Elm Terrace

Elm Terrace is a terrace of eleven industrial houses built in the 18th century, likely around 1860, for John Heathcoat. Some parts of the terrace show evidence of later rebuilding, potentially on an earlier core, and an archway was inserted in the later 19th century, likely the 1880s, to provide access to the Heathcote estate office (listed separately).

The terrace is constructed of red brick in Flemish bond, with a slate roof, hipped at the left end (No.1). Brick stacks have platbands and various old chimneypots, some tapered and some crowned. Original cast-iron rainwater goods and cast-iron sills, fabricated in Heathcoat’s factory, are also present. The architectural style is Georgian. The terrace runs along Leat Street, opposite Heathcoat's lace-making manufactory. Blocked openings and relieving arches in the front elevation suggest a partial conversion from an earlier building on the site. No. 11 was altered in the 1870s.

The front elevation has a 3:3:2:3:2:2:2:2:1:3:2-window arrangement. Most windows are 16-pane timber hornless sashes, with No.11 having two 4-pane sashes and a two-tier canted bay window with plate glass sash windows containing glazing bars. No.1 is double-fronted with a decorative pilastered doorcase, cornice, a six-panel front door with fielded upper panels and an overlight with glazing bars, and a blind recess above the door. Similar features are found at Nos. 2 and 3. The archway to the Estate office has a gable with a 16-pane sash window in the gable, with access to No.9 situated beneath the arch. The north end return of No.11 is rendered and features a gabled porch of around 1870, with a timber front door and glazed trefoil-headed panels.

The interiors were not inspected, but may contain features of interest. John Heathcoat’s housing programme in the West Exe area was notable; he did not require workers to live in rented accommodation, offering them the choice of other housing options. Elm Terrace is an example of numerous houses built by Heathcoat in a Georgian style over a period of time, some of which were rented to tenants who did not work for him.