The Exmouth Seamen’s Mission and Sailor’s Rest in St Andrew’s Road was erected in 1909 and closed in 2007. Before 1909 premises in Camperdown Terrace and Chapel Hill were used for mission purposes. Its original 1909 objectives were: “1. IN TRUST TO PERMIT THE SAID PREMISES TO BE USED AND OCCUPIED AS A SEAMEN’S MISSION… Continue reading Seamen’s Mission
Author: DJWadmin
Bastin Hall
The Bastin Hall in Elm Grove was the local base of the St John’s Ambulance from 1933 to 2023. The building was sold in 2023 and the site may be destined for demolition and new build residential use. The Hall was opened by T Garbutt Knott on the 6th of December 1933. The garage block… Continue reading Bastin Hall
Exmouth Churches
All Saints Church All saints Church in Exeter Road was completed in 1898. Christ Church Originally built in 1872 as a Wesleyan Chapel, Christ Church in Windsor Square was purchased from the Methodists after they moved to larger premises in 1895. In 1897 it was enlarged by adding an additional aisle. Exmouth Baptist Church Exmouth’s… Continue reading Exmouth Churches
Lost shops of Exmouth
As with all towns the retailers constantly change. Here are some that have been lost over the years. Baileys, at 21 The Parade, closed in February 2020. Panters at 25 The Parade closed in March 2018. This was a business that could trace its roots back more than 120 years. The Exmouth branch of Woolworths… Continue reading Lost shops of Exmouth
Smuggling
During the 18th Century Exmouth had a lively smuggling history. The Mutter family were major players around this time, though much of the storey is anecdotal. One thing that is known is that William Mutter and Charles Blackmore were jailed in 1857 for concealing a large amount of brandy under the cliffs between Exmouth and… Continue reading Smuggling
Beach House
Previously known as the Barn, the Beach House is a large Arts and Crafts building on Foxholes Hill in Exmouth. Pevsner refered to it as ‘a brilliant exercise in Art Nouveau domestic design’. The building dates from 1896 and was designed by the renowned architect Edward Schroeder Prior with a floor plan in the shape… Continue reading Beach House
Lost pubs
Over the years Exmouth has lost a number of pubs through change of use or redevelopment. These include: A number of Exmouth pubs have also changed their names over time. Some examples are:
Exmouth’s oldest buildings
Exmouth originated as mediaeval fishing village and ferry station with settlement concentrated in the inland villages of Withycombe Raleigh and Littleham. This is why the oldest existing buildings are not in the centre of modern Exmouth but are set back from the coast. Two of the oldest buildings that can currently be seen in Exmouth… Continue reading Exmouth’s oldest buildings
Ghost signs
Ghost signs are the faded advertisements of past businesses painted directly onto walls. Exmouth has a number of these, some more legible than others. This sign in Imperial Road, presumably targeted at visitors arriving by train, states “Orcombe Point Service starts from here”, advertising the bus service offered by Miller’s Tours in the 1950s and… Continue reading Ghost signs
Lady Nelson
Frances “Fanny” Nelson, Viscountess Nelson (1758 – 4 May 1831), married Lord Nelson in 1787. The couple became estranged after Lord Nelson’s affair with Emma, Lady Hamilton and they effectively separated around 1800. After spending time in Bath and Paris Lady Nelson eventually settled in Exmouth. She died in 1831 and is buried in Littleham… Continue reading Lady Nelson