St Leonards lamppost clean-up. Let's be proud of our heritage
There has been a positive response to the article in the last newsletter about the condition of the historic, cast-iron lampposts this in the area, with several people getting in touch. Our local Green councillor, Andy Ketchin, has been very helpful in providing support and information. It seems that many of us would like to see the historic lamps renovated to become a positive asset to our streets. We have now completed a survey of all the streets in the St Leonards noting the number of historic posts in each street, their condition, design, and maker. There is an interesting variety of designs and makers from foundries which were located both here in Exeter and around the country (more on this later in the article). The grid recording the information we have collected can be found by scrolling down this page. Please check for your street and let us know if we have got anything wrong. All the lampposts in every street have a modern number somewhere on their column ( presumably for identification purposes by DCC). The numbers given in the comments column of the grid, when describing specific lampposts, refer to these identification numbers. All modern lamp posts and steel reproduction, historic-style posts have not been included.
We have recorded 136 cast iron lamp posts of which 74 are in poor or very poor condition. 4 are in good condition and the remainder are in medium condition but with some rust and often more corroded pedestals. Our next step is to discuss with Devon County Council the possible costs of renovation, various specification options, who could undertake the work and the level of renovation we can achieve . It has been suggested that ultimately, we may wish to replace the modern light fittings which have been attached to most of the lampposts with more appropriate lantern fittings where possible. Again, this suggestion needs further investigation and costings. When we have gathered all the necessary information, we plan to launch a ‘ Sponsor a lamppost’ appeal via SLNA asking for donations however large or small. Details in the next newsletter.
Design differences
We have found a vary of designs throughout our area. The lampposts consist of four parts – the pedestal, the column, the neck and the ladder rests. There is then the modern light fitting. The lamppost in your street may be composed of any combination of these factors and may contain posts of differing designs depending on when they were installed and the foundry they came from. The most frequent design found in the neighbourhood is an octagonal base and column with a double band on the columns and a swan neck. This was a common design throughout the UK and was created by many different foundries with minor variations. If there is a foundry mark on your lamppost it is usually on the pedestal.
- Ladder rests.
Many lights were originally powered by gas ( although Exeter was an early adopter of electrical power street lighting ) and so standard posts had a bar at the top of the column against which the gaslighter could place their ladder. Some lamps have lost their ladder rests but the majority retain at least one. There are simple bar ladder rests but the most decorative ones are thicker fluted rests. These are usually double.
- Foundry marks
The variety of makers’ names we found on the lampposts reflects the rich industrial heritage of Exeter. The majority of the lamppost have no maker marks and some are indecipherable due to layers of paint. Those that are recorded in the grid are:
· Willeys - based in Water Lane, Havens Bank from the 1890s
· Garton and King - founded in 1661, based in Water Street from the 1830s
· Shepherd and Son - 1843, based in the Albion Foundry in Longbrook Street and Terrace
· Parkin and Son - Bonhay Foundry, based in Bonhay Road
· Eagle Foundry - 1859 , based on Exe Island
· Dock Foundry Exmouth – later The Point Iron Works
· REVO – 1907, Tipton Birmingham
· John Needham and Sons - 1834, Stockport
· Wombwell Foundry – 1896, Barnsley
Information about all these foundries can easily be found on-line.
- Pedestals
Almost all the historic lampposts have octagonal pedestals, painted dark green. They vary in height and width. A few of the pedestals have what we describe as ‘panelled’ octagonal sections and even fewer of these panelled pedestals have a small ‘doorway’ in them. Many of the pedestals are in much worse condition than their columns. We speculate that this is because many of them have regularly been used as dog toilets over the years and the acid has reacted with the paint and metal.
- Columns
The columns are either octagonal or fluted and are painted pale green. Some of the columns and pedestals have decorative raised studs. The most common decoration is a double band about a third of the way up the column.
Most of the posts have swan necks, i.e. shaped like a ?. Some have a simpler bent neck.
If we can renovate and extend the life of these lamp posts we will be doing our bit to preserve important reminders of our industrial heritage, enhance our built environment and support the move towards repair rather than replace. There will be a meeting sometime in September to discuss what we have learnt re costings and permissions and decide how to proceed. If you would like to come along ,please let me know if you have nt already been in contact maureenlewis03@gmail.com
| STREET - Area enclosed by north of Topsham Road/ Barrack Road/ Heavitree Road | Number of historic lampposts | CONDITION OF PAINTWORK/RUST | COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| College Road | 3 | 1 v poor2 medium | |
| Raleigh Road | 1 | Medium | Willey |
| College Ave | 2 | 1 poor1 medium | Panelled octagonal base /octag column/swan neck /double, fluted ladder rests |
| Magdalen Gds | 0 | ||
| Dunrich Close | 0 | ||
| Spicer Road | 3 | All medium but poor pedestals | No 5 Willey/no ladder restSingle ladder rest for remainder |
| Barnfield Hill | 3 | 1 medium 2 poor | Swan neck/octag column/double band. N02/3 with studs No 2 Willey |
| Barnfield Road | 0 | ||
| Denmark Road | 0 | ||
| Athelstan Road | 2 | Both poor | Standard double band design 1 ladder rest |
| Archibald Road | 0 | ||
| Bull Meadow Road | 4 | 1 very poor1 poor2 medium | No 4 and 3 Standard double band design/ single plain rest REVO Tipton No 1 and 2 Standard double bar design no1 no ladder rests. BothNeedham and Sons Stockport |
| Magdalen St | 0 | ||
| Wonford Rd dogleg | 0 | ||
| Wonford Road | 7 | 6 poor1 V poor | No 18 v.poorMost Swan neck/double bandNo11 door in baseNo15 Garton |
| Deep Dene | |||
| Park Place | 1 | Poor | Standard double band design, 1 restParkin Bonhay Foundry Exeter |
| Mount Radford Crescent/ Crescent Mansions | 3 1 | All poor | Swan neck / standard double band octag design |
| Radford RoadAt top nr junction with Wonford Rd | 2 | V poor | Historic cast iron pedestal and column . Modern neckNo 10 Slim fluted column and base . double ladder rest No 11 Dock Foundry ExmouthPanelled base/fluted column |
| Vine Close | 0 | ||
| Roberts Road | 3 | All poor | Standard design No3 +studs 1 rest |
| Franklin St | 0 | ||
| Dean Street | 0 | ||
| FairPark Road | 2 | 1 poor1 medium | Standard design + studs1 ladder rest |
| Temple Road | 3 | 1 Good (recently painted? At bottom of slope to the park)2 poor | No 4 standard design, no ladder rest.No 3 Panelled base Dock Foundry ExmouthDouble restN0 2 Standard design 1 rest Shepherd and Sons |
| Magdalen Road | 0 | Reproduction modern ‘historic lantern’ lights along shops. Good condition | |
| Magdalen St | 0 | ||
| Manston Ter. | 0 | ||
| Radnor Place | 0 | ||
| St Leonards Rd | 0 | ||
| Premier Place | 2 | medium | No 2 Standard design/no restNo 1 Narrow panel pedestal/fluted column/ornate double rest/ Dock Foundry |
| Cedar Road | 0 | ||
| Barnardos Road | 4 | 2 Very poor2 poor | No1 and 2 panelled pedestal/ fluted column/Double ladder rests |
| West Grove Road | 4 | 4 medium | Later design ? Smaller? |
| East Grove Road | 5 | 3 v poor2 medium | WILLEYFull set |
| Marlborough Road | 8 | 3 poor1 v poor4 medium | All standard double band designNo 2 and 9 with studs.All single plain restNo3 and 4 WOMBWELL FOUNDRY BARNSLEYNo 6 GARTON AND KING |
| Lyndhurst Road | 8 | 1 poor7 medium | Standard design + studs No1 poorREVO |
| Victoria Park Road | 1 | Poor | Junction with Mag Rd |
| Penleonard Road | 1 | Medium/leaning | Swanneck +studs |
| Hensleigh Drive | 1 | Medium | |
| Matford Lane | 3 | Medium | |
| Matford Ave | 8 | Medium -poor1 v poor -holes | No 12 v poor-holes |
| Matford Road | 1 | Medium | |
| Baring Crescent | 3 | 1 poor2 medium | Later design? Fluted column . No swan neckLantern top |
| Landsdowne Terrace | 3 | 1 medium2 poor | No4 Standard double band designNo 3 Dock FoundryPanelled base, fluted column double ornate restNo 2 Shepherd and SonStandard design without bands single rest |
| Topsham Rd | 0 | ||
| Buckrell Ave | 0 | ||
| Jennifer Clse | 0 | ||
| Gras Lawn | 0 | ||
| Barrack Road | 0 | ||
| Area south of Topsham Road/riverside/ Salmon Pool Lane | |||
| Feltrim Ave | 4 | 4 Poor – v poor | Standard double band design |
| Weirfield Road/St Leonards Ave | 1 | Poor | on corner between the roads |
| Larkbeare Rd | 0 | ||
| St Bernards Close | 1 | Medium | |
| Glenwood Rise | 1 | Medium | Eagle Foundry |
| Norwood Ave | 2 | Medium | Both Willey |
| Wayland Ave | 3 | Good | |
| Trews Weir Estate | 0 | ||
| Colleton Crescent | 3 | 2 poor1 very poor | Standard double band design No 6 no rests No5 and 3 1restNo6 and 3 Makers names indecipherable |
| Colleton Mews | 0 | Modern reproduction lantern lights | |
| Colleton Hill | 1 | poor | Standard double band design .1 rest2 further heritage style lampposts but not cast iron |
| Colleton Grove | 0 | ||
| Colleton Row | 0 | ||
| Melbourne Plce | 0 | ||
| Melbourne Street | 3 | All painted back with lantern top on cast iron base and columnNo 2 and 3 Standard double band design single plain restNo 1 more sloped top to octag base | |
| Lucky Lane | 3 | 1 very poor1 poor1 medium | No2 panelled octag base/ fluted column/ double ornate rest No3 same design /no restsNo 4 same design/double ornate restDOCK FOUNDRY |
| Friars Walk | 2 | 1 medium1 poor | No 2 Panelled octag base/slim oct pillar ornate double restNo3 same design as 2 + door in basePlain double rest REVO |
| Friars Gate | 0 | ||
| Water Gate | 0 | ||
| Bull Meadow Road | 4 | 1 very poor1 poor2 medium | No 1and 2 standard double band design no rests Needham and Sons Stockport on column3and 4 Standard double band design with studs single plain res No4 REVO Tipton |
| Kimberley Place | 1 | poor | Garton and King standard double band design single rest |
| Pavillion Place | 1 | poor | Standard design double ornate rests |
| Rivermead Road | 7 | medium | 3 WilleyAll double band standard design |
| Bagshot Ave | 2 | medium | Willey- double band standard design with studs. 1 ladder rest |
| Egham Ave | 2 | medium | No 1 Willey- double band standard design with studs. 1 ladder restNo2 REVO |
| Knightly Road | 0 | ||
| Salmon Pool Lane | 3 | 1 poor 2 medium | All on Priory side of the road. Standard designNo 2 1 rest No 4 REVO 1 restNo 3 REVO no rest |
| Abbeville Close | 0 | ||
| New estateDeaf School Site | 0 | ||
| Total number | 136 | ||
| Very poorpoor | 74 | Several in dreadful condition | |
| Medium | 58 | All have some rust. Pedestals often poor but columns OKish | |
| Good | 4 |