Eldin House

Eldin House

A mid-19th century Gothic Revival house in Exmouth, built for Reverend Henry Clarke. The architect is unknown but likely to be John Hayward.

The building is constructed of square uncoursed rubble limestone with Beer stone dressings and has a steeply pitched slate roof. It forms a roughly square two-storey block with a former service range to the north.

The exterior displays consistent Gothic Revival detailing across its three principal elevations. The west elevation includes a projecting bay to the main house and a dedicated service range at its north end. It features a pair of sash windows to the ground floor and a single sash window above with a circular window within a pointed arch. The entrance porch projects from the right of the gable, topped with a pointed arch featuring ball flower label stops and columns with foliate capitals. Pairs of cusped-headed windows flank the porch, separated by a column with foliate capital. The carvings to the capitals and label stops all differ in design. The entrance door has been replaced, though its surround with pointed arch and quatrefoil detail survives. A sash window sits above the porch, with a truncated chimney stack to its right. The south and east elevations share similar architectural treatment, each with a projecting bay. The canted bay on the south elevation appears to have been added in the mid-20th century based on historic map evidence. The ground floor tripartite window to the projecting bay has columns with foliate capitals and trefoil decorative detailing within the string course above. The canted bay features a balustrade with quatrefoil detail. Upper floors carry pairs of sash windows with circular windows above within pointed arches. The north end of the east elevation contains the service wing, which has first-floor windows of the same pattern and two single sash windows to the ground floor, along with a later inserted casement window. The north elevation shows the end of the service range with some single-storey 20th-century additions. A bracketed eaves cornice runs around the whole building, and bargeboards to the gable ends are decorated with flower motifs.

The interior retains numerous bespoke fixtures and fittings of high quality. Cast iron round arch fireplaces with marble surrounds, cornicing with acanthus leaf and egg-and-dart plasterwork, window furniture, and deep skirting boards all survive. The principal staircase is in the Second Pointed Gothic style, featuring elaborate decorative newel posts with ball and knop finials. The individual panels to the balustrade include two-light windows with cusped heads and quatrefoils to the apex. The doors have six panels and a mid-rail with inlaid panels and flower reliefs. Unusual door surrounds consist of pillars with bases and capitals; the capital is surmounted by a console with floral ornamentation and capped by a gablet. The service wing has plainer architectural detailing, retaining its staircase with stick balustrade and many original doors with deep architraves.

During the 1860s, the Rolle family—owners of most land around the developing seaside resort of Exmouth—undertook a conscious effort to develop the town as a rival to Torquay. Their plans included creating a high-class suburb linked to the commercial centre by a new road, Rolle Street. A development plan by architects Banks and Barry produced in 1865 detailed plots of land for sale; Eldin House occupies an area advertised as "sites of about an acre for first class villas". Following its construction for Reverend Clarke, who lived there until the early 20th century, the house became a dormitory for Southlands School, which occupied three buildings: Fairfield House, Brockhurst House, and Eldin House. The other two buildings have since been demolished. Eldin House subsequently became the social club for Rolle College, which was later inherited by the University of Plymouth.