

Meneage Hospital (Helston Union Workhouse) SW 662 272  100356

ILLOGAN

Tehidy Sanatorium      SW 647 433 100311

Tehidy Sanatorium, photographed early 1990s © Louis Holmstadt
Tehidy Sanatorium, photographed early 1990s © Louis Holmstadt

LAUNCESTON

Launceston Hospital    SX 328 837     100304

Launceston Infirmary and Rowe Dispensary (Rowe Dispensary) SX 328 844 100297

Launceston Union Workhouse           SX 335 838     100352

LISKEARD

Lamellion Hospital (Liskeard Union Workhouse)      SX 247 640     100295

Passmore Edwards Hospital (Passmore Edwards Cottage Hospital; Liskeard Cottage Hospital)       SX 250 648  100305

MADRON

Penzance Union Workhouse   SW 450 324    100306

NEWQUAY

Newquay and District Hospital           SW 836 613    100307

PENZANCE

West Cornwall Hospital (West Cornwall Infirmary and Dispensary) SW 467 307  100355

REDRUTH

Camborne and Redruth Hospital (West Cornwall Hospital for Convalescent Miners; West Cornwall Miners’ and Women’s Hospital) SW 692 417   BF100309. 

The Miners’ Hospital was built in 1863 as a six-bed convalescent home for miners, largely paid for by Lord Robartes. In 1871 Robartes added an accident wing. The convalescent side had spacious dining and sitting rooms and kitchen. Also the matron’s room was on this side. Instead of large wards there were rooms for one, four and five patients. The medical staff consisted of the surgeons of the various tin mines in the neighbourhood, each looking after their own patient.

Camborne and Redruth Women’s Hospital, photographed in the early 1990s © Louis Holmstadt

A completely separate West Cornwall Women’s Hospital was built on an adjacent site in 1899 to designs by Sampson Hill. The Miner’s and the Women’s hospitals were amalgamated in 1901. A new operating theatre designed by S. Hill was opened in 1907. A bungalow was built in 1925 to designs by Leonard Winn of Truro. In 1926 a maternity ward was added, although this could not be identified by survey staff in 1992. In 1937 both the women’s and men’s wards were enlarged. A plaque in the entrance hall commemorated this. The original miner’s hospital was a two-storey structure facing east. It was built of rubble with a granite plinth, quoins and first-floor sill band. The central three bays projected under a hipped slated roof. The entrance was on the north side. The accident wing on the north side formed a cross wing. A private ward wing was added to the east of the accident wing in 1937. It was of three storeys with rendered walls and a flat roof. A balcony was on the first and on the second floors on the south side with strap steel balustrade.

The Women’s Hospital of 1889 was a two-storey building in brown squared rubble. The central doorway was later blocked and had a lintel supported by two short grey columns of some cast material with yellow stone bases and volute capitals. Above was the inscription WOMENS HOSPITAL. In May 1899 a Children’s Jubilee Memorial Wing was opened. The wing formed a cross-wing on the south of the women’s hospital. It was of two storeys. A slab on the first floor level recorded that this was the JUBILEE WARD FOR CHILDREN. In 1926 the County Council apparently added a maternity ward which also could not be verified by the survey team in 1992. From 2002 the site was redeveloped as Gweal Pawl Urban village and the former hospital building was converted into flats.

ST COLUMB MAJOR

St Columb Union Workhouse SW 916 637 100358

STIVES

Edward Hain Hospital (Edward Hain Memorial Cottage Hospital)SW 518 399  100360

ST AUSTELL

St Austell and District Hospital (St Austell Cottage Hospital) SX 004 525 100310

SALTASH

St Barnabas Hospital (St Barnabas Cottage Hospital and Convalescent Home) SX 427 586 100380

TRURO

Royal Cornwall Infirmary
   SW 823 446 100353

Royal Cornwall Infirmary, photographed early 1990s © Louis Holmstadt

St Clement’s Hospital (Truro Union Workhouse) SW 838 456 100312