Places in Exeter

Blackaller and Head Weir

These weirs are situated right next to Bonhay Road - few will not have been impressed by Blackaller Weir in full flow after heavy rain. Blackaller Weir, was also known as Calabear Weir and even Head Weir, which can cause confusion.  Blackaller Weir originally raised the river level to feed the upper and lower leats, thus creating Exe Island

In 1568 it was noted of Blackaller Weir:

"The latter end of this year there was a severe frost, which was attended by a sudden thaw; in consequence of it great inundations were caused which did much damage, particularly to the bridges and weirs; Calabear Weir (now Head Weir) was entirely destroyed, but afterwards rebuilt in a much stronger manner."

After the flood caused by the frost, a second leat was built above Blackaller, in 1609 and named Head Weir. The upper leat was extended by cutting through solid rock beneath Wear Cliffe. Since then, The leat fed by Head Weir now flows under the Bonhay Road, crossing beneath Exe Street, and emerging just before the new Powhay Mills development. Blackaller Weir was then disconnected from the upper leat to solely feed Head Weir Paper Mill on the site of the Mill on the Exe public house. Later in the 19th century, Jenkins described the two weirs thus:

"....and beneath it are two strong stone weirs, which turn the river into different Head Weir, leats, on which is situated the engine that supplies the city with water, many fulling, grist, and other mills, dye-houses, &c. a great accommodation to woollen and other manufacturers; the walk between the river and leat is not above six feet in breadth, and when the river is swelled by floods is awfully grand; the great expanse of water foaming over the weirs on the left hand, the lofty cliff, clothed with wood, (which is only separated from you by the leat) on the right, and the beautiful prospect in front of the bason of the river, with the adjoining meadows, excite a sensation in strangers that cannot be described."

Head Weir Mill, was converted to a paper mill in 1798. The bridge is the innovative Millers Crossing which opened in 2002. 

Just above Head Weir, there was a bathing place that was used from the early nineteenth-century, or before. The City Council took responsibility for it. One of the first supervisors was James Baker and from 1873, it was supervised by Frank Shooter, Hero of the Exe. In 1877 a swimming match was advertised there, and it became an annual event. By 1883 80 guineas was offered in prizes.

Broadgate

Also known as St Michael's Gate, this was the main entrance gate to Cathedral Close, and dates from 1286. Although it was one of the three widest gates leading into the close, it was still only 3 meters wide. In the 16th century, Hooker noted that it was sometimes called Fissand, meaning a narrow fissure. In the early 19th century, just before it was demolished it was described as a filthy quagmire. Like many gates in the city, it had accommodation built in - Broadgate was used for housing members of the cathedral staff including the main gatekeeper for the close, whose duties included removing undesirables, including females, from the close at night. In 1815, it was also the residence of the Cathedral Scavenger, who cleared animal dung and rubbish, and the Lamplighter.

In 1778 several images of Roman gods were said to have been found under a house at Broadgate, indicating that there had been a Roman household shrine at that spot. Edward Upham occupied a shop at Broadgate in 1801 when he offered Cary's New English Atlas for sale. 

Although one of the widest of the seven gates, it started to prove to be a hindrance to stage coaches entering the close heading to the Royal Clarence Hotel. The manager of the hotel petitioned the Cathedral authorities in the early 19th century to have the gate removed after a coach had hit the side of the gate, resulting in the horses panicking and breaking away to gallop along the road to the Royal Clarence leaving the passengers stranded. By 1823 plans were afoot to deal with Broadgate, and a letter in the Flying Post from "One of the Old School" expressed the view that the old gate should not be vandalized, but should be preserved.

On 28th December 1824 the gate was demolished. Broadgate was widened in 1833. Nowadays, we always think of Broadgate as the short street between Cathedral Close and the High Street. The old Tinley's teashop, now Pizza Express, occupies one corner of the old gate and has part of the original wall erected in 1286. Posts, marking the position of the gate, were installed soon after its demolition so that the Cathedral authorities could continue to claim jurisdiction over the Close. When Prince Charles visited in 1979, a ribbon was tied between the posts to symbolically represent a chain, which was once used to close Cathedral Close off with a chain, after the gate was removed. Also see Broadgate in streets.

Catacombs and Bartholomew's Cemetery

There had been a cemetery at All Hallows (Friernhay), Bartholomew Street for 200 years, before a scheme was put forward to open the southern slope of the Longbrook Valley as an extension and to create the catacombs for the wealthy of Exeter. The growth of the city had put a strain on the existing burial grounds, and the cholera epidemic of 1832 had shown a need for new facilities, outside the city wall.

The site chosen for the new cemetery had formerly been three fields that were used for grazing. At the bottom, the Longbook was nothing more than an open drain, and on the other side, the citizens of Exe Street kept their pigs.

The cemetery and catacombs were designed by Thomas Whitaker for the Improvement Commission at an estimated cost of £2,300. They were built by Henry Hooper between 1835 to 1837, at an eventual cost of £6,000. The building works suffered many problems, including failing foundations and the Improvement Commission and Whitaker were often in dispute. The original capacity of 1,400 was more than doubled when the number of catacombs was increased from 8 to 20. Within the cemetery, a dividing wall, which survives, was built between the Anglican and Nonconformist burials, at the instigation of the Bishop of Exeter.

It was the first cemetery in Britain to be funded by public, rather than private funds and was opened to much public fanfare, on the 200th anniversary of the consecration of the All Hallows Cemetery above.   

Tucked under the city wall, the catacombs were built to accommodate coffins in individual vaults on each side of a long, central passage. Although coffins were lowered from above to their resting place, a fine Egyptian facade was built along the front. It was a commercial disaster for between 1837 and 1883, only 11 interments were made. The City took over the venture and converted part of the unused vaults into a temporary mortuary.

The cemetery had 17,552 interments before it was closed in 1949. Samuel Wesley, organist and composer was buried there in 1877 and John Gendall, Exeter artist in 1865. The catacombs can be visited with a City Redcoat guide. See Exeter's Cemeteries

Danes Castle

In the Middle Ages it was known as New Castle, while by 1700, it had been named Danes Castle. An advert for let, of a field or pasture, of 4 acres, called Little Danes Castle appeared in the Flying Post in 1805, although a reference to Danes Castle can be found in paper in 1801. It was situated near the barracks, adjoining the new road (Howell Road) and in the occupation of William Vinnicombe, cow-keeper.

By 1838, the field adjoining the new reservoir called Danes Castle Field was again for sale, along with other parts of the estate of the late Mr Guppy. A smaller field of a little over one acre called Little Danes Castle Field was for sale in 1870, along with the Two "Starcombe" fields at the rear of about 9 acres and a recently built Cow Shippen.

The reservoir

The cholera outbreak of 1832 had proven to be a shock to the city council and steps were taken to acquire a wholesome water supply for the city. Pynes Water Works was opened in 1834 and on Monday 2 September 1833, work commenced on the new holding reservoir to be built at Danes Castle on land behind the prison. The reservoir, measuring 200 ft by 200ft (60m), and 17 ft (5m) deep was partly built over a circular structure that was thought to be the remains of a castle built by the Danes when they had Exeter under siege in 1003. It could hold 315,000 gallons of water, piped from Pynes.

The Water Corporation purchased 300 ft of elm timber and 32,000 four-inch land drains in 1879, and stored them at the reservoir at Danes Castle. The reservoir had a pumping engine which the Water Committee referred to in 1881, when it was noted that it had been improved and could produce one fifth more work for the same consumption of coal. In 1896, it was estimated that Danes Castle and Mary Pole reservoirs were supplying each citizen with 28 gallons of water per day.

By 1898, the filtration beds at the Danes Castle and Mary Pole reservoirs were inadequate, and additional land was acquired at Pynes from the Earl of Iddesleigh for larger filtration beds to be constructed. New, larger mains were installed in the city and the pumping engine removed from Danes Castle and installed, along with new turbines at Pynes, so that they could supply all the service reservoirs directly.

A castle uncovered

As already stated, it was known that there was a circular castle structure under the reservoir, which was misinterpreted as being Danish in origin. The reservoir was remodelled in 1993 and the castle uncovered and investigated by Exeter Museums Archaeological Field Unit. The castle was found to heve been built by King Stephen in 1136, as an earthen fortification when he had Baldwin de Redvers, in Rougemont Castle under a three month siege. The archaeologists discovered that foundations for a wooden gatehouse had been dug, but never built, probably because the three month siege had finished. After the dig the castle was landscaped, and it was registered as a Scheduled Monument.

Livery Dole

This is a triangle of land between Heavitree Road, Polsloe Road and Magdalen Road. From the Old English Leofhere who owned the land and dole, meaning a piece of land. An article in the Flying Post in 1848 stated that the first mention of Livery Dole was in a deed of 1 August 1278, and again in an Act of Parliament in 1437. Henry VI was met by clergymen from Exeter, clothed in their copes and vestments, at Livery Dole in 1452.

Livery Dole was used as a place of execution for those who committed murder, witchcraft, heresy or treason. In August 1431, Drew Steyner was burnt at the stake at Livery Dole while a hundred years later Thomas Benet, the Protestant Martyr suffered the same fate there. Samuel Holmyard was found guilty of printing forged banknotes and hung there.

A rent of 1d per year was paid to the lord of the manor of Heavitree for the Livery Dole Hospital.

The almshouses were founded by Sir Robert Dennis in 1591 and completed by his brother, Sir Thomas Dennis in 1594, it is said, in penance for the execution of Benet by their ancestor, Sir Thomas Dennis, Sheriff of Devon in 1531. By 1823, the almshouses consisted of ten dwellings inhabited by ten poor men or women and a house for the chaplain. Income from an estate of 1,500 acres at Winterbourne Whitechurch, owned by Mr Compton a descendent of Sir Thomas Dennis, paid for the upkeep of the almshouses and the chaplain. Lord Rolle, another descendent of Sir Thomas paid for the repairs to the almshouses, and also appointed candidates when a vacancy arose, and appointed the chaplain.

In 1848, while the new almshouses were being built at Livery Dole, a reward of £10 was offered for the names of those who had vandalised the partly built structure. The next year, the newly completed almshouses were visited by Lord Rolle. The new almshouses did not meet with everyone's approval, and a scathing letter in the Flying Post in December 1849 castigated the planners and architects for erecting a "deformity and disgrace".

There was a Stop Gate in 1800 at Livery Dole, part of the Exeter turnpike system and in 1829, the Heavitree toll-house was moved to Livery Dole. At the meeting discussing the Chief Constable of Devon's report in 1884, Sir John Duckworth proposed that the toll-house be rented for the use of a police constable. A sum of £50 was allocated for repairing the building in preparation.

At the point of the triangle, where Magdalen Road and Fore Street, Heavitree meet, can be found a Victorian lamp post with an inscription that reads:

    CHARLES GEORGE GORDON     26TH JANUARY 1885

General Gordon who was killed in the siege of Khartoum in 1885, was a close friend of the Heavitree vicar, Prebendary Barnes, father of Dame Irene Vanbrugh. Barnes was deeply upset at Gordon's death and paid for the memorial. General Gordon had family connections with Exeter and his father is buried in the St Thomas churchyard.
    
The small red sandstone chapel behind the lamp is dedicated to St Clare.

Trews Weir

In 1564-6 John Trew of Glamorgan cut a 1¾ mile channel which became the Exeter ship canal, the first such, in England. The canal was only 16ft wide and 3ft deep but it made it possible for barges to bypass the shallow and unreliable river. The old St Leonard's Weir was replaced by Trews Weir to raise the river to feed the canal.

The weir was often the site of drownings, as attempts to walk across the spill were made, and the victim swept in, or boats dragged over the weir with the subsequent loss of life. The Welcome Inn was often used for inquests of those drowned at Trews Weir. 

In January 1881 there was a great snowstorm and the Exe froze solid. When it began to thaw, the water rose and broken pack ice, from up river, jammed under the Exe Bridge. A large crowd gathered to watch the Council workers break the ice below the bridge and thus release the log jam ice pressing against the bridge. Suddenly it was free and a huge mass of ice flowed down the river. The crowd ran along the bank to Trews Weir to see what would happen. The Flying Post wrote "A vast body of water was flowing over the weir, and most of the ice, when it reached the crest, was dashed over into the surge, breaking and crumbling as it fell."

The mill

The weir has also been linked with the Trews Weir Paper Mill on the Exeter side of the river. On the site of a former fulling mill that existed in 1633, a cotton mill, called Weir Field, was opened by Robert Tripping at Trews Weir in 1793, that employed 300. By 1801, the partnership of Greenway and Thuiller was formed to run it, but by 1807, Thuiller was bankrupt and the mill was for sale. Described as the only cotton mill on the west of England, the sale advert listed the machinery housed on four floors as 32 water swift spinning frames, 2 mules, 31 carding machines, 4 carding engines, 3 roving billies, 16 spinning jennies, 141 looms for manufacturing calicoes and 43 plain and gigger frames. There was also a bleaching ground and 14 cottages.

There was an increasingly desperate, in tone, run of for sale adverts, May through to August 1807, but no hint of a buyer, although some sources suggest the mill finally closed in 1812. John Heathcote, who went on to establish a machine lace mill in Tiverton, briefly considered the empty site for his business. It then became tenements, before it reopened as a paper mill in 1834, to provide an important centre for employment, right through to the 1980's when it was run by John Pitt and Sons.

R Dewdney and Co ran the paper mill in 1839, according to Robson's Directory of Devon. The manager of the paper mill, between about 1860 and 1890, was Robert Blackburn. In 1864, he invented and demonstrated a new type of steam traction engine that was designed for agricultural use. Its first outing was from the works in Commercial Road, up Fore Street, down South Street and Holloway Street to Trews Weir.

Blackburn was also taken to task by the Council on several occasions for allowing the mill to let water polluted with lime and other chemicals into the river, harming the river fish. He was also accused of interfering with the weir to the detriment of the salmon.

When the City Council, in 1899, was deciding on a new electricity generating station to replace the one in New North Road, they considered a hydro-electric scheme at Trews Weir. In the event, they built the electricity generating station at Haven Banks.

For a couple of weeks at the beginning of February 2008, the sluice gate at Trews Weir was opened to drain the river between Blackaller and Trews Weir. The banks of the river were exposed for the first time for almost forty years revealing shopping trolleys, bicycles and other rubbish. The outlet from the Chutebrook at the bottom of Colleton Hill was seen for the first time for many years, while flocks of gulls took advantage of the mud flats to feed.