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Summary

Raised riverside walk associated with The Retreat, an 18th century house acquired in 1781 by Sir Alex Hamilton.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses: none recorded

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• FOOTPATH (Constructed, XVIII to XXI - 1701 AD to 2100 AD (Between))

Full description

Cherry, B. + Pevsner, N., 1989, The Buildings of England: Devon, 825 (Monograph). SDV325629.

Pevsner refers to the 'good railings' between the garden and the river.

Swete, J. (ed. Gray T. + Rowe, M.), 2000, Travels in Georgian Devon. The Illustrated Journals of the Reverend John Swete. Vol. 4, 161 (Monograph). SDV339713.

Revd Swete refers to the 'shrubberies and pleasure walks of the Retreat' in his journal No.18 for 1799 , stating that 'these for the space of half a mile trend on very pleasing by the side of the River from which they are separated only by a rail'.

English Heritage, 2006, Sir Alex Walk and Wall, Exeter, Devon (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV351553.

Raised riverside walk along the foreshore from The Retreat. The retaining wall varies from 0 metres to 3.5 metres in height and comprises two elements. The northern section, about 200 metres long, is built of plain limestone rubble and is generally higher than the southern section. The southern section is about 110 metres long, although it may once have extended further, is also of limestone but has a coping of Heavitree stone. The surface of the walkway is beaten gravel.
The walk is presumed to have been laid out by Sir Alexander Hamilton in 1794 as part of a programme of improvements to The Retreat which he acquired in 1781. Revd Swete refers to the walk in his journals commenting that it is separated from the river by a rail.
The walkway, which became a public right of way in the 20th century, was considered for listing in 2006. However, although it has historical associations with The Retreat, it was not considered to meet the criteria for listing due to the loss of the surrounding landscape, its lack of architectural detail; the rail referred to by Swete is no longer extant, the fact that it appears to have been constructed in two phases and its apparent incomplete condition.
A 75 metre length of the retaining wall is, however, deemed to be listed by means of its curtilege status with The Retreat.
See report for further details.

Ordnance Survey, 2019, MasterMap 2019 (Cartographic). SDV362729.

Footpath shown.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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