Stepcote Hill, Exeter: A Historic Hill Used Since Roman Times

Stepcote Hill is one of the oldest streets in Exeter, Devon.

The hill has been used as the main route into Exeter from the river since Roman times, and it was used by strings of pack horses and weary travellers.

Exeter was the westernmost Legionary Roman fortress in Britain, and one of the furthest west outposts of the Empire.

The name of the city comes from the river Exe plus the Latin word castra, meaning fort.

The Romans, however, knew the city as Isca Dumnoniorum – water or river of the Dumnonii.

In 1270, Stepcote Hill was referred to as Styppecotehyll and by 1588, it had become known as Stepcote Hill, according to a deed.

Since Roman times, the hill had served as the main route into Exeter from the river, frequented by pack horses and weary travelers before New Bridge Street was constructed.

The entrance to the street is flanked by St Mary Steps Church on the left and a pair of timber-framed houses from around 1500 on the right.

Ascending the street, the first turn on the right, behind the aforementioned houses and opposite the church chancel door, is Parsonage Lane, named for its connection to the rector's and schoolmaster's houses.

In the early 18th century, the street and surrounding area were inhabited by merchants.

Records indicate that Thomas Clutterbuck imported lemons and fresh lime juice, which he sold for 5 shillings per gallon—an expensive and rare commodity in Exeter at that time—from his premises on Stepcote Street.

Around the same period, Stepcote Hill was not only congested but also contained some valuable properties.

One such property, a house with a garden and packing chamber owned by the fuller Nicholas Dark, was insured for £1,000 in 1740, the same amount for which the New Inn on High Street had been insured just eleven years earlier.

A few years later, Andrew Brice described Stepcote Hill, saying, "A descent called Stepcote-Hill, to which the Butcherow leads.... the Guts, Blood, Litter, Ordure and a variety of Nastiness are, in hard showers of rain, rapidly carried.... into the River."

In 1802, Mrs. Flashman was fined "1s for throwing filth before her door in Stepcote Hill," which would have exacerbated the situation.

Later in the 19th century, the area became home to a large, impoverished artisan and laboring class.

The residents suffered from poor health and short lives, frequently afflicted by bouts of cholera.

In 1832, there were 15 cholera deaths on Stepcote Hill. Although Preston Street had 43 victims and Smythen Street had 24, the number of deaths on Stepcote Hill was high relative to its size.

The area had some of the worst living conditions in the southwest of England.

Yet, even at the turn of the 20th century, artists and writers often alluded to the antiquarian interest and visual appeal of the little street, neatly sidestepping the prevalent poverty and filth.

Despite the hardships, before the great clearance, the inhabitants enjoyed a fish and chip shop on the corner of King Street.

In 1928, a policy was initiated to clear the slums and relocate the population to Burnthouse Lane, locally known as 'Siberia.'

The fish and chip shop fell victim to this clearance when it was replaced by the King's Dwellings in 1933, built by the Exeter Workmen's Dwellings Company Ltd.

Today, the historic hill is still in use and a popular route for locals.

If you’re visiting, we highly recommend checking out ‘The House That Moved’ which is situated near the bottom of the hill.

The House That Moved is one of the oldest timber-framed houses in Exeter.

The crooked medieval house, built around 1450, was remarkably moved in 1961 by 220 feet, to be saved from demolition.

It still stands today as one of the greatest feats of engineering of its kind.

If you enjoyed this blog post, please follow Exploring GB on Facebook for daily travel content and inspiration.

Don’t forget to check out our lattes blog post below!

Thank you for visiting Exploring GB.