King Edward VI School

King Edward VI School, located at No 36 on Fore Street, is a Grade II* listed building. The site originally featured a 17th-century house, orchard, and chapel, which was the residence of Henry James, who served as Mayor in 1637 and 1651. In 1795, Giles Welsford demolished the chapel and constructed a new one behind it, which was in use until 1799. Welsford also rebuilt the house in 1797, renaming it "the Mansion." Between 1876 and 1887, it was known as "Hele's School," under the ownership of John Kelland. The building underwent further additions around 1902 and became King Edward VI Grammar School in 1887.

The school is three storeys tall, featuring a double fluted design with five windows. It has a hipped Welsh slate roof with red brick stacks. The front is made of red brick, with Devonian limestone return walls and a rendered rear elevation. Architectural details include a cornice and parapet, recessed sash windows with glazing bars, and round-arched ground floor sash windows set in round-arched recesses linked by impost bands. A Corinthian prostyle portico supports an open round-arched pediment with a panelled intrados. The round-arched doorway is adorned with a patterned radial fanlight, a cornice head, and a raised and fielded panel door with sidelights.

Inside, there is an open stone staircase with a wrought iron balustrade and a swept handrail. The front rooms on the ground and first floors feature good marble fireplaces with figured decoration, and the rooms have enriched plaster cornices. The hall and staircase are characterized by arched openings. The house front is flanked by a stucco screen wall with arched openings and imposts, and the north doorway includes a patterned grill fan.