21-24 Free Cottages

21-24 Free Cottages is a block of four cottages built in 1862, part of a group of 42 historic units designed for the elderly and funded by William Gibbs. The cottages are constructed of red brick with painted stone dressings and feature slate roofs, rendered chimney stacks, and cast iron rainwater goods, all in a Tudor style.

The cottages are situated on a bluff overlooking the River Exe, grouped with a church and school, also funded by Gibbs. The design includes a symmetrical four-bay front with two-storey outer bays that have gabled roofs. The deep eaves and verges are supported by brackets. The painted stone openings have quoined jambs, and the windows are transomed and mullioned, featuring two and three lights with hoodmoulds and 20th-century glazing. A central gabled porch with a stone Tudor arched doorway leads to plank doors, and matching gabled porches are found on the returns of the outer units.

The interior has not been inspected but may contain features of interest. Historically, Mount Dinham was acquired by John Dinham to prevent its development into a fairground. William Gibbs, a guano merchant and banker from Exeter, is commemorated with an effigy in St Michael's Church nearby. This block is part of an important group of Victorian philanthropic buildings designed as a cohesive ensemble.