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The House That Moved

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317: 372: 333: 360: 345: 29: 305: 411: 477: 453: 267:, and had the West wall made of Heavitree stone. There was a single room on the ground floor and first floor, but two separate chambers on the second floor, with all floors being approximately equal height of around 7 feet 6 inches (229 cm) high. This pattern seems to have been popular in the city centre, especially on corner plots, although this is the only surviving example. At some point twin 460:
The building was in a poor state of repair and in order to move it, it was stripped back to just the wooden frame which still weighed 30 long tons (67,000 lb), which was then reinforced with a timber framework weighing a further 10 long tons (22,000 lb), which avoided using any metal screws
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intervened with a preservation order and a plan was put together to relocate the building in order that the road building could go ahead. Exeter City Council was able to get a grant of £7,000 from the government (towards a total cost of over £8,000) to pay for a specialist London contractor to effect
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The move of the building began on Saturday 9 December 1961, with the house being raised on jacks, and over the Sunday and Monday the house was slowly moved into the centre of Edmund Street. On Tuesday 12, Edmund Street was closed to traffic by the police, and the 70 metres (77 yd) move up the
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The reconstruction following the move did not replace the dormer windows in the cockloft, and also did not replace the later shopfront porch, and indeed moved the front door around the corner to the side which previously faced Frog Street and now faces West Street and the church.
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The house was built in the late Middle Ages, likely between 1420 and 1460, and was located at 16 Edmund Street, on the corner with Frog Street, probably for a wealthy merchant. This age makes it one of the oldest private dwellings in Devon, and may be one of the oldest in Europe.
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or bolts. Iron wheels were attached on the corners, and steel rails laid, and jacks were also added to ensure that the top-heavy house could be kept level during the move. The house was turned through 90 degrees to be in the right orientation for the move.
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and subsequent post-war redevelopment in the area. Amongst similar buildings demolished was a similar age timber-framed building located on the site to where the house would eventually be moved to in the 1940s. The building was granted Grade II
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by 60 years or more) or the Merchant House, and by now was in a very poor state of repair, local historians and archaeologists were keen to save the building, following the loss of a number of other historic buildings both during the
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were added to the cockloft, which can be seen in photographs of the building whilst at Edmund Street, as can a porch extension on front of the building with a shopfront. Photographs from that time also show the walls
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In order to ensure that the house stayed from falling over, spirit levels were used throughout the movement. The work started using two winches, but this ended up being too fast, and one winch was disconnected.
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allowing traffic to avoid the city centre when approaching the proposed two new bridges. The whole of Edmund Street and Frog Street were set to be demolished in order to make way for the road construction.
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Oil painting showing the current location of the House that Moved in 1886, when the previous late Middle Ages building was still in-situ, prior to demolition in the 1940s
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the move. In order to facilitate this, a compulsory purchase order was made on the building on 5 October 1960.
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A Jarrold guide to the Cathedral and City of Exeter : with city centre map and illustrated walk
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The house was brought into position at the bottom of West Street, opposite the
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in 1961 when the entire street it was on was demolished to make way for a new
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Edmund Street was previously the main road from Exeter's West Gate to the
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The building was known as the Tudor House (despite likely pre-dating the
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Map of the route of the move, showing the now demolished Edmund Street
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Notable features of the house include one and two-light windows with
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The house whilst at 16 Edmund Street, with dormers in the cockloft
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The city council still wanted to demolish the building, but the
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hill was slowly completed using air-compressor driven winches.
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with curved vertical timbers supporting the first floor corner
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and curved headed posts which carry the projecting corners.
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Detail of curved timber supporting the corner of the house
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Close up of the original timbers, showing weathering and
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Relocated buildings and structures in the United Kingdom
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linked to the replacement of the city's bridge over the
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was planning the replacement of the bridge over the
515:The moving of the house was the setting for a 1978 807:"NO 24 WEST STREET, FORMERLY NO 16 EDMUND STREET" 778: 1142: 779:Allan, John; Alcock, Nat; Dawson, David (2015). 350:Tracery windows on the second floor featuring a 16:Historic building in Devon, South West England 705: 703: 827:Annual Report upon the School Health Service 712:Civil Engineering Heritage: Southern England 870: 868: 866: 864: 447: 258:projecting out further than the floor below 760: 758: 756: 754: 700: 365:First floor window with carved quatrefoils 176:30 long tons (67,000 lb) (frame only) 995: 993: 733: 731: 563: 561: 906: 904: 861: 830:. City and County of the City of Exeter. 584: 582: 580: 578: 475: 451: 409: 924: 888: 751: 683:125 years with the Western Morning News 679: 642: 588: 1143: 1079: 990: 951: 840: 823: 728: 664: 558: 263:It was built with three stories and a 901: 737: 575: 571:. National Heritage List for England. 542: 540: 510: 389: 1116: 1001:"A house moves-After Four Centuries" 844:A-Z of Exeter: Places-People-History 660: 658: 602: 600: 232: 912:"House That Moved. Exeter, England" 636: 13: 1166:Grade II listed buildings in Devon 1151:Buildings and structures in Exeter 878:. Exeter Memories. 10 August 2017. 747:. Exeter City Council. p. 31. 665:Martin, Claire (6 November 2022). 643:Parkman, Chloe (6 December 2020). 618: 537: 14: 1187: 1100:"Remarkable feat of transporting" 785:. Boydel and Brewer. p. 43. 782:West Country Households 1500-1700 709: 655: 597: 554:. 23 December 1961. p. 1109. 1176:Restored and conserved buildings 370: 358: 343: 331: 315: 303: 27: 1110: 1092: 1073: 1047: 1029: 1011: 972: 945: 918: 882: 834: 817: 799: 772: 480:The sign on the house with the 986:. 13 December 1961. p. 3. 766:"The House that Moved, Exeter" 673: 276:, with all the beams covered. 1: 1161:Tourist attractions in Exeter 1080:Pearce, Sophie (1 May 2023). 1037:"Tudor House Moved 100 Yards" 889:Hoskins, WG (17 March 1960). 530: 499:The move was praised by the 402:, and the construction of a 7: 1019:"Moving House-In One Piece" 200:180 square feet (17 m) 10: 1192: 928:Exeter: cathedral and city 213:, originally built in the 209:is a historic building in 501:National Buildings Record 196: 185: 180: 172: 167: 159: 151: 112: 104: 94: 81: 70: 57: 52: 42: 38: 26: 21: 980:"Moving Day-For a House" 811:Archaeology Data Service 503:as a "remarkable feat". 448:Movement of the building 847:. Amberley Publishing. 738:Brown, Stewart (2010). 680:Mildren, James (1985). 591:Exeter houses 1400-1700 552:Illustrated London News 490:Church of St Mary Steps 482:Church of St Mary Steps 295:Original house features 925:Thurmer, John (1985). 876:"The House that Moved" 841:Hallam, Chris (2019). 741:The Exe Bridge, Exeter 485: 457: 415: 1041:Birmingham Daily Post 952:Meller, Hugh (1989). 479: 455: 413: 1120:The House that Moved 1117:Rees, David (1978). 1059:. 1998. p. 17. 1023:Liverpool Daily Post 525:The House that Moved 519:children's story by 436:on 29 January 1953. 286:heads, and diagonal 207:The House That Moved 152:Estimated completion 136:50.71977°N 3.53479°W 33:The House That Moved 22:The House That Moved 1086:Third Eye Traveller 1043:. 13 December 1961. 1025:. 13 December 1961. 1007:. 13 December 1961. 955:Exeter architecture 824:Irvine, ED (1964). 589:Portman, D (1966). 396:Exeter City Council 322:Detail of diagonal 132: /  58:Architectural style 53:General information 768:. Britain Express. 632:. 16 January 2023. 614:. 20 October 1960. 511:In popular culture 486: 458: 416: 390:Planned demolition 252:, with each floor 141:50.71977; -3.53479 46:The Merchant House 1156:History of Exeter 1130:978-0-14-031256-0 1106:. 2 January 1963. 938:978-0-7117-0188-5 693:978-0-948158-02-5 593:. pp. 73–74. 569:"24, West Street" 441:Ministry of Works 233:Original building 204: 203: 181:Technical details 1183: 1135: 1134: 1123:. Puffin Books. 1114: 1108: 1107: 1104:Express and Echo 1096: 1090: 1089: 1077: 1071: 1070: 1051: 1045: 1044: 1033: 1027: 1026: 1015: 1009: 1008: 997: 988: 987: 976: 970: 969: 949: 943: 942: 922: 916: 915: 914:. Atlas Obscura. 908: 899: 898: 895:Express and Echo 886: 880: 879: 872: 859: 858: 838: 832: 831: 821: 815: 814: 803: 797: 796: 776: 770: 769: 762: 749: 748: 746: 735: 726: 725: 707: 698: 697: 677: 671: 670: 669:. Go South West. 662: 653: 652: 640: 634: 633: 622: 616: 615: 612:Express and Echo 604: 595: 594: 586: 573: 572: 565: 556: 555: 544: 374: 362: 347: 335: 319: 307: 215:late Middle Ages 147: 146: 144: 143: 142: 137: 133: 130: 129: 128: 125: 90:16 Edmund Street 62:Late Middle Ages 31: 19: 18: 1191: 1190: 1186: 1185: 1184: 1182: 1181: 1180: 1141: 1140: 1139: 1138: 1131: 1115: 1111: 1098: 1097: 1093: 1078: 1074: 1067: 1053: 1052: 1048: 1035: 1034: 1030: 1017: 1016: 1012: 999: 998: 991: 978: 977: 973: 966: 950: 946: 939: 923: 919: 910: 909: 902: 891:"Typical House" 887: 883: 874: 873: 862: 855: 839: 835: 822: 818: 805: 804: 800: 793: 777: 773: 764: 763: 752: 744: 736: 729: 722: 708: 701: 694: 686:. p. 103. 678: 674: 663: 656: 641: 637: 624: 623: 619: 606: 605: 598: 587: 576: 567: 566: 559: 546: 545: 538: 533: 513: 450: 392: 387: 386: 385: 382: 375: 366: 363: 354: 348: 339: 336: 327: 320: 311: 308: 297: 296: 235: 140: 138: 134: 131: 126: 123: 121: 119: 118: 86: 76:listed building 48:The Tudor House 47: 34: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1189: 1179: 1178: 1173: 1168: 1163: 1158: 1153: 1137: 1136: 1129: 1109: 1091: 1072: 1065: 1046: 1028: 1010: 989: 971: 964: 944: 937: 917: 900: 881: 860: 853: 833: 816: 798: 791: 771: 750: 727: 720: 714:. p. 73. 699: 692: 672: 654: 635: 617: 596: 574: 557: 535: 534: 532: 529: 512: 509: 449: 446: 425:Baedeker raids 394:In the 1950s, 391: 388: 384: 383: 376: 369: 367: 364: 357: 355: 352:multifoil arch 349: 342: 340: 337: 330: 328: 321: 314: 312: 309: 302: 299: 298: 294: 293: 292: 243:Old Exe Bridge 234: 231: 202: 201: 198: 194: 193: 187: 183: 182: 178: 177: 174: 170: 169: 165: 164: 161: 157: 156: 153: 149: 148: 116: 110: 109: 108:United Kingdom 106: 102: 101: 96: 92: 91: 85:24 West Street 83: 79: 78: 72: 71:Classification 68: 67: 59: 55: 54: 50: 49: 44: 40: 39: 36: 35: 32: 24: 23: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1188: 1177: 1174: 1172: 1169: 1167: 1164: 1162: 1159: 1157: 1154: 1152: 1149: 1148: 1146: 1132: 1126: 1122: 1121: 1113: 1105: 1101: 1095: 1087: 1083: 1076: 1068: 1066:9780711710047 1062: 1058: 1057: 1050: 1042: 1038: 1032: 1024: 1020: 1014: 1006: 1002: 996: 994: 985: 981: 975: 967: 961: 957: 956: 948: 940: 934: 930: 929: 921: 913: 907: 905: 896: 892: 885: 877: 871: 869: 867: 865: 856: 854:9781445689654 850: 846: 845: 837: 829: 828: 820: 812: 808: 802: 794: 792:9781843839941 788: 784: 783: 775: 767: 761: 759: 757: 755: 743: 742: 734: 732: 723: 717: 713: 706: 704: 695: 689: 685: 684: 676: 668: 661: 659: 650: 646: 639: 631: 627: 621: 613: 609: 603: 601: 592: 585: 583: 581: 579: 570: 564: 562: 553: 549: 543: 541: 536: 528: 526: 522: 518: 508: 504: 502: 497: 495: 491: 483: 478: 474: 470: 468: 462: 454: 445: 442: 437: 435: 434:listed status 430: 426: 421: 412: 408: 405: 401: 397: 380: 373: 368: 361: 356: 353: 346: 341: 334: 329: 325: 318: 313: 306: 301: 300: 291: 289: 285: 282: 277: 275: 270: 266: 261: 259: 255: 251: 250:half-timbered 248:The house is 246: 244: 239: 230: 228: 224: 220: 216: 212: 208: 199: 195: 192: 188: 184: 179: 175: 171: 166: 163:December 1961 162: 158: 154: 150: 145: 117: 115: 111: 107: 103: 100: 97: 93: 89: 84: 80: 77: 73: 69: 66: 65:Half-timbered 63: 60: 56: 51: 45: 41: 37: 30: 25: 20: 1119: 1112: 1103: 1094: 1085: 1075: 1055: 1049: 1040: 1031: 1022: 1013: 1005:Daily Herald 1004: 984:Daily Mirror 983: 974: 954: 947: 927: 920: 894: 884: 843: 836: 826: 819: 810: 801: 781: 774: 740: 711: 682: 675: 648: 638: 629: 620: 611: 590: 551: 524: 517:Puffin Books 514: 505: 498: 487: 471: 463: 459: 438: 429:World War II 420:Tudor period 417: 393: 288:dragon beams 278: 262: 247: 240: 236: 206: 205: 95:Town or city 87: 43:Former names 710:Otter, RA. 404:bypass road 324:dragon beam 223:bypass road 186:Floor count 139: / 114:Coordinates 1145:Categories 965:0850336937 721:0727719718 649:Devon Live 531:References 521:David Rees 284:cinquefoil 197:Floor area 168:Dimensions 124:50°43′11″N 400:River Exe 281:traceried 227:River Exe 219:relocated 160:Relocated 127:3°32′05″W 74:Grade II 630:ITV News 494:woodworm 484:opposite 467:gradient 379:woodworm 274:rendered 265:cockloft 191:cockloft 88:Formerly 523:called 269:dormers 254:jettied 105:Country 82:Address 1127:  1063:  962:  935:  851:  789:  718:  690:  211:Exeter 173:Weight 99:Exeter 745:(PDF) 465:1:10 381:holes 1125:ISBN 1061:ISBN 960:ISBN 933:ISBN 849:ISBN 787:ISBN 716:ISBN 688:ISBN 256:and 217:and 189:3 + 155:1450 427:of 1147:: 1102:. 1084:. 1039:. 1021:. 1003:. 992:^ 982:. 958:. 931:. 903:^ 893:. 863:^ 809:. 753:^ 730:^ 702:^ 657:^ 647:. 628:. 610:. 599:^ 577:^ 560:^ 550:. 539:^ 527:. 496:. 229:. 1133:. 1088:. 1069:. 968:. 941:. 897:. 857:. 813:. 795:. 724:. 696:. 651:.

Index

Front three quarters image of The House That Moved, showing its position on the corner, and clearly showing the half-timbered overhanging construction
Late Middle Ages
Half-timbered
listed building
Exeter
Coordinates
50°43′11″N 3°32′05″W / 50.71977°N 3.53479°W / 50.71977; -3.53479
cockloft
Exeter
late Middle Ages
relocated
bypass road
River Exe
Old Exe Bridge
half-timbered
jettied
projecting out further than the floor below
cockloft
dormers
rendered
traceried
cinquefoil
dragon beams
Image of the front of the house whilst at 16 Edumund Street, with a horse and carriage outside, and one man and three women posed outside, and a sign which reads W May Boot and Shoe Maker.
image of the corner timbers of the House That Moved, with three distinct timbers splaying out and supporting the dragon beam, which is a diagonal horizontal beam, with an overhang on two sides
dragon beam
Close up of the first floor of the house, with a timber with a distinct curve embedded within the wall
Close up of the top of a second floor window, which is made of old oak wood, cut into an arch with multiple semi circular foils
multifoil arch
close up of the single window on the first floor, which has quatrefoils carved into the old oak wood

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