See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

Former workhouse at Mount Ford which replaced a leper hospital, latterly almshouses, in the 18th century. The workhouse was converted into 8 mining cottages in the 1860s. The buildings fell into disuse in the 1950s and were renovated into 4 houses in the 1960.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX47SE/86/1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• WORKHOUSE (XVIII to XIX - 1701 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Wilkins, N., 12/12/1996, The Old Workhouse at Mount Ford, Tavistock (Correspondence). SDV350220.

Letter in reply to an enquiry concerning the old workhouse at Mount Ford. Attachments contain information from various sources.
A workhouse was erected towards the end of the 18th century, in place of the old leper hospital (Orme + Webster).
In 1585, or at some point after, the hospital became an almshouse (Woodcock).
The hospital became a workhouse or poorhouse, probably until it was replaced by Gwyntor (now Russell Court). During the 1860s it was converted into eight mining cottages. It fell into disuse in the 1950s, and was renovated into four houses in 1960.

Ordnance Survey, 1855-1895, First Edition 1:500 Town Map (Cartographic). SDV338879.

'Old Workhouse' marked. Map object based on this source.

Johnstone, G., 1889, An Old Parish Chest, 235 (Article in Serial). SDV336091.

Ford Street
"The Spylte howse called the Mawdelene", mentioned in 1554 was later merged into the old workhouse in Ford Street.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'Old Workhouse Cottages' marked.

Hicks, C. E., 1947, Tavistock: The Changing Scene in the Last Two Centuries, 309 (Article in Serial). SDV256401.

Maudlin house of St. Mary Magdelen and St. Theobald.

Timms, S. C., 1976, The Devon Urban Survey, 1976. First Draft, 170 (Report - Survey). SDV341346.

The Tavistock and District Local History Society, 1994, About Tavistock: An Historical Introduction and Six Town Walks, 26 (Monograph). SDV354806.

Orme, N. + Webster, M., 1995, The English Hospital 1070-1570 (Monograph). SDV350213.

O'Connor Thompson, S., 2000, Report on a Watching Brief at Mount Ford, Ford Street, Tavistock, Devon, 5 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV350378.

Mount Ford workhouse was opened in 1818, with a capacity of 100. The land was given by the Duke of Bedford with £100 towards the new building, in exchange for the old workhouse on Brook Street.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

'Mount Ford' shown. Map object based on this source.

Woodcock, G., Unknown, History of Tavistock (Monograph). SDV350215.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.