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Summary

Site of Moorhaven Hospital, constructed in the late 19th century as the Plymouth Borough Lunatic Asylum. Later became the Moorhaven Hospital and has also been known as Blackadon Lunatic Asylum. Hospital closed in the early 1990s and was converted to a residential use as 'Moorhaven Village.' Also known as Moorfields Hospital.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• National Buildings Record: 100330
• National Monuments Record: SX65NE87
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1050734
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX65NE/339

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• GAS WORKS (XIX - 1888 AD (Between) to 1891 AD (Between))
• GATE LODGE (XIX - 1888 AD (Between) to 1891 AD (Between))
• KITCHEN (XIX - 1888 AD (Between) to 1891 AD (Between))
• LAUNDRY (XIX - 1888 AD (Between) to 1891 AD (Between))
• MORTUARY (XIX - 1888 AD (Between) to 1891 AD (Between))
• OFFICE (XIX - 1888 AD (Between) to 1891 AD (Between))
• PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL (XIX to Mid 20th Century - 1888 AD (Between) to 1936 AD (Between))
• RECREATIONAL HALL (XIX - 1888 AD (Between) to 1891 AD (Between))
• WARD BLOCK (XIX - 1888 AD (Between) to 1891 AD (Between))
• WORKSHOP (XIX - 1888 AD (Between) to 1891 AD (Between))
• NURSES HOSTEL (Edwardian to Mid 20th Century - 1902 AD (Between) to 1933 AD (Between))
• ADMISSION HOSPITAL (Early 20th Century to Mid 20th Century - 1930 AD (Between) to 1933 AD (Between))
• HOSPITAL (Early 20th Century to Late 20th Century - 1930 AD to 1993 AD)
• CONVALESCENT HOME (Mid 20th Century - 1936 AD (Between) to 1936 AD (Between))
• HEALTH WORKERS HOUSE (Mid 20th Century - 1936 AD (Between) to 1936 AD (Between))

Full description

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

'Plymouth Borough Lunatic Asylum' marked on Ordnance Survey Second Edition map (approximately 1905-1906). Map object based on this Source.

Crossing, W., 1912 (1965), Crossing's Guide to Dartmoor, 411 (Monograph). SDV320981.

Ordnance Survey, 1966, SX65NW (Cartographic). SDV340901.

'Moorhaven Hospital' shown on Ordnance Survey (1966) map.

Ordnance Survey, 1969, 6" (Cartographic). SDV100418.

'Moorhaven Hospital' shown on Ordnance Survey (1969) map.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Map object based on this Source.

Moseley, B., 2011, Plymouth Data; The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History (Website). SDV347358.

Hospital owned and run by Plymouth Corporation opened on October 16th 1891. Originally known as Blackadon Lunatic Asylum it was designed for mentally ill patients who were not able to be taken in to the workhouse, constructed following the Lunacy Act of 1890.
The hospital was designed by Messrs Hine and Odgers and built by Messrs Pethick Brothers of Plymouth, at a cost of some £40,000. It could accommodate 200 patients in six wards when it was opened. Later expansions saw two further wings added in the early 20th century, doubling the capacity for patients.
During the 1930s the name was changed to Plymouth Mental Hospital and a separate unit, named Moorfields Hospital, was opened to the east of the main building, on October 25th 1934. It was not until around 1947 that the name Moorhaven was used, it having been chosen by a poll of the staff.
Other post-war enlargements were the erection of the Gables Hospital at Plympton in 1953 and the Marshall Clinic in 1955.
The closure process started in May 1992, with the last patients being moved out on February 23rd 1993. The 65 acre site has now been redeveloped as Moorhaven Village. Other details: Webpage updated 05/04/2011.

Historic England, 2021-2022, NRHE to HER website, Accessed (Website). SDV364039.

NRHE Record: The Plymouth Asylum was built between 1888-1891 to designs by Hine and Odgers and enlarged in 1902-06 by the same architects. Further additions in the 1930s. The original buildings are of brown local rubble masonry, and the later ones are of red brick (no full description or source recorded).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV8692 - National Recording Project
• EDV8693 - RCHME: Hospitals Project

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