Willy's Ropewalk was established in 1832 by Thomas (or maybe John) Willy, although it may originally have been entirely open-air or located on a different site.
By 1887 a building had been built at the south end of an open-air ropewalk. The building, which was constructed from bricks and local stone, would have contained the turning and straining equipment. The rope walk was at least 100 metres long and extended over the Dowlish Brook, by means of a footbridge.
Rope and twine were still being made on the site well into the mid 20th century by S. Metcalf, who took over from his uncle Frederick Willy during the Second World War.
Since I took the photo below in November 2015, the roof has been changed from a rounded top to one with straight pitches. A Victorian post box is built into the gable wall.
Grid reference: ST 349 130.
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