# Jewish Cemetery & West of England Eye Infirmary, Exeter, Devon - Nov '09



## Foxylady (Dec 19, 2009)

I've put these two into one under misc because there was no access, and too little for one report each but too much for the general urbex thread. Oddly enough I found them after attending the actual eye infirmary at the hospital, and having plenty of time left until my bus home I decided to try and find the Jewish Cemetery, which has been on my list for ages. It wasn't until I asked a passing local that I found out that the building behind the cemetery was the old West of England Eye infirmary, which became the Hotel Barcelona, and has been unused for some years but supposedly going to be refurbished.

The Jewish Cemetery lies just outside the Roman wall of the city, near to where the South gate once was, opposite the Wynards Almshouses in Magdalen Road. The first lease was taken out in 1757. It's no longer used and cannot be accessed, but is maintained. 
































The higher cemetery.











Wall of the cemetary with the West of England Eye Infirmary in the background.






The West of England Eye Infirmary was founded in 1808 and was the first eye hospital in Devon, being the second purpose-built eye hospital in the country. It moved from Holloway Street in Exeter to premises in Magdalen Street in 1813. 































When I attended the actual clinic I was given eyedrops which keep the irises open and the effect was very disorienting...suspiciously like being drunk!  I'm just glad the pics came out okay. 
Hope you enjoyed.


----------



## smileysal (Dec 19, 2009)

Excellent pics Foxy, love the look of the eye hospital building. Any idea's who owns it and has it been converted into upmarket apartments like so many before? Like the Jewish Cemetary, it's a shame you couldn't get in.  

Cheers mate,

 Sal


----------



## godzilla73 (Dec 19, 2009)

Great pics Foxy . Love the perimeter wall especiallly- is there a "Friends OF" group for the Jewish Cemetery? They might be able to get you in...


----------



## Foxylady (Dec 19, 2009)

smileysal said:


> Any idea's who owns it and has it been converted into upmarket apartments like so many before?l



It's still owned by the Hotel Barcelona group, but it's been closed for a couple of years or more, for refurbishment apparently. 
When I was there the front gates of the hoarding were open...it seemed rude not to go in, lol, but a bloke came out of the building. I asked if I could take some pics and explained why, and he said yes, but the way he stood watching me with his arms folded made me feel uncomfortable so I only took 3 or 4. 
Cheers, Sal.  



godzilla73 said:


> ...is there a "Friends OF" group for the Jewish Cemetery? They might be able to get you in...



That's a really good point and I think there is something like that for geneology purposes. Cheers, GZ.


----------



## vantageisca (Jan 9, 2010)

*Excellent pictures, m'lady...*

Not sure how this works? I've often wondered what lay beyond those plywood gates?

Are you a Devonian, or a 'blow-in' like me?

Steve 

[email protected]




Foxylady said:


> I've put these two into one under misc because there was no access, and too little for one report each but too much for the general urbex thread. Oddly enough I found them after attending the actual eye infirmary at the hospital, and having plenty of time left until my bus home I decided to try and find the Jewish Cemetery, which has been on my list for ages. It wasn't until I asked a passing local that I found out that the building behind the cemetery was the old West of England Eye infirmary, which became the Hotel Barcelona, and has been unused for some years but supposedly going to be refurbished.
> 
> The Jewish Cemetery lies just outside the Roman wall of the city, near to where the South gate once was, opposite the Wynards Almshouses in Magdalen Road. The first lease was taken out in 1757. It's no longer used and cannot be accessed, but is maintained.
> 
> ...


----------



## Foxylady (Jan 9, 2010)

vantageisca said:


> I've often wondered what lay beyond those plywood gates?



Hi Steve,
Do you mean the cemetery ones or the Infirmary? The top cemetery entrance wasn't there when I first came across the place some 20yrs ago (it's been on my return list for a _long_ time!  ), and the graves could be seen quite clearly from the pavement then. There is an entry by the modern building, but I'm not sure if it's residential or offices, and it's a lot lower than that part of the cemetery, so can't be seen from there by a shorthouse like me. 
The Infirmary gates being open was a nice piece of luck...the Angel of Urbex must have been on my shoulder. 
Hope the info helps, and welcome to DP, btw.


----------



## Pincheck (Jan 9, 2010)

very nice find and good background


----------



## Foxylady (Jan 9, 2010)

Cheers, Pincheck.


----------



## UrbanX (Jan 9, 2010)

Great pics as always! 
Nice when these places just appear isn't it!


----------



## Lightbuoy (Jan 9, 2010)

Beautiful old building and Graveyard. As has been said before, nice setting too. Thanks for posting Foxy


----------



## Foxylady (Jan 10, 2010)

Thanks, UrbX. I was very chuffed to find both. I knew the old Eye Infirmary was somewhere on Maggie Road but not where exactly, or what it looked like, so that was a real bonus. 

Cheers for your comments, Lightbuoy. I was totally knocked out by the Infirmary building...I'd expected something grim and didn't realise how gorgeous it was going to be.


----------

