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Summary

Six almshouses and chapel at the centre. 1682. Slate rubble with stone windows and doorways. Slate roof with gabled ends. The Almshouses and chapel were the gift of Sir Warwick Hele of Wembury House, High Sheriff of Devon.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1306680: HELE ALMSHOUSES
• SHINE: Historic deerpark and C18th parkland with walled garden and traditional farm buildings and earthworks of two World War II bomb Craters; former field system and Catch (water) meadow, at Wembury House

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX54NW/6
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 100472
• SHINE Candidate (Yes)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• ALMSHOUSE (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV154113.

Doe/hhr:plympton st. Mary rd/(1956)31.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV154114.

Copeland, g. W. /tda/82(1950)165/19th report of the plymouth branch.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV154115.

Hoskins, w. G. /devon/(1954)513.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV154116.

Des=worksheet/r. M. Guyver (12/12/1982).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV154117.

Doe/hhr:south hams district,wembury part(19/7/1984)71.

Department of Environment, Untitled Source (Report - Survey). SDV327009.

Vis=estimated -/-/1954 (doe). Hele almshouses, built by sir warwick hele in 1682. A central chapel flanked on each side by three 2-storey dwelling of rubble, with slate roofs. See updated doe list for full details (doe).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV1142.

Almshouses restored and modernised 1975, now house six elderly residents (worksheet).

GUYVER, WORKSHEET, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV154110.

The date 1682 is misleading. The almshouses are mentioned in sir warwick hele's will of 1625 (when he died), and were in existence at that time. The land on which the almshouses stand belonged to plympton priory before 1539. J. Barber has inspected the buildings, and a date of c.1590 is suggested - contemporary with hele's mansion. The date of 1682 may be when a new trustee (calmady?) took over the almshouses. Extract from hele's will given on worksheet (guyver, worksheet).

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1980, SX54NW7 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV154112.

Almshouses. (OS 6" 1954)

Hele Almshouses, built by Sir Warwick Hele in 1682, consist of a central chapel flanked on each side by three two storey dwellings built of rubble with slate roofs and rubble stacks. The chapel has a round-headed doorway and a three-light mullioned east window. (DOE (HHR) Plympton St Mary Devon Aug 1956 31)

Hele Almshouses (OS 1:10000 1982)

Six almshouses and chapel at the centre. 1682. Slate rubble with stone windows and doorways. Slate roof with gabled ends. One and a half storeys. Long seven bay range. The chapel at the centre is gabled and has round-headed doorway with imposts and keyblock and hood mould over with date 1881. Doorway flanked by small single-light stone windows and three-light window above.
The chapel is flanked by three almshouses each having small gable with window with arch windows with hood moulds and chamfered. Tudor-arched doorways. Slated weathering over ground floor chapel and first cottage either side. The other rubble chimney stacks at gable ends and ridge. Casement windows with leaded panels. Glazed doors. Chapel has plank door.
Interiors of cottages are said to have exposed celling beams. The chapel has unceiled wagon roof. On east wall above the window some contemporary moulded plasterwork.
The Almshouses and chapel were the gift of Sir Warwick Hele of Wembury House, High Sherriff of Devon. (DOE HHR South Hams District (Wembury part) Devon 19/07/1984 71)

Hele Almshouses. As described above. The date 1682 is misleading as the almshouses were in existence before 1625. The land belonged to Plympton Priory until 1539 and a suggested date for the almshouses is c.1590. (DCC SMR South Hams printout 18/10/1985 citing: a) TDA 82 1950 165 Copeland, G. W. b) Devon 1954 513 Hoskins, W. G. c) DES Worksheet 12/12/1982 Guvyer, R. M.)

Chapel (TDA 71 1939 180 Beckerlegge, J. J.)

Ordnance Survey, 2015, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV357601.

Historic England, 2015, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV358087.

Six almshouses and chapel at the centre. 1682. Slate rubble with stone windows and doorways. Slate roof with gabled ends. One and a half storeys. Long seven bay range. The chapel at the centre is gabled and has round-headed doorway with imposts and keyblock and hood mould over with date 1881. Doorway flanked by small single-light stone windows and three-light window above. The chapel is flanked by three almshouses each having small gable with window with two four-centred arch lights and hood mould. Ground floor single-light four-centred arch windows with hood moulds and chamfered. Tudor-arched doorways. Slated weathering over ground floor chapel and first cottage either side. The other cottages have slate drips over their ground floor windows and doors. Large stone rubble chimney stacks at gable ends and ridge. Casement windows with leaded panels. Glazed doors. Chapel has plank door. Interiors of cottages are said to have exposed ceiling beams. The chapel has unceiled wagon roof. On east wall above the window some contemporary moulded plasterwork. The Almshouses and chapel were the gift of Sir Warwick Hele of Wembury House, High Sheriff of Devon.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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