Hele's Grammar School For Boys, Hele Road

Elize Hele who died in 1635 left money in a trust for founding a school in Exeter. For two hundred years, his request was ignored by a succession of trustees until in 1837, the Lord Chancellor ordered that the funds be released for grants to existing schools, and then for founding new schools. The Charity Trustees funded a new school from the Elize Hele's Charity, at a site in St Davids, near Bury Meadow. A purpose built school was constructed at a cost of £1,000. With a capacity for 88 boys, the Victorian Gothic building opened in 1849. The boys received instruction in reading, writing, arithmetic, mathematics, English grammar and history. Those under 10 years old paid 21s, and those over 42s per year.

Additions designed by architect C E Ware and Son were added to the school in 1908. In 1931, a new building with a front loggia and a sundial over the entrance, was added, designed by the City Architect.

During the May 1942 blitz, the school was used as an Emergency Feeding Centre as well as the HQ for the Information Centre where people could see the casualty list pinned to the wall. As all gas and electricity had been lost, the coal fired stoves at the school were used to prepare thousands of meals for the rescue services and many civilians who had lost their homes.

In 1959, the school moved to a new site at Southam Farm, next to Quarry Lane, Heavitree and the Hele Road site was taken over by Exeter College. In 1983 Hele's was renamed St Peter's School.

During the summer of 2005, the old Hele's Building at Exeter College were demolished and new facilities are in the process of construction.