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Summary

The Grammar School House at 36 Fore Street in Totnes was also known as 'Hele's School' and 'The Mansion'.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1235862: KING EDWARD VI SCHOOL

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX86SW/92
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• SCHOOL (XVIII to XXI - 1797 AD to 2009 AD)

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SX86SW 48 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV174638.

Rea, C. F., 1924, The Bastewalls of Totnes, 205 (Article in Serial). SDV174635.

The Grammar School House, Fore Street, Totnes. Mentioned in a deed of 1808, only shortly before which it had been built by Giles Welsford.

Department of Environment, 1978, Totnes (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV342722.

Number 36 Fore Street Formerly listed as King Edward VI Grammar School. Site of 17th century house, orchard and chapel, residence of Henry James, Mayor in 1637 and 1651. In 1795 Giles Welsford demolished the chapel and built one behind (in use until 1799). Welsford rebuilt the house in 1797 when it was called 'The Mansion'. Between 1876 and 1887 known as 'Hele's School'; proprietor John Kelland. Further additions circa 1902 to the school, which became the King Edward VI Grammar School in 1887. 3 storeys. Double fluted with 5 windows. Hipped Welsh slate roof with red brick stacks. Red brick front with Devonian limestone return walls and rendered rear elevation. Cornice and parapet. Recessed sash windows with glazing bars; round-arched ground floor sash windows with glazing bars in round-arched recesses linked by impost bands. Corinthian prostyle portico with open round-arched pediment with panelled intrados. Round arched doorway with patterned radial fanlight, cornice head and raised and fielded panel door with side lights. Interior with open stone staircase with wrought iron balustrade and swept handrail. Good marble fireplaces to front rooms on ground and first floors with figured decoration. Enriched plaster cornices to rooms. Hall and staircase with arched openings. House front flanked by stucco screen wall with arched openings with imposts; north doorway with patterned grill fan (citing M. Laithwaite).

Department of Environment, 1978, Totnes, 34 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV327174.

The house was rebuilt in 1797 when it was called 'The Mansion', between 1876 and 1887 it was known as 'Hele's School. There were further additions in about 1902 to the school which had become the King Edward VI Grammar School in 1887. It is a three storey building and has a red brick front with Devonian limestone return walls and a rendered rear elevation.

Waterhouse, R. E., 2003, Archaeological desktop appraisal: The Mansion, 36 Fore Street, Totnes (Report - Assessment). SDV321854.

A proposed development in 2003 will destroy all the buildings on the site including garden structures but the property walls will be retained.

Humphreys, C., 2004, The Mansion House, Fore Street: results of evaluation trenches (Report - Evaluation). SDV174636.

'The Mansion House' at Number 36 Fore Street, Totnes is a large 18th century town house on the south side of Fore Street. It was used by the 'King Edward VI School' from 1887 to early 1970s and was an adult education centre in 2004. Archaeological evaluation revealed evidence in the form of plough marks, demonstrating the transition between a Saxo-Norman agricultural land-use to the medieval planned urbanisation. A full range of ceriamic sherds (11th to 20th centuries) including a good quantity of imported wares from Spain, France and China were recorded, which gave an interesting reflection of the development of the town, the growing amount of international trade in the medieval period and the consequent increase in wealth of the occupants of Totnes.

Allan, J. + Tyler, K., 2006, Assessment of the Medieval and Later Finds from The Mansion House, Fore Street, Totnes 2005, 1 (Report - Assessment). SDV347740.

The collection of medieval and later pottery from the site comprises 1422 sherds, including 20 sherds of chert-tempered wares made in potteries operating on the fringes of the Blackdown Hills which indicate occupation in the Saxo-Norman period. The sample of late medieval pottery is dominated by Totnes-type wares, but there is a also a high proportion of imported pottery. The post-medieval material likewise contains a high proportion of imported wares, the most unusual being a white ware figurine fragment, which is probably North French.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV1914 - SHERD (Early Medieval - 1066 AD to 1399 AD)
• FDV1915 - SHERD (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• FDV1913 - PIPE (SMOKING) (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1750 AD)
• FDV1916 - SHERD (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1750 AD)
• FDV1918 - SHERD (XVIII - 1701 AD to 1800 AD)
• FDV1917 - SHERD (XVIII to XXI - 1751 AD to 2009 AD)

Associated Events

• EDV1632 - The Mansion House, Fore Street: results of evaluation trenches
• EDV1633 - Archaeological desktop appraisal: The Mansion, 36 Fore Street, Totnes

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