Grecian Way: where the roads are named after City players
Grecian Way is an estate of 1980s and 1990s housing on the eastern outskirts of Exeter not far from Rydon Lane, the former A38 Exeter by-pass. It runs from the gates of St Peter's secondary school on Quarry Lane for several hundred yards in a generally south-western direction to Woodwater Lane. There are roads on both sides, the majority of which are named after Exeter City players of the 1920s and 1930s.
Starting at the northern end by the school entrance, the first two roads on the western side are Dick Pym Close and Cliff Bastin Close. These are the only ones to feature both the forename and surname of the players in question. Fittingly both were locally-born - Bastin came from Heavitree in one direction; Pym from Topsham in the other - and both went on to play for England after leaving City. Pym enjoyed fame with Bolton Wanderers in the 1920s; Bastin with Arsenal in the 1930s.
The first two roads leading off to the east are Glave Saunders Avenue and Mamhead Road. Rowland Glave Saunders was Sheriff of Exeter in 1935 and served as mayor of the city for six years from 1938, a period that included the 1942 blitz. Robert Newman, the first Baron Mamhead, was Exeter's MP between 1918 and 1931 and was an Exeter City director during the 1920s.
The Street Names of Exeter, published by the Exeter Civic Society, suggests that Grecian Way itself - and the above-named sideroads - date from 1982. This was the year after City captured local and national headlines by reaching the 6th Round of the FA Cup and, as it was to transpire, part way through one of the club's most-successful post-war periods.
According to the civic society's booklet, the roads leading off the southern section of Grecian Way date from between 1994 and 1996. Along this part of the estate there is a clear Exeter City theme. On the western side three more inter-war players are featured:
Clarke Mead - Reg Clarke, Heavitree-born member of the 1931 cup team who made more first-team appearances for the Grecians before WW2 than any other player.
Varco Square - Percy Varco, a Cornishman who was also a member of the 1931 cup team having earlier played for the likes of Torquay United and Aston Villa.
Whitlow Copse - Fred Whitlow, a Bristolian who scored 33 times (including seven hatricks) during the club's best-ever league season in 1932/33.
On the east side there is:
Miller Close - Charlie Miller, Scottish left-back who played for the Grecians between 1927 and 1936 and was another member of the 1931 cup team.
Blackmore Mews - Harold Blackmore, a goal-scoring forward from Silverton who left Exeter City to sign for Bolton Wanderers for whom he scored in the 1929 FA Cup Final (winning the cup alongside team mate Dick Pym).
Grecian Way isn't the only themed housing development in the vicinity. To the north of Quarry Lane are the British composers: Britten, Coates, Delius, Elgar, Grainger, Purcell, Stanford, Sullivan and Walton.
At the Woodwater Lane end of Grecian Way - on the site of a former cricket ground - there's a distinct cricketing focus: Old Pavilion Close, The Wicket, Edgbaston Mead, Headingley Close, Lords Way, Oval Green, Trafford Mews and Trent Bridge Square.
Starting at the northern end by the school entrance, the first two roads on the western side are Dick Pym Close and Cliff Bastin Close. These are the only ones to feature both the forename and surname of the players in question. Fittingly both were locally-born - Bastin came from Heavitree in one direction; Pym from Topsham in the other - and both went on to play for England after leaving City. Pym enjoyed fame with Bolton Wanderers in the 1920s; Bastin with Arsenal in the 1930s.
The first two roads leading off to the east are Glave Saunders Avenue and Mamhead Road. Rowland Glave Saunders was Sheriff of Exeter in 1935 and served as mayor of the city for six years from 1938, a period that included the 1942 blitz. Robert Newman, the first Baron Mamhead, was Exeter's MP between 1918 and 1931 and was an Exeter City director during the 1920s.
The Street Names of Exeter, published by the Exeter Civic Society, suggests that Grecian Way itself - and the above-named sideroads - date from 1982. This was the year after City captured local and national headlines by reaching the 6th Round of the FA Cup and, as it was to transpire, part way through one of the club's most-successful post-war periods.
According to the civic society's booklet, the roads leading off the southern section of Grecian Way date from between 1994 and 1996. Along this part of the estate there is a clear Exeter City theme. On the western side three more inter-war players are featured:
Clarke Mead - Reg Clarke, Heavitree-born member of the 1931 cup team who made more first-team appearances for the Grecians before WW2 than any other player.
Varco Square - Percy Varco, a Cornishman who was also a member of the 1931 cup team having earlier played for the likes of Torquay United and Aston Villa.
Whitlow Copse - Fred Whitlow, a Bristolian who scored 33 times (including seven hatricks) during the club's best-ever league season in 1932/33.
On the east side there is:
Miller Close - Charlie Miller, Scottish left-back who played for the Grecians between 1927 and 1936 and was another member of the 1931 cup team.
Blackmore Mews - Harold Blackmore, a goal-scoring forward from Silverton who left Exeter City to sign for Bolton Wanderers for whom he scored in the 1929 FA Cup Final (winning the cup alongside team mate Dick Pym).
Grecian Way isn't the only themed housing development in the vicinity. To the north of Quarry Lane are the British composers: Britten, Coates, Delius, Elgar, Grainger, Purcell, Stanford, Sullivan and Walton.
At the Woodwater Lane end of Grecian Way - on the site of a former cricket ground - there's a distinct cricketing focus: Old Pavilion Close, The Wicket, Edgbaston Mead, Headingley Close, Lords Way, Oval Green, Trafford Mews and Trent Bridge Square.
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