The Grade II listed building—a gabled, two storied town house with attic—includes a Tudor and Jacobean merchant’s town house displaying historical architectural features such as original panels and doors, relieving arches, mullioned windows and an arched entrance with screen passage, which leads to a garden and coach house.
ATTRACTIONS
Great House of St George
attractions
food & drink
historic churches
waterways
The Great House of St George on Tiverton's St Peter Street was built by George Slee (1555–1613) a wealthy wool merchant, clothier and philanthropist, probably to replace his home which was lost in the fire of 1598 and which killed his daughter, Eleanor and destroyed much of the town. From 1613 the Great House was used as a meeting house for members of the wool trade guild and as business premises.
Next to the Great House are Slee's Almshouses, also a listed building. The ornate chest tomb of George Slee can be visited in Tiverton's St Peter's Church, a testament to the philantropic deeds of Slee and his contribution to the development of the town. Slee manufactured and exported Tiverton kerseys, a course wollen cloth, which was transported via the River Exe to the port of Exeter.
Following another major fire in 1731 the building was remodelled. Restoration of the Great House was carried out by Mid Devon District Council.
The text on the exterior blue plaque reads:
HISTORIC TIVERTON
THE GREAT HOUSE of St George
This Jacobean building was erected for GEORGE SLEE (1555–1613)
wealthy clothier, wool merchant and benefactor of Tiverton as his home, business premises, and Guild headquarters
It probably replaced his home lost in the fire of 1598 which killed his daughter, Eleanor, & destroyed much of the town
Careful restoration was carried out by Mid Devon District Council in 1997–9
TIVERTON CIVIC CENTRE
Address
St Peter Street, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 5NS
Historic Categorisations and Statutes
Statutory Heritage Listing
Grade: II* (Grade Two Star). This marks it as a "particularly important building of more than special interest." It is one of the few high-status merchant houses in Tiverton to survive the town's major fires.
List Entry Number: 1384950
Date First Listed: February 12, 1952
Significance: Constructed c.1613, it is a premier example of a Jacobean merchant's townhouse. It is celebrated for its "purple slatestone rubble" construction, decorative freestone dressings, and rare surviving interior features like the Tudor-arched doorways and carved Jacobean chimney-pieces.
Scheduled Monument Status
Designation: The building is also a Scheduled Monument (List Entry 1003836), providing it with the highest level of archaeological protection in the UK due to its national importance as a record of early 17th-century provincial life and guild history.
Local Designations
Tiverton Civic Society Blue Plaque: A plaque on the exterior notes its construction for George Slee, a wealthy clothier, as his home, business premises, and "Guild headquarters" for the wool trade.
Conservation Area: It is a foundational asset of the Tiverton Conservation Area, standing directly opposite the former Chilcot School and adjacent to Slee's Almshouses.
Site Components & Heritage Records
Through-Passage & Screens: The interior retains a traditional 17th-century through-passage lined with "plank and muntin" screens, some featuring inscribed "folk magic" symbols (apotropaic marks) to ward off evil.
Slee’s Almshouses: Although a separate listing, the adjoining range of timber-framed buildings to the south was also financed by George Slee and forms part of the same historic merchant complex.
Historic Environment Record (HER): It is indexed under ID MDV1366.
Chronology of Historic Uses
1613–Late 17th Century: Private residence and business headquarters for George Slee; also used as a meeting place for the local wool trade guild.
1731: Partially remodelled and repaired following one of Tiverton's Great Fires, which destroyed much of the surrounding street but spared this house’s core.
19th Century–Mid 20th Century: Served various roles, including a doctor's surgery and private residential use.
1974–1990s: Utilized as local council offices for Tiverton (and later Mid Devon District Council).
1997–1999: Subject to a major, careful restoration by Mid Devon District Council to preserve its Jacobean fabric.
Current/Recent: Commercial and professional office space, while remaining a key stop on the Tiverton "Merchants' Trail."
Useful Links
River Exe Explores the River Exe’s historical role in Tiverton’s industrial past and outlines its modern features, including flood defenses and scenic riverside walks.
St Peter's Church Detailing its Grade I listed architecture, 16th-century carvings, and historical significance as the site of the first "Wedding March" performance. It offers practical visitor information, including opening times, accessibility details, service schedules, and information on the church’s active community groups and charitable work.
Slee's Almshouses Provides a historical overview of Slee's Almshouses, a Grade II* listed building founded in 1610 by wool merchant George Slee. It details the site's architectural significance, such as its rare 17th-century timber-framed gallery, while offering practical information on its location, heritage status, and continued use as modern sheltered housing.
