Our visit to the capital city of Devon in South West England was a part of our grand Northern European tour, after visiting London and before going to Edinburgh. The city is in the heart of Devon, and is the main commercial centre and historical core to the county.
Historic Exeter
The city of Exeter is conveniently central in Devon, which makes it quite easy to get to from the surrounding towns and villages in the County. We drove the short distance from Exmouth, along the river Exe, to the city. The city was founded by the Romans, on top of an old Celtic trading post, and later had a castle and then cathedral built there.
The main streets of Exeter have many old and historic buildings, with the High Street having the largest concentration of Tudor or Medieval buildings. We saw the famous Ship Inn, partially obscured by scaffolding from a nearby building, on our way from the High Street to the Cathedral Yard. This Ship Inn is famous for being a preferred pub of Sir Frances Drake.
Cathedral Stained Glass windows
When we entered Exeter Cathedral, it was a quiet relief from the noise and bustle of the Christmas Market outside. There is no entrance fee, but donations are requested. We were able to walk around the Cathedral, built from 1050 to 1400. There have been recent restorations, particularly after World War II resulted in a direct hit to the Cathedral from a bomb. These restorations mean that the decorations are bright and detailed, and carvings and stonework is clear and bold.
The stained glass was incredibly bright and detailed, revealing religious scenes in amazing quality. The cathedral was designed to be bright, and the windows really add to it. Exeter Cathedral‘s ancient Astronomical clock is also here, dating from 1483, in the northern wing. It shows the time, and the phases of the moon.
Ejajka
Within Exeter, there are some gems to find. There is the narrowest street in the world, Parliament Street, here between the High Street and Waterbeer Street for the shopping district. Tucked deep in the Guildhall Shopping Centre is the tiny St Pancras’ Church, illuminated by a massive “Exeter” sign. We did not get the chance to explore the Underground Passages, or Gandy Street (considered to be a real-life “Diagon Alley”) – but Exeter has plenty to see and explore.
Christmas market
The Exeter Christmas Market at the Cathedral was really busy, with many stalls, and huge crowds. We wanted to get some food and sit down, but there was barely any space to even stand. The stalls were set up in zones, with all the food being together, and then the stalls to purchase crafts and items was in another section. Most of the crowds were around the food and alcohol!
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