Preston Street

During the reign of Henry II (1154-1189) Exeter had over thirty churches and chapels. As they were not parish churches, there were no rectories, so the priests lived in a colony in Preston Street. Hence they all lived in the 'street of the priests'. The street had two alternative names before the 19th Century when it was sometimes referred to as Back Lane or First Back Lane, and also Billiter Lane.

Simon Grendon, Mayor in 1395, 1398, 1405 and 1406, founded Grendon's Almshouses, known as the Ten Cells in Preston Street. His gift was augmented by John Haydon, who also built a three arched bridge at Ottery St Mary. Izacke wrote:

"By his (John Haydon's) deed indented dated 6 Martii, 32 Elizabeth, Anno Domini, 1590, he (inter alia) gave the poor of the aforesaid Almshouse, the yearly sum of Forty-six Shillings and eight pence, to be bestowed in bread for them, at two feasts of the year at Christmas and Easter for ever."

The almshouses became dilapidated and were rebuilt in 1878.

The Mermaid Inn, which was approached from Preston Street became a meeting place for carriers who conveyed goods by packhorse and cart to all parts of Devon. In 1764, a company called Iliff's Flying Van, owned by Edward Iliff, ran a passenger carriage every Monday to London, taking six days for the journey.

Preston Street was right at the heart of the Westquarter and as a consequence suffered much poverty and deprivation during the 19th-Century. Nothing demonstrates this better than the statistic for deaths from the cholera in 1832, where Preston Street suffered the highest mortality rate in the city with 47 deaths between July and October.

The short lived Penny Bank for the poor in Preston Street, commenced trading in August 1861, to a warm welcome from the Trewman's Exeter Flying Post. It opened for business every Saturday night, between 7 and 8.30pm, in a room in the street. There was very quickly, 236 depositors of a total sum of £3 11 shillings. The hon. treasurer was a Mr William Townsend. Eight years later and it was noted that 10 boys from the West Street Ragged School had savings in the bank. The movement also had a bank at the St James' Parochial Institute, St SIdwell and in St Thomas.

The Working Men's Improvement Society had rooms in Preston Street where concerts and talks were given. They were given a lecture by the Rev. M Swabey on "Glimpses of Canadian Life", in 1875, perhaps encouraging a few to consider emigration. The newspapers were full of small adverts for steamship companies, offering passage to the USA, Australia and Canada at this time.

A rough area

Although using abusive language was a very common offence, one case in Preston Street in June 1893 seems to have stirred up the neighbours. Martha Davey was summoned for abusing her husband at four in the morning. Her husband complained to a constable, and a neighbour stated that the noise had continued from 10.30 on Saturday night to four the next morning. Another neighbour said "the defendant's "oration" lasted so long that he could hardly say what she had said". The neighbours could get no rest and Davey "upset the furniture, and "turned her son, daughter, and husband to doors"." Some of her neighbours were considering a petition to "have her heaved out of the street, for her conduct was not fitting for such a respectable place as Preston Street (Laughter)." The defendant said she "was having a few words with her husband"." She was fined 10s, but could not pay and spent seven days in prison. No ASBOS then!

Preston Street was home to several public houses, especially in the 19th-Century. One such, the Brewer's Arms, also known as the Labour in Vain, had a short and infamous life. Joshua Lawton, the landlord was summoned, in 1847, by his neighbour, Mr Fildew a bookseller, for noise, abusive behaviour, drunkenness and hosting prostitution. Lawton was fined 20s and 17s 6d expenses. In October 1849, Lawton was mentioned in a case as the keeper of the Brewer's Arms who had been imprisoned for keeping a disorderly house. His wife was prosecuted for attempting to smuggle tobacco to him while in prison, for which she was sent to prison herself, for fourteen days.

Their bad behaviour continued in November 1849, when a case was again reported by the Flying Post with the weary headline "The Labour in Vain Beer House Once More." The report went on "This beer house has become celebrated in police annals." Lawton was prosecuted for allowing fighting and prostitution. He was found guilty, fined £10 and he forfeited his licence. One known derivation of the name Labour in Vain was often displayed on the sign showing a black-boy being washed to make him white - they weren't so politically correct in former times.

The Forte family came to Exeter in the 1890's and founded an an ice cream factory in the street. A little later, in 1901, Wheaton's the printers expanded by purchasing S Lee and Company in the street.

World War One Dead - Preston Street

Stoker 1st Class, Thomas Howard, H.M.S. "Seagull.", Royal Navy. 30 September 1918. Age 25. Preston St
Private, Albert John Howe, Hampshire Regiment. 29 August 1918. Age 19. Patten's Court, Preston St
Private, Joseph Mayne, Devonshire Regiment. 25 September 1915. Age 26. Preston St

In 1925, the Improvement Commission suggested that No 4 area, (West Quarter) be improved. Preston Street was widened to 30ft. In May 1931 nos 26-40, 59-74 Preston Street, Prospect Place, and Rack Street were listed for demolition. Four new houses were to be built in the street with 74 further houses for the vacated inhabitants in Buddle Lane and Burnthouse Lane.

The modern street

Nowadays, the street is used as a shortcut by the buses - there is an automated traffic signal at the bottom that changes when a bus appears, allowing it priority. The Spacex Gallery, an independent display area for artists, a performance space and place for arts workshops is based in Preston Street; next to Spacex is the pottery of Ek Bowley and Eunice Calvert, working from a building that has features that suggest it was a dye house when the woollen industry was Exeter's power house. Both are worth a visit when wandering the West Quarter.

Exeter's Little Theatre Company, who are based in Friar's Gate, above the quay also have a workshop and store in the street, next to the pottery.

Also see the Newcombes of Preston Street