THE town has a wealth of old buildings, small courtyards and walled pathways, all of which give hours of pleasure just by walking around. Near the car park, behind the town hall, one of the surviving wooden-shuttered lofts for drying wool can be seen. As you leave the car park and cross the little bridge beside the town hall, you can spot the start of the small leat which fed the town mill. As you enter North Street the abundance of


Buildings of note and a walk around the town


historical architecture becomes evident. Of particular note is the small shop opposite, its slate-hung frontage carved with the different suits of a pack of cards. It was formerly a gaming house. Further down North Street is the hardware store housed in the former Mermaid Inn, with its medieval granite arched doorway, where the Civil War Roundhead leader, General Fairfax, stayed in 1646 following the battle of Drumbridges. Turn back up North Street to view the building that


housed the former United Reformed Church, now Adrian Agar – an antique fireplace emporium.


Former gaming house.


Ashburton’s earliest Nonconformist church, which closed in the 1980s, still retains many of its features including stained glass windows and memorials on the walls. Its Parliament Clock was bought for the town and is housed in the museum. Just beyond Adrian Agar turn right into Stapledon


Lane, named after the former Bishop of Exeter who gave the town St Lawrence Chapel in the 14th century. You can walk back down into East Street. Previously called Back Lane and Cad Lane, its ancient buildings are older than they look and the paved kerb stones at the far end are worthy of note with grooves worn by cart wheels. As you join East Street turn left and walk up the


hill. The pink limestone kerb stones came from the local quarry and are known as Ashburton marble, viewed at their best when wet. The slightly curved street was once the main road between Exeter and Plymouth. The grand classical front of the Sawdye & Harris Estate Agents is almost immediately on your left. A little further up you come to number 31 with its vertical fish-tailed slate facade. Further still on the right is the former Golden Lion, built in 1790 for Nicholas Tripe, a surgeon. It was once the home of publican Alan Hope and the Monster Raving Loony Party until 2000. Opposite, on the corner of Roborough Lane, is the


Fish Scale house.


Continued on page 22 19


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