Chilcot's Free School was intended for the education of poor children, and provided a basic grounding in reading, writing, and arithmetic. The school was built in 1611 and survived the great fire of 1612 and was in use as a school until 1903. The school was then converted into a gymnasium and since has been used as a military store, a pottery studio, museum, meeting room and auction showroom.
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Chilcot School in Tiverton was a free school founded in 1609 by Robert Comyn alias Chilcott (sometimes Chilcot), a wealthy wool and cloth merchant who was the nephew and clerk to Peter Blundell, founder of Blundell's School, and brother-in-law of George Slee, of the Great House in Peter Street. The school was also built in St Peter's Street at a cost of £400. Chilcot left a yearly rent-charge of £90 to support the school, and specified that the master should be a single man.
In addition to founding Chilcot's Free School, Chilcot also made other contributions to the town. He was a churchwarden at St Peter's Church, and he donated money to help repair the church after it was damaged by fire in 1612. Chilcot also donated money to the town's almshouse, which provided accommodation for the elderly and infirm.
The building boasts a classic example of a 'wicket gate' (sometimes just known as a 'wicket')—a door which houses a smaller door within. The building is Grade II* listed and is one of the oldest surviving school buildings in Devon. The building—including number 4 at the rear—is listed with Historic England (no. 1384948).
The Chilcot School was an important part of the educational history of Tiverton. It provided a free education to poor children for over 200 years, and helped to shape the future of many generations of Tivertonians.
Address
Chilcot School, 4 St Peter Street, Tiverton, Devon
Historic Categorisations and Statutes
Statutory Heritage Listing
Grade: II* (Grade Two Star). This indicates it is a "particularly important building of more than special interest." Only about 5.8% of listed buildings in England fall into this category.
List Entry Number: 1384948
Date First Listed: February 12, 1952
Significance: It is protected for its well-preserved early 17th-century Jacobean architecture, specifically its "squared purplish stone rubble" construction and original stone-mullioned windows.
Local Designations
Tiverton Civic Society Blue Plaque: The building carries a blue plaque that summarizes its history, noting its foundation in 1611, its survival through the great fires of 1612 and 1731, and its diverse uses after closing as a school in 1906.
Conservation Area: The building is a key asset within the Tiverton Conservation Area, contributing to the historic character of St Peter Street alongside other notable buildings like the Great House of St George.
Site Components & Heritage Records
Chilcot School (Front): The single-story former schoolroom facing St Peter Street.
Number 4 St Peter Street (Rear): The former Headmaster’s House, a two-story 17th-century stone building that remains part of the listed group.
Historic Environment Record (HER): It is indexed in the Devon & Dartmoor HER under ID MDV1367.
Chronology of Historic Uses
1611–1906: Educational use (Free School/Bluecoat School).
1907: Converted into a gymnasium.
WWII: Used as a military store.
Post-War: Headquarters for Sea Cadets, pottery studio for Tiverton Technical College, and the original home of the Tiverton Museum.
Current/Recent: Meeting rooms and auctioneer’s showroom.
