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Summary

Two attached cell blocks, set on a linear north/south axis. B Wing, to the south, designed by Sir Edmund du Cane, was built between 1880 and 1885; A Wing, to the north, dates from 1906-7. There are late-20th or early-21st century internal alterations. Squared granite rubble, with rock-faced granite quoins and granite ashlar dressings. The roofs have been replaced with metal sheeting, and the windows have been replaced.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1429815: H M Prison Dartmoor: A and B Wings

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CELL BLOCK (XIX to XX - 1880 AD to 1907 AD (Between))

Full description

Brodie, A., 2015, Devon, Lydford, Princetown, HMP Dartmoor (Report - Assessment). SDV359840.

Historic England, 2016, H M Prison Dartmoor: A and B Wings (Cartographic). SDV359435.

Area of the listing depicted on the map.

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

Two attached cell blocks comprising B wing, built between 1880 and 1885 to designs by Sir Edmund du Cane, and A Wing, dating from 1906-7. Both with late-C20 or early-C21 internal alterations.
A and B Wings are in the southern section of the prison, set on a north/south axis. Until 1905, the site contained one of the prison’s original cell blocks, known as No. II Prison in the late C19. Between 1880 and 1885, B Wing was built adjoining and in line with the southern end of No. II Prison, and was originally known as New No. II Prison. It was built with 157 cells. The architect of this block was Sir Edmund du Cane; the other of du Cane’s cell blocks to survive is D Wing, to which the design of B Wing is very similar externally. In 1905, No. II Prison was demolished, and was replaced by A Wing, erected in 1906-7, containing 160 cells.
A Wing was refurbished in the 1990s, and B Wing has been refurbished since; both have entirely new fittings, and in-cell sanitation.
Details
Two attached cell blocks, set on a linear north/south axis. B Wing, to the south, designed by Sir Edmund du Cane, was built between 1880 and 1885; A Wing, to the north, dates from 1906-7. There are late-C20 or early-C21 internal alterations.
MATERIALS: squared granite rubble, with rock-faced granite quoins and granite ashlar dressings. The roofs have been replaced with metal sheeting, and the windows have been replaced.
PLAN: together, the blocks form a long rectangular footprint, with projecting ablution wings to west and east. The entrances, at the north end of A Wing, and in the centre of the east elevation of B Wing – are both served by late-C20 covered walkways. Attached to the centre of the west elevation is a shower block, thought to date from the 1950s.
EXTERIOR: B Wing is sixteen bays long, and is set on ground which slopes downwards to the south and east; as a consequence, the building is essentially four storeys high, with an additional lower floor or basement to the east and south-west, where the ground slopes downwards. A band of rock-faced granite marks the level of the basement on the west elevation, in the centre of which is a projecting ablution wing with heavy quoins. The building’s small horizontal windows have plain ashlar surrounds. Above the upper windows runs a corbel-course supporting a rounded cornice, above which a clerestory is set back. The clerestory windows are blocked; instead there are inserted lights in the metal roof. There is a tall plenum tower rising against the centre of the clerestory at the centre of each elevation; these towers are slightly battered towards the base, and have projecting cornices on corbels.
The design of A Wing reflects that of B Wing. A Wing is twenty bays long, and four storeys high, its windows similar in form to those of B Wing, and a similar corbelled cornice. A Wing has no clerestory, but has a pitched roof with inserted lights. The central ablution towers, to west and east, have outer faces, and rise through corbelled stages to a gabled stack. There are also two central plenum towers, with corbelled detailing as on B Wing.
INTERIOR: the interiors of both A and B Wings have been completely refurbished, with modern fittings throughout, though the original cell layouts remain.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7115 - Assessment of the buildings at Princetown Prison, Dartmoor

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