Community researcher – Jayne Bray
In the will of Laurence Atwill, who died in 1588, the profits of 320 acres of land and various properties in Devon were bequeathed to provide homes and a small stipend for poor weavers. The first location for the almshouses was Northernhay Street, where twelve dwellings were built in 1772 and 1815 but these were demolished in 1889.
In 1838, a field adjoining the turnpike house on New North Road was purchased to build additional almshouses. John Hayward was chosen as the architect and the buildings, originally named Atwill Almshouses, were built from 1839 to 1840. The twenty four properties are in three blocks arranged over 2 floors. They are built of stone with ornate chimney stacks.
The builder, John Mason, had previously worked on the Belvedere at Bicton and on the bishop’s residence at St Marychurch. The Palmer Charity took over one of the blocks in 1883 and the name was changed to Atwill Palmer Almshouses.
The decline of the cloth trade prompted trustees, in 1866, to allow any poor person to be eligible. The census shows that most occupants, in the early days, had occupations such as fuller, tailor and dyer but in 1845 `an old man called John Lake’ was a resident who had served in the Navy at the Battle of Trafalgar.
In the 1888 Kent Kingdon of Taddyforde provided funds to renovate the almshouses. They were again altered in the 1960s and updated in 1973.
The corner snow boxes at the top of the drainpipes are inscribed with the year 1839. Recently, the property was remodelled and made energy efficient in order to be more suited to modern day living. Following this recent upgrade, the central snow boxes have the year 2020.
It is interesting to look through the census to see who lived in these properties. The residents’ ages have remained from 50 to 90 and there were many widows living alone although a few tenants had younger dependants with them.
The almshouses are now owned by Exeter Homes Trust (previously know as Exeter Municipal Charities prior to affiliating with Lord Mamhead Homes). It provides housing for people who are unable to remain in their own homes due to reduced circumstances.