Todd Gray’s ‘Exeter’s Lost Buildings’ Launch

Todd Gray presented his new book on 'Exeter's Lost Buildings. Destruction from 1800 to 1899', the publication of which our Society supported. A special event in the morning of 26 Oct 2023 for all who helped financing this very interesting project was followed by a two-part public presentation in the afternoon.

The venue for both events was the Guildhall, which as Todd Gray said itself had come close to demolition at one point, the idea had been it could make way for a road. Luckily that did not happen. Redevelopment in the 1800s was triggered by ‘fire, commercial redevelopment and interpretations of “improvement”‘ (p. 233). For example, the Dean & Chapter removed historic buildings around the Cathedral to open up views on the central building, with Salisbury obviously being taken as a model.