Devon And Exeter Institution

The Devon and Exeter Institution, located at No. 7 Cathedral Close, is a significant town house originally built for the Courtenays between 1662 and 1813, when it was sold to the Devon and Exeter Institution. The current front of the building, which was originally a gatehouse, is constructed of Heavitree stone and was altered around 1814 to create a two-storey façade with four windows. Some of the original openings have been filled in with brickwork. The upper part of the wall features a strip of modern half-timbering and a painted sundial. The ground floor has sash windows with iron grilles and glazing bars. A notable doorway is situated under an elliptical arch, complete with a fanlight, side-lights, reeded half-engaged columns, and panelled double doors. The building has a hipped slate roof topped with a cupola.

The rear of the house dates back to the 16th century or earlier and includes part of a large stone-mullioned window. Inside, there is a late 16th-century plaster ceiling, a frieze, and a carved chimney-piece. The Courtenay arms were added in 1662. In 1814, two large libraries with top lights and galleries were constructed between the older section of the house and the front range, covering the open courtyard. The interior details of these libraries can be compared to Foulston's Cottonian Library in Plymouth. All the listed buildings in Cathedral Close form a cohesive group.