Work on repairing historic Exeter park gatehouse due to start this autumn

Published: 31 August 2021

Work to repair an historic park gatehouse which has suffered at the hands of vandals is due to get underway this autumn – once important bat conservation work is completed.

The iconic Pinces Gardens gatehouse, which dates back to around 1912, is set to be re-roofed and repaired by the Council.

It was initially hoped that the work would be completed this summer.

But due to the legal requirement for bat and nesting bird surveys, and the subsequent recording of bats in and around the site, the works have had to be undertaken under licence from Natural England.

This has delayed the start of the project until the autumn.

The Council has pledged to improve the area for bat conservation by placing a bat box in the grounds of Pinces Gardens. It will also install bat access tiles in several locations on the roof.

The gatehouse is a well-known landmark and is the entrance to the much-loved Pinces Gardens. It was once used by the park keeper.

The site was purchased by the City Council in 1912 and was formerly a nursery owned by William Lucombe. The nursery had operated on the site from as early as 1720 but by 1890 had fallen into decline.

The nursery was sold off to various buyers, including the Council for £1,900. Part of the land became Pinces Gardens, part of it became allotments and the rest housing, which is now Waterloo Road and Wellington Road.

Over recent years the gatehouse has become a target for vandals and the roof is badly in need of repair.