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Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral
Gothic cathedral completed by about 1400, with an astronomical clock and the longest unbroken medieval stone vault in the world.
A mini guide to
Exeter
Cathedral city on the Exe with Roman walls, medieval passages and a historic quayside
Photos
1 / 10Welcome to the area
Cathedral city on the Exe with Roman walls, medieval passages and a historic quayside
Exeter is the county town of Devon and stands on the River Exe. Its cathedral was complete by about 1400 and has an astronomical clock, an early set of misericords and the longest uninterrupted medieval stone vaulted ceiling in the world. About 72 per cent of the 2.35 km circuit of Roman and medieval city walls can still be seen, with Rougemont Castle built into its northern corner after 1068.
Under the streets, tunnels from the city's medieval water supply are shown on guided tours. Exeter Quay, used as a port since prehistoric times, is now a leisure area, with a hand-operated cable ferry across the Exe and the 16th-century Exeter Ship Canal running south. GWR notes that Exeter joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network as a City of Literature in 2019.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Museum
Royal Albert Memorial Museum
The city's largest museum, founded in 1868, with zoology, archaeology, world cultures and fine art in a Gothic Revival building.
Directions Website Report a problem with Royal Albert Memorial Museum
Historic site
Exeter's Underground Passages
Medieval tunnels that carried the city's water supply, the earliest from the 13th century; seen on guided tours.
Directions Website Report a problem with Exeter's Underground Passages
Castle
Rougemont Castle
Norman castle built into the northern corner of the Roman walls from about 1068; its gatehouse still stands.
Garden
Rougemont Gardens
Ornamental gardens made from the castle's defences in the late 18th century, owned by the city since 1912.
Park
Northernhay Gardens
Laid out in 1612 as a pleasure walk, England's oldest public open space includes Roman and Saxon city wall.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Exeter and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Go underground
The medieval water tunnels can only be seen on a guided tour run by the city council, so book a slot before you go.
2
Walk the walls
Follow the line of the city walls. Northernhay Gardens, laid out in 1612, include Roman wall and the only visible length of Saxon town wall in England.
3
Cross by cable ferry
The Butts Ferry is a hand-operated cable ferry over the Exe at the quayside.
4
Look for Parliament Street
This 14th-century lane off High Street is about 64 cm wide at its narrowest point.
Tips from the Britlens editors
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Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Exeter (area photo): Rüdiger Wölk, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Exeter Cathedral: Rüdiger Wölk, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Royal Albert Memorial Museum: Pymouss, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Exeter's Underground Passages: Carla Brain, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Rougemont Castle: Juan J. Martínez; derivative work: Nev1, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Rougemont Gardens: Simon Cobb, CC0, source
- Northernhay Gardens: Simon Cobb, CC0, source
- St Nicholas Priory: Pymouss, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Exeter Custom House: Herbythyme, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Exeter Quay: Simon Cobb, CC0, source
- The House That Moved: Delta 51, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- St Mary Steps: Trevor Sharp, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Exeter Guildhall: Franzfoto, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Exeter city walls: Nilfanion, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bill Douglas Cinema Museum: Simon Cobb, CC0, source
- Parliament Street: J Morley, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cricklepit Mill: Simon Cobb, CC0, source
- Plymouth: Herbythyme, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Torquay, Paignton & Brixham: Kolforn, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Dartmouth, Totnes & the Dart: Andrew Abbott, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Dartmoor: Addshore, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Exmoor & Lynmouth: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Devon