A community-commissioned exploration and celebration of Heavitree Stone!
We struggled to find a Z. But while the Zeebrugge plaque is a bit of a stretch, it is fixed to the old Chancellor’s House and provides an opportunity to introduce the buildings of the Cathedral Close. The Close is the open area by the Cathedral that was the main burial ground for medieval Exeter. … Read more
Yaroslavl is Exeter’s twin city in Russia, and the Yaroslavl footbridge spans the inner bypass road. So what does it have to with Heavitree Stone? Well, we needed a Y, and the City Walls are part of the bridge’s footings. The walls date from the Roman, Anglo-Saxon and medieval periods. They are a roughly rectangular … Read more
The Church of St Martin of Tours, Exminster, was chosen to highlight the role the Exminster quarry played in the building of Exeter. A chapel is alleged to have been founded on the site before 909. The current church is mostly from the late 14th century, with nave and chancel and a west tower. The … Read more
God’s House, also known as Wynard’s Hospital, was founded in 1436. The plan comprises twelve two-storeyed almshouses for twelve poor men; the chapel of the Holy Trinity along the street frontage; and accommodation for the chaplain. It was built of Heavitree Stone throughout, during the medieval period when the Heavitree quarries were at maximum production. … Read more
Heavitree Stone is not just used in the historic buildings of Exeter, but in many boundary walls around the city. Along Wonford Road, between the Nuffield Hospital and Lyndhurst Road, there is about a third of a mile of walling with some good examples of different stone, dressing, and building techniques. Much of it is … Read more
The Underground Passages are access tunnels to Exeter’s medieval water supply system. These were large arched stone conduits, through which water was carried in lead pipes from springs to the north east of the city. They have been altered and extended many times over the centuries, but it is extremely rare to find such a … Read more
Take a leisurely walk along the left bank of the Exe, and you will reach Trews Weir and the striking building that used to house a paper mill. Trews Weir Mill was probably originally built as a cotton spinning mill. There is a stone dating it to 1780 on the front of the building, which … Read more
The ancient cobbled slope of Stepcote Hill and the buildings in West Street at its base have as much historic interest as any part of Exeter. Nos. 5 and 7 West Street, including No.15 Stepcote Hill, are a pair of characterful late-medieval houses. No.5 has a Heavitree Stone back wall and basement storey, with two … Read more
Rougemont is a natural rock knoll of volcanic trap, and the source of the second most important building material in Exeter! Trap and Heavitree Stone can easily be told apart. Trap is purple rather than red; it often contains small round holes where air bubbles were trapped as the rock cooled; and it is easier … Read more
The Heavitree quarries are where our stories begin, in the Permian geological time period. Between 250 and 300 million years ago, Devon was a tropical desert. Occasional storms caused flash floods, which dumped large amounts of loose rock, sand and mud. Over time this gravelly sediment built up and was compacted together. Over the next … Read more
