Description

BODMIN

SX0667 BERRYCOMBE ROAD
629-1/2/5 (North West side)
10/11/69 Bodmin Gaol including boundary wall
to north, west and south
(Formerly Listed as:
Bodmin Gaol)

GV II

Prison, now a prison museum and partly roofless and ruinous.
Original structures 1778-1800. For John Call JP. Designed by
Jones of Exeter. Enlarged 1842 and 1847 by George Wightwick of
Plymouth. c1855 replaced by a new building on an extended site
by Porter, architect, of London.
MATERIALS: local rubble with granite dressings including
chamfered surrounds or mullioned windows and stepped gables;
dry slate roofs except where roofless to main cell blocks,
eaves cornices with granite brackets; granite ashlar stacks.
PLAN: irregular sloping site with tall perimeter walls:
T-shaped plan with west-east block comprising a long 6-storey
cell block with chapel and adminstration block over further
cells on its right; crossing tower between cell block and
chapel and stair turrets south of this linked to further
6-storey north-south axis cell block (later the naval prison)
with 3 bays added 1901 to south.
Parallel on the right (east) are offices and stores and
hospital and administration block returned to right and
formerly linked by a bridge to the cell block. To east are the
Governor's House and the Chaplaincy, (qv).
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 north and a mounting block by the gatehouse. North
of the prison were gardens, mill, workroom and kitchen; to the
west an exercise yard for female prisoners and 2 other
exercise yards to the south-west. 1892 former naval officers'
quarters to south (qv).
The 2 cell blocks each have parallel ranges of cells flanking
a central former hall formerly with slate walks to each floor
carried on surviving slate corbels. North block has narrow
round-arched central axial vault with similar cross vaults to
vestibules in front of cells to part of ground floor; this
arrangement may be part of original structure and vestiges of
a similar arrangement on the next floor (now partly roofed
with a flat roof). Chateau-style architectural features.
EXTERIOR: 5-storey plus attic cell blocks; 4-storey
administration and chapel block plus 2-stage tower; hospital
has 3 surviving floors plus a Nissen hut on top. The cell
blocks have regular fenestration with 1-window per cell, most
with their original 12-pane cast-iron windows.
Chapel has 3 dormered windows to both N and S elevations over
various single or paired lights, most with original or copy
hornless sashes and outer cast-iron bars with central
roundels. Symmetrical 2-storeys plus attic over basement.
3-bay east entrance front: central gable with bellcote with
stepped gable over oculus over small window; flanking small
gabled attic dormers; 2-light windows to ground and 1st floor,
those to ground floor with round-arched lights; 1st-floor
windows with cast-iron windows. Large central segmental-arched
doorway approached by flight of granite steps with slotted
vents to basement; C20 door with older sidelights. Left and
right-hand 2-window returns under stepped gables; many
original windows.
Nearly symmetrical gatehouse is 2 storeys plus attic with end
drum towers all under one steep roof with granite corbels
under the eaves with deep eaves of central section
multi-corbelled resembling machicolations. Central
diagonally-set stack. Central segmental-arched carriageway
with hoodmould continued as string; small 1st-floor window
left of doorway, small stair windows to drums and ground and
1st-floor openings right of doorway.
INTERIOR: chapel has gallery at east end with 3 round arches
and panelled front. Cell blocks (see also plan) have original
granite staircases. Each cell is vaulted and has doorway, food
slot, one window and ventilation holes. Many have original
quadrant shelves in one corner and some with central drain.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: very high rubble boundary walls to north,
east and south. Walls to east are included as part of naval
officers' quarters (qv).
HISTORICAL NOTE: the prison was built following an Act of
Parliament; it 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, a
position he held for 50 years. The 1855 structure which
replaced it contained 200 cells, a quarter of which were for
females.
(Long L E: An Old Cornish Town: BODMIN: 1975-: 7-13).

Listing NGR: SX0649067456

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26585756

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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