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The Prince Of Wales was situated at 1 Paul Street. This pub was present by 1864 when the publican was John Manning. The final publican was Kenneth Fry at time of closure in 1961.

Source: Jane Penfold

My father was Kenneth Temple-Fry, the last landlord of this pub. Its sad demise in 1961 occured when my mother,father and I were sat around the table having tea. All of a sudden there was a loud groaning sound and the room became full of white dust making it difficult to see. We all eventually managed to evacuate the room and moved outside and could not believe what we saw. The building had lurched and was leaning forward. After a few minutes help arrived in the form of the police and fire brigade followed later by an engineer from the local council and a brewery representative. The pub was immediatelly closed never to again opening its door to the public. The front of the pub was shored up with props whilst awaiting a decision on its fate. My father was offered and took another tenancy in Tiverton, the Exeter Inn in West Exe South. This pub also suffered an untimely fate being knocked down to make way for a roundabout. Alas my father had been diagnosed with cancer and had to retire before the Exeter Inn also met its fate.

Peter Temple-Fry (January 2026)

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