West of England Eye Infirmary, Exeter, Devon

How I came across the building was one of those odd coincidences that just can't be made up. I had an appointment to attend the actual eye infirmary clinic, which is now situated in the Royal Devon & Exeter hospital. Having time to spare until my bus journey home, I decided to go and look for the Jewish Cemetery, which I once came across many years ago (see the previous post for the cemetery).

Having researched its location to be in Magdalen Road, I walked down there, found it and took some photos. I saw this building, wondered what it was and had a wander along the road. Accosting a friendly local lady, I asked her if she knew what this was. Imagine my surprise when she told me that it used to be the eye infirmary!

  
This particular building was begun in 1901, although the original West of England Eye Infirmary was first built in 1808, being the only second eye hospital in Britain, and the first one in the South West. The original building was in Holloway Street, and was then moved to this site in Magdalen Street in 1813. After having been enlarged and extended, it was finally demolished to make way for this new building.

The eye infirmary was closed in 1992 and the clinic was transferred to the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital in Barrack Road, Heavitree.

At one stage it became part of Exeter University for a while. It was eventually sold on to become the Hotel Barcelona; the building then refurbished to become a 42 room hotel with the addition of a modern architecture bar constructed in glass and steel, and subsequently opening in 2001. Apparently, many of the original features had been retained within the building.

However, it closed its doors in December 2008 for further refurbishment. This was meant to be for a period of 12 months in order to carry out extensive refurbishment and extension work, following a successful planning application. These photos were taken in November 2009, shortly before it was due to be re-opened. Fortunately, it looks as though the exterior of the building, at least, has been retained in its original form. The green hoarding was there temporarily during renovations of course, but I rather like the colour against the sun-drenched orange of the red brick.

A Grade II listed building, it was built between 1902 and 1908 in the Baroque Revival style to the designs of Alfred Brumwell Thomas, and was constructed using dark red brick with ashlar stone dressings and stone banding/string courses. The chimney stacks echo the design of brick banded with stone, contrasting nicely with the slate roof.

All the original windows remain, most of which still retain their original small-pane sashes. The north entrance is flanked by shallow turrets topped with elaborate domed stone finials, between which there is a tall freestanding stone plaque with pilasters and a scrolled pediment inscribed "The West of England Eye Infirmary, rebuilt 1901".

Interestingly, the curved sweep of the brickwork either side of the central plaque is echoed beautifully by the curved brick walls surrounding the entrance courtyard.

The main, central doorway is in a recessed porch with this rather grand segmented-headed archway with a keystone and moulded eared architrave, with smaller versions of the same architrave around the ground floor windows.

And finally, this lovely obelisk finial on top of the gateposts.