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AROUND & ABOUT EXETER

 

Exeter Cathederal

 

 The Exeter Cathederal Tour is not only an appreciation of its' fine architecture but also
a living history lesson.

There was a monastery in Exeter in 680 but a Cathederal was not built on the present site
until 1133 - only the pair of towers (St Pauls & St Johns) remain from this building.

The Cathederal seen to-day was started in 1270. The most recent part, the unique West
Front (which has the finest of medieval figure sculptures in England) was added in 1480.

The Great Peter Bell of the Cathederal clock is the 2nd biggest bell in England
Cathederal Close and Yard, the spiritual heart of Exeter, contains architectural treasurers including:

The Law Library built 1500 - the interior has a magnificent single hammer beam roof with heavy moulded timbers. The building design was based upon Westminster Hall (1399).
Mol's Coffee House built 1596 - contains: one of the finest oak panelled rooms in England; a unique star-shaped ceiling; 230 irregular panes of glass. Once an elite club reputedly frequented by great seamen: Hawkins; Grenville; Frobisher; and Sir Francis Drake.
Royal Clarence Hotelbuilt 1768 - was designed as The Assembly Rooms but became "The Hotel" (the first establishment in England to use the French term). The Duchess of Clarence (wife of William IV) stayed at the hotel as did Lord Nelson in 1801.
Mol's Coffee House
Exeter Quay

 

 The Exeter Ship Canal is the oldest post Roman canal in England and runs for over 5 miles from
the Exe Estuary to the quayside at the Basin. The Quayside offers a unique collection of shops,
restaurants and outdoor activities which blend with the attractive 17th century warehouses and
buildings to give a charming mix of past and present.

It is possible to walk/cycle/paddle the length of the canal, with several pubs along the way including:
"Double Locks", dating from 1701, is famed for excellent real ales and food, with jazz bands and
other entertainment on summer evenings; "Turf", at the junction of the Exe and the canal, can only
be reached by foot or water but the rewards are worth the effort - only open April to October.

 

Underground Passages - Dating from the 14th century, these medieval passages under Exeter High Street are unique in Britain. They were built to house the pipes that brought fresh spring water to the city - not for the claustrophobic.

 
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