Digby Hospital

DIGBY HOSPITAL, WOODWATER LANE

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1224404
Date first listed:
11-Mar-1987
List Entry Name:
Digby Hospital
Statutory Address:
DIGBY HOSPITAL, WOODWATER LANE

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Location

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Date:
2003-01-29
Reference:
IOE01/09626/31
Rights:
© Mr Terence Harper. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II
List Entry Number:
1224404
Date first listed:
11-Mar-1987
List Entry Name:
Digby Hospital
Statutory Address 1:
DIGBY HOSPITAL, WOODWATER LANE

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
DIGBY HOSPITAL, WOODWATER LANE

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Devon
District:
Exeter (District Authority)
Parish:
Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:
SX 95821 91257

Details

The following buildings shall be added to the list; WOODWATER LANE 1. 1092 SX 99 SE/1200 Digby Hospital II 2. Hospital, formerly Lunatic Asylum. 1882-6 by R Stark Wilkinson architect for Exeter City Council. Red brick, faience details, slate and lead roofs. H plan with separate male and female sides. Italianate with some "Queen Anne" references. Entrance (north) front for reception and services has 2 storey centre and single storey wings, 3 storey towers. South front (the wards) has 3 storey gable end - on centrepiece, 2 storey wings with 3 returned hipped roofed gables blocks to both wings, 3 storey end block towers with 4th storey for water tanks. Tripartite entrance block elevation has 2 outer 2 bay pavilions, centre with 2 ground and 2 first floor sashes with lower plate glass and upper glazing barred sashes. Slightly recessed centre has 2 ground and 2 first floor windows. Arched doorcase under bracketted and pedimented canopy, plaque with date 1885. Moulded faience end pilasters to pavilions and architraves to all door and window openings. Conical roofs with finials to pavilions. Flanking recessed single storey wings with Male and Female entrances, storey towers. South (ward) elevation has dominant 3 bay centrepiece with 3 basement segmental arched openings, piano nobile with 3 arched headed windows with fixed glazing bar fanlight heads with dividing pilasters, balustrades and architraves. Banded pediment with cornices and raised centre forming base to partly dismantled bell cote. Arched windows to returns, all details in faience. 8 bay recessed wings with 3 bay returned gables flanked by conical roofed towers repeated in 2 further wings and 2 further returns, faience details to openings, string courses and cornices throughout. Stacks cut down at eaves. Distinctive end stopping element to facades provided by 4 storey towers with bell profile lead conical roofs with finials, faience details. The design was the result of a competition entered by 40 and selected from 8 finalists. Faience details supplied at a cost of £6000 half by a Chudleigh, Devon, firm and half by Doulton of Lambeth, an unusually rich decorative treatment for an asylum. See Builder XLIII 16 September 1882, pp 358-9, 376-377

Listing NGR: SX9582191257

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
420466
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
The Builder in 16 September, (1882), 358-9
The Builder in 16 September, (1882), 376-377

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Digby Hospital

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 04-Jun-2026 at 14:08:48.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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