Some ten years or so ago I took a couple of photos of these almshouses whilst walking past. I always meant to return to take more and research the history then some two years later - in 2012 - I had an appointment nearby, which was the perfect reminder to take a closer look and more photos.
Comprising a terraced row of housing facing onto Magdalen Road, and a smaller adjacent building facing onto Denmark Road, the buildings, wall and lovely Larch trees form a very delightful corner. I'm not sure why, but only the Denmark Road building and the last two houses of the terrace have been given a grade listing, yet all the buildings, along with the wall, form an architectural and historical group.
The Denmark Road building, seen below, is Grade II listed. Both buildings and the wall are constructed using Heavitree stone, a volcanic stone indigenous to the area.
A two storey house, with two and three light casement windows, a gabled porch, and a delightful bargeboarded gable in the slate roof above the porch gable; this and the terraced building are lovely examples of Victorian Gothic.
I had difficulty discovering the history of these buildings, and the only reference I could find was Magdalen Hospital on the website Exeter Memories - with help from the website owner David Cornforth - where I found the history, below.
Originally opened for lepers, circa 1161-1184, and to keep them away from the general populace to protect the city from the disease, Magdalen Hospital was built in Bull Meadow, which is situated opposite Wynard Almshouses further down and towards the end of Magdalen Road. As leprosy declined, the building was used as almshouses to house the poor, but by 1863 had become derelict and subsequently demolished.
Interestingly, dated 1863 on the rainwater head, and on a plaque on the exterior chimney stack, these almshouses were built in the same year that the Magdalen Hospital was demolished.
Although this is only my theory (and please don't quote me on this, as I haven't found any corroborating evidence), St Mary Magdalen Almshouses may have been built to replace the hospital/almshouses.
As far as the rather bizarre crazy paving style wall is concerned, having scrutinized the photos I see that it is only in patches and bears no relation to the original brickwork. I reckon that someone did some repair work, the mortar of which unfortunately stands out in this strange way, lol.
Now residential, they are a delightful reminder of the social history in aiding the poor, elderly and destitute.
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