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Exeter



 
 
Exeter ( (IPA 'eks?t?r) is a city
City status in the United Kingdom

City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarchy to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city"....
, district
Urban district

In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
 and county town
County town

A county town is the 'capital' of a county in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county....
 of Devon
Devon

Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
, England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
. Exeter is located approximately northeast of Plymouth
Plymouth

Plymouth is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority on the coast of Devon, England, about south west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers River Plym to the east and River Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound....
, and southwest of Bristol
Bristol

Bristol is a City status in the United Kingdom, unitary authority area and Ceremonial counties of England in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff....
, on the River Exe
River Exe

The River Exe in England source near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon....
. The city has a population of 111,076 according to the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001

A nationwide census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th Census in the United Kingdom....
.

Exeter was the most south-westerly Roman fortified settlement in Britain
Roman Britain

Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410. The Romans referred to their province as Britannia....
 and has existed since time immemorial
Time immemorial

Time immemorial is a phrase meaning time extending beyond the reach of memory, record, or tradition. The implication is that the subject referred to is, or can be regarded as, indefinitely ancient....
. Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral

Exeter Cathedral, full name Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, is an Anglican cathedral in the city status in the United Kingdom of Exeter, Devon, in the South West England of England and the seat of the bishop of Exeter....
, founded in 1050 is Anglican
Anglicanism

Anglicanism is a tradition of Christianity faith. Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs, worship and church structures....
.

Tourism forms a vital part of the city's economy, and in 2004 Exeter was granted Fairtrade City status.






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Exeter ( (IPA 'eks?t?r) is a city
City status in the United Kingdom

City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarchy to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city"....
, district
Urban district

In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
 and county town
County town

A county town is the 'capital' of a county in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland. County towns are usually the location of administrative or judicial functions, or established over time as the de facto main town of a county....
 of Devon
Devon

Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
, England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
. Exeter is located approximately northeast of Plymouth
Plymouth

Plymouth is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority on the coast of Devon, England, about south west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers River Plym to the east and River Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound....
, and southwest of Bristol
Bristol

Bristol is a City status in the United Kingdom, unitary authority area and Ceremonial counties of England in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff....
, on the River Exe
River Exe

The River Exe in England source near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon....
. The city has a population of 111,076 according to the 2001 Census
United Kingdom Census 2001

A nationwide census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th Census in the United Kingdom....
.

Exeter was the most south-westerly Roman fortified settlement in Britain
Roman Britain

Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410. The Romans referred to their province as Britannia....
 and has existed since time immemorial
Time immemorial

Time immemorial is a phrase meaning time extending beyond the reach of memory, record, or tradition. The implication is that the subject referred to is, or can be regarded as, indefinitely ancient....
. Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral

Exeter Cathedral, full name Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, is an Anglican cathedral in the city status in the United Kingdom of Exeter, Devon, in the South West England of England and the seat of the bishop of Exeter....
, founded in 1050 is Anglican
Anglicanism

Anglicanism is a tradition of Christianity faith. Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs, worship and church structures....
.

Tourism forms a vital part of the city's economy, and in 2004 Exeter was granted Fairtrade City status. Exeter has been identified as one of the top ten most profitable locations for a business to be based. The city has good transport links, with Exeter St David's railway station, Exeter Central railway station
Exeter Central railway station

Exeter Central railway station is the smaller of Exeter's main railway stations, but is the more centrally located. It is situated on the West of England Main Line, and is also served by local services to Exmouth railway station, Paignton railway station and Barnstaple railway station....
, the M5 motorway
M5 motorway

The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from the M6 motorway at Great Barr to Exeter in Devon. Heading south from the M6, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley....
 and Exeter International Airport
Exeter International Airport

Exeter International Airport is an airport close to the city of Exeter in the county of Devon, England.The airport handled 1,024,730 passengers in 2007, the first time over 1 million passengers have used the airport in a single year, which represented a 4.3% increase on the 2006 passenger total of 982,804....
 connecting the city both nationally and internationally.

History


Roman times

The Latin
Latin

Latin is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Military history of the Roman Empire, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe....
 name for Exeter, Isca Dumnoniorum ("Isca of the Dumnones"), suggests that the city was of Celt
Celt

Celts , is a modern term used to describe any of the European peoples who spoke, or speak, a Celtic languages. The term is also used in a wider sense to describe the Modern Celts of those peoples, notably those who participate in a Celtic culture....
ic origin. This oppidum
Oppidum

Oppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European language *ped?m-, "occupied space" or "footprint."...
, (a Latin
Latin

Latin is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Military history of the Roman Empire, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe....
 term meaning an important town), on the banks of the River Exe
River Exe

The River Exe in England source near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon....
 certainly existed prior to the foundation of the Roman city
Roman Britain

Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410. The Romans referred to their province as Britannia....
 in about AD 50, however the name may have been suggested by a Celtic adviser to the Romans, rather than by the original inhabitants of the place.

Such early towns, or proto-cities, had been a feature of pre-Roman Gaul
Gaul

Gaul is the name used for the region of Western Europe comprising part of present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the River Rhine....
 as described by Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar

'Gaius Julius Caesar' , July 13, 100 BC ? March 15, 44 BC,) was a Roman Republic military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
 in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico
Commentarii de Bello Gallico

Commentarii de Bello Gallico is Julius Caesar's firsthand account of his nine years of Gallic Wars, written as a third-person narrative. The Latin title, literally Commentaries about the Gallic War, is often retained in English translations of the book, and the title is also translated to About the Gallic War, Of the Ga...
 ("Commentaries on the Gallic Wars") and it is possible that they existed in neighbouring Great Britain
Great Britain

Great Britain is an island lying to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the List of islands by area, and the largest in Europe. With a population of 58.9 million people it is List of islands by population....
 as well. Isca is derived from a Brythonic Celtic
Celtic languages

The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic", a branch of the greater Indo-European languages language family. The term "Celtic" was used to describe this language group by Edward Lhuyd in 1707, having much earlier been used by Greek and Roman writers to describe tribes in central Gaul....
 word for flowing water, which was given to the Exe and, elsewhere, to the River Usk
River Usk

The River Usk source in the Carmarthen Fans mountains or Fan Brycheiniog of mid-Wales, in the westernmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park then flows south-east through Brecon , Crickhowell, Abergavenny and the eponymous town of Usk past the Roman legionary fortress of Caerleon, through the heart of Newport city and into the Rive...
 on which Caerleon
Caerleon

Caerleon is a suburban village and Community , situated on the River Usk in the northern outskirts of the city of Newport, South Wales.It is a site of archaeological importance, being the site of a notable Roman Empire legionary Castra and an Iron Age hill fort....
 in Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)

Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen Historic counties of Wales of Wales and a former Administrative divisions of Wales....
 stands. The Romans gave the city the name Isca Dumnoniorum in order to distinguish it from Isca Augusta, modern Caerleon.

Significant parts of the Roman wall remain, though the present visible structure was largely built on the orders of Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great

Alfred the Great , also spelled ?lfred, was king of the southern Anglo-Saxons kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 899. Alfred is noted for his defence of the kingdom against the Danish people Vikings, becoming the only English people king to be awarded the epithet "the Great"....
 to protect the far west of his kingdom following the Viking
Viking

A Viking is one of the Norsemen explorers, warriors, merchants, and Piracy who raided and colonized wide areas of Europe from the late eighth to the early eleventh century....
 occupation of 876. Most of its route can be traced on foot. There is a substantial Roman baths
Roman Baths

The Roman Baths complex is a site of historical interest in the England city of Bath, Somerset. The complex is a very well-preserved Roman Britain site for public bathing....
 complex that was excavated in the 1970s, but because of its proximity to the cathedral, it has not been practicable to retain the excavation for public view. Exeter was also the southern starting point for the Fosse Way
Fosse Way

The Fosse Way was a Roman road in England that linked Exeter in South West England to Lincoln, Lincolnshire in the East Midlands, via Ilchester , Bath, Somerset , Cirencester and Leicester ....
 Roman road
Roman road

The Roman roads were essential for the growth of the Roman Empire, by enabling the Romans to move Military history of ancient Rome and Roman commerce goods and to communicate news....
.

Saxon times

Exeter St Davids 1844
In 876 Exeter (then known as Escanceaster) was attacked and captured by the Danes. King Alfred (Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great

Alfred the Great , also spelled ?lfred, was king of the southern Anglo-Saxons kingdom of Wessex from 871 to 899. Alfred is noted for his defence of the kingdom against the Danish people Vikings, becoming the only English people king to be awarded the epithet "the Great"....
) drove them out the next year. In 894 the city held off another siege by the Danes. However, the city fell to the Danes a second time in 1001. In 927 Athelstan drove the south west Celts out of the walled city of Exeter.

In 1067 the city rebelled against William the Conqueror who promptly marched west and laid siege. The city submitted after only 18 days. Part of the capitulation agreement was that all the nobles in the city would be confirmed in their positions as long as a castle was built.

Medieval times

Exeter was held against King Stephen
Stephen of England

Stephen often known as Stephen of Blois was a grandson of William I of England. He was the last Norman dynasty King of England, from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne jure uxoris....
 by Baldwin de Redvers in 1140 and submitted only after a three month siege when the supplies of fresh water ran out.

Tudor and Stuart times

In 1537, the city was made a county corporate
County corporate

A county corporate or corporate county was a form of local government in England, Ireland and Wales.Counties corporate were created during the Middle Ages, and were effectively small self-governing county....
. In 1549 the city successfully withstood a month-long siege by the Prayer Book rebels
Prayer Book Rebellion

The Prayer Book Rebellion, Prayer Book Revolt, Prayer Book Rising, Western Rising or Western Rebellion was a popular revolt in Cornwall and Devon, in 1549....
. The Livery Dole Almshouse
Almshouse

Almshouses are Charitable organization houses provided to enable people to live in a particular community. They are often targeted at the poor of a locality, at those from certain forms of previous employment, or their widows, and are generally maintained by a charity or the trustees of a bequest....
s and Chapel
Chapel

A chapel is a building used as a place for fellowship and of worship for Christians. It may be attached to an institution such as a large Church , a college, a hospital, a palace, a prison or a cemetery, or may be an entirely free-standing building, sometimes with its own grounds....
 at Heavitree
Heavitree

Heavitree is a district of Exeter, Devon, England, and currently one of the ward s for elections to the Exeter City Council. Its name is thought to derive from heafod treow , which refers to a tree that either served as a neutral meeting place for Saxons kings, or as a convenient place for hanging criminals....
 were founded in March 1591 and finished in 1594. They can still be seen today in the street which bears the name Livery Dole.

The city's motto, Semper fidelis
Semper fidelis

Semper Fidelis is Latin for "Always Faithful". Well known in the USA as the motto of the United States Marine Corps, this phrase, often shortened to Semper Fi in Marine contexts, has served as a slogan for many families and entities, in many countries, dating at least as far back as the 14th century....
, is traditionally held to have been suggested by Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England

Elizabeth I was List of English monarchs and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the House of Tudor....
, in acknowledgement of the city's contribution of ships to help defeat the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada

The Spanish Armada was the Habsburg Spain fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Alonso de Guzm?n El Bueno, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, leading to the Drake-Norris Expedition of 1589, also known as the English Armada....
 in 1588; however its first documented use is in 1660.

Exeter was at first a Parliamentary town in the English Civil War
English Civil War

The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Roundhead and Cavalier. The First English Civil War and Second English Civil War civil wars pitted the supporters of Charles I of England against the supporters of the Long Parliament, while the Third English Civil War saw fighting between supporters...
 in the largely Royalist South West, but it was captured by the Royalists
Cavalier

Cavalier was the name used by Roundheads for a Royalist supporter of Charles I of England during the English Civil War . Prince Rupert of the Rhine, commander of much of Charles I's cavalry, is often considered an archetypical Cavalier....
 on 4 September 1643 and it remained in their control until near the end of the war, being one of the final Royalist cities to fall into Parliamentary hands. During this period, Exeter was an economically powerful city, with a strong trade of wool
Wool

Wool is the fiber derived from the specialized skin cells, called follicles, of animals in the Caprinae family, principally domestic sheep, but the hair of certain species of other Mammalia such as cashmere goat, llamas, rabbits and keeshonds may also be called wool....
. This was partly due to the surrounding area which was "more fertile and better inhabited than that passed over the preceding day" according to Count Lorenzo Magalotti who visited the city when he was 26 years old. Magalotti writes of over thirty thousand people being employed in the county of Devon as part of the wool and cloth industries, merchandise that was sold to "the West Indies, Spain, France and Italy". Celia Fiennes also visited Exeter during this period, in the early 1700s. She remarked on the "vast trade" and "incredible quantity" in Exeter, recording that "it turns the most money in a week of anything in England", between £10,000—£15,000.

Georgian and Victorian times

Early in the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, production, and transportation had a profound effect on the socioeconomics and cultural conditions in United Kingdom....
, Exeter's industry developed on the basis of locally available agricultural products and, since the city's location on a fast-flowing river gave it ready access to water power, an early industrial site developed on drained marshland to the west of the city, at Exe Island
Exe Island

Exe Island was the early industrial area of Exeter, England, and was an area of marshland between the city walls and the river River Exe, reclaimed by the construction of a series of leats, or water courses, possibly from as early as the 10th century....
. However when steam power replaced water in the 19th century, Exeter was too far from sources of coal (or iron) to develop further. As a result the city declined in relative importance, and was spared the rapid 19th century development that changed many historic European cities. Extensive canal redevelopments during this period further expanded Exeter's economy, with "vessels of 15 to 16 tons burthen [bringing] up goods and merchandise from Topsham
Topsham, Devon

Topsham is a suburb of Exeter in the county of Devon, England, on the east side of the River Exe estuary between Exeter and Exmouth, Devon. Although village-sized, with a current population of around 5,023, it was designated a town by a 1300 royal charter, until the Exeter urban district was formed....
 to the City Quay".

The first railway to arrive in Exeter was the Bristol and Exeter Railway
Bristol and Exeter Railway

The Bristol & Exeter Railway was a railway company formed to connect Bristol and Exeter. It was friendly to the Great Western Railway, which had been opened between London and Bristol the previous year, and the two railways operated in collaboration....
 that opened a station at St Davids
Exeter St Davids railway station

Exeter St Davids station is the most important of seven National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. Today the station is owned by Network Rail and operated by First Great Western....
 on the western edge in 1844. The South Devon Railway Company
South Devon Railway Company

The South Devon Railway Company built and operated the railway from Exeter to Plymouth and Torquay in Devon, England. It was a broad gauge railway built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel...
 extended the line westwards to Plymouth
Plymouth

Plymouth is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority on the coast of Devon, England, about south west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers River Plym to the east and River Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound....
, opening their own smaller station at St Thomas
Exeter St Thomas railway station

Exeter St Thomas railway station is a suburban railway station in Exeter. The station is elevated on a low viaduct with entrances on Cowick Street....
, near the lower end of Fore Street. A more central railway station, that at Queen Street
Exeter Central railway station

Exeter Central railway station is the smaller of Exeter's main railway stations, but is the more centrally located. It is situated on the West of England Main Line, and is also served by local services to Exmouth railway station, Paignton railway station and Barnstaple railway station....
, was opened by the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway

The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth, Dorset....
 in 1860 when it opened its alternative route to London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
.

Wartime and post-war times

Exeter was bombed by the German
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
 Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe

is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1933 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
 in the Second World War
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
, when a total of 18 raids between 1940 and 1942 flattened much of the city centre. In 1942, as part of the Baedeker Blitz
Baedeker Blitz

The Baedeker Blitz or Baedeker raids were a series of Vergeltungsangriffe by the Nazi Germany air force on England city in response to the bombing of the erstwhile Hanseatic League city of L?beck during the night from 28 to 29 March, 1942 during World War II....
 and specifically in response to the RAF bombing of Lübeck
Lübeck

L?beck is the second largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage is on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites....
, forty acre
Acre

The acre is a Units of measurement of area in a number of different systems, including the Imperial unit#Measures of area and United States customary units#Units of area systems....
s (160,000 m²) of the city, particularly adjacent to its central High Street and Sidwell Street, were levelled by incendiary bombing. Many historic buildings were destroyed, and others, including the grand Cathedral of St Peter
Exeter Cathedral

Exeter Cathedral, full name Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, is an Anglican cathedral in the city status in the United Kingdom of Exeter, Devon, in the South West England of England and the seat of the bishop of Exeter....
 in the heart of the city, were damaged.

Large areas of the city were rebuilt in the 1950s, when little attempt was made to preserve Exeter's ancient heritage. Damaged buildings were generally demolished rather than restored, and even the street plan was altered in an attempt to improve traffic circulation. The post-war buildings are generally perceived as being of little architectural merit, unlike many of those that they replaced, such as Bedford Circus and a section of the ancient city wall.

Despite some local opposition, the Princesshay
Princesshay

Princesshay is the name for a new commercial retail development in Exeter.The Princesshay was a 1950s pedestrianised parade of shops, the first pedestrian shopping centre in the country, running from Bedford Street to Eastgate House, roughly parallel with the High Street....
 shopping centre has been redeveloped between the Cathedral Close and the High Street. The development was completed and opened on time on 20 September 2007. There are 123 varied residential units incorporated into the new Princesshay .

In order to enable people with limited mobility to enjoy the city, Exeter Community Transport Association provides shopmobility for use by anyone suffering from short or long-term mobility impairment to access to the city centre and shopping facilities, events and meetings with friends and company.

Previously regarded as second only to Bath as an architectural site in southern England, since the 1942 bombing and subsequent reconstruction Exeter has been a city with some beautiful buildings rather than a beautiful city. As a result, although there is a significant tourist trade, Exeter is not dominated by tourism. In May 2008 there was an attempted terrorist attack in Princesshay
Princesshay

Princesshay is the name for a new commercial retail development in Exeter.The Princesshay was a 1950s pedestrianised parade of shops, the first pedestrian shopping centre in the country, running from Bedford Street to Eastgate House, roughly parallel with the High Street....
.

Governance

Exeter forms a single parliamentary constituency
Exeter (UK Parliament constituency)

Exeter is a borough constituency represented in the British House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
. It is relatively marginal, and since World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
 its Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament

A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative of the voters to a parliament. In many countries the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a unique title, such as senate, and thus also have unique titles for its members, such as senators....
 has usually been drawn from the governing party. At the United Kingdom general election, 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997

The UK general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997. The Labour Party won the general election in a landslide victory with 418 seats, the most seats the party has ever held....
, Ben Bradshaw
Ben Bradshaw

Benjamin Peter James Bradshaw is a United Kingdom politician and the Labour Party Member of Parliament for Exeter .Currently Minister of State in the Department of Health and Minister for the South West, he was one of the first openly gay MPs....
 was elected as MP for Exeter, and he retained the seat at the elections of 2001
United Kingdom general election, 2001

The UK general election, 2001 was held on 7 June 2001 and was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media. There was little change at all - outside Northern Ireland - with 620 out of 641 seats remaining unchanged....
 and 2005
United Kingdom general election, 2005

The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, with a reduced Majority government of 66....
. Exeter is part of the South West England
South West England (European Parliament constituency)

South West England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 7 Members of the European Parliament using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation....
 European constituency, which elects 7 MEP
Member of the European Parliament

A Member of the European Parliament is the English name for a person who has been elected to the European Parliament, of of the the European Union's two legislative bodies....
s.

Exeter's city council
City council

A city council is a form of local government, usually covering a city or other urban area, such as a town. The system of government has roots back at least to the Roman Empire....
 is a district
Non-metropolitan district

Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially 'shire districts', are a type of Districts of England in England. As originally created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan county in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement....
 authority, and shares responsibility for local government
Local government

Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a state. The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government....
 with the Devon County Council. Since 2003, no party has had a majority on the council.

Exeter has had a mayor since at least 1207 and until 2002, the city was the oldest 'Right Worshipful' Mayoralty in England. As part of the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom

Elizabeth II is the queen regnant of sixteen independent states known as the Commonwealth realms: Monarchy of the United Kingdom, Monarchy of Canada, Monarchy of Australia, Monarchy of New Zealand, Monarchy of Jamaica, Monarchy of Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Monarchy of the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Sain...
's 2002 Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

A Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary....
 celebrations Exeter was chosen to receive the title of Lord Mayor. Councillor Granville Baldwin became the first Lord Mayor of Exeter on 1 May 2002 when Letters Patent
Letters patent

Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of an open letter issued by a monarch or government, granting an office, right, government-granted monopoly, title, or status to a person or to some entity such as a corporation....
 were awarded to the city during a visit by the Queen.

The Lord Mayor is elected each year from amongst the 40 Exeter city councillor
Councillor

A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council. Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman....
s and is non-political for the term of office.

Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
Devon and Cornwall Constabulary

Devon and Cornwall Constabulary is the Home Office police force responsible for policing the counties of England of Devon and Cornwall in England and the unitary authorities of Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly....
 have their headquarters based at Middlemoor in the east of the city.

Geography

The city of Exeter was established on the eastern bank of the River Exe
River Exe

The River Exe in England source near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon....
 on a ridge of land backed by a steep hill. It is at this point that the Exe, having just been joined by the River Creedy
River Creedy

The River Creedy is a small river in Devon, England. Its name is believed to derive from a British root meaning winding. It gives its name to the local town or ton of Crediton, which is on its west bank....
, opens onto a wide flood plain and estuary which results in quite common flooding. Historically this was the lowest bridging point of the River Exe which was tidal and navigable up to the city until the construction of weirs later in its history. This combined with the easily defensible higher ground of the ridge made the current location of the city a natural choice for settlement and trade. In George Oliver's The History of the City of Exeter, it is noted that the most likely reasons for the original settling of what would become modern Exeter was the "fertility of the surrounding countryside" and the area's "beautiful and commanding elevation [and] its rapid and navigable river". Its woodland would also have been ideal for natural resources and hunting.

Exeter sits predominantly on sandstone and conglomerate geology, although the structure of the surrounding areas is varied. The topography of the ridge which forms the backbone of the city includes a volcanic plug
Volcanic plug

A volcanic plug, also called a volcanic neck or lava neck, is a volcano landform created when magma hardens within a vent on an active volcano....
, on which the Rougemont Castle
Rougemont Castle

Rougemont Castle is the historic castle of Exeter.The castle was first built in 1068 to help William the Conqueror maintain control over the city....
 is situated. The Cathedral is located on the edge of this ridge and is therefore visible for a considerable distance.

Climate


Demographics

The city has been expanding in size quite considerably in recent years, with a population estimate of 119,600 in 2006, up over 8,000 from the census in 2001. The racial makeup of the city is as follows (2005 Estimates):
  • White
    White

    White is a color, the Color vision#Physiology of color perception which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in near equal amount and with high brightness compared to the surroundings....
     - 97.5%
  • Asian
    British Asian

    The term British Asian is used to refer to British nationality law who are immigrants or descendants of immigrants from South Asia, or the Indian subcontinent....
     - 1.4% (0.7% Indian, 0.4% Other, 0.2% Pakistani, 0.2% Bangladeshi)
  • Mixed Race - 1.1% (0.4% Asian and White, 0.3% Black and White, 0.3% Other Mixed)
  • Chinese
    British Chinese

    British Chinese , including British-born Chinese , are people of Han Chinese ancestry who were born in or have migrated to the United Kingdom....
     - 0.6%
  • Black
    Black British

    group = Black British|image= File:Chiwetel Ejiofor by David Shankbone.jpgFile:Naomie Harris 1.JPGFile:Allsaints8.jpgFile:IgnatiusSancho.jpgFile:Estelle Swaray.jpgFile:ThandieNewtonBAFTA07.jpg...
     - 0.4% (0.2% African,0.1% Caribbean,0.1% Other)
  • Other
    Other ethnic group (United Kingdom Census)

    The 2001 UK Census ethnic groups include White British, White Other , British Mixed, British Asian, Black British and British Chinese or other ethnic group....
     - 0.5%
In the 2004-05 period the population of "White Other
White Other (United Kingdom Census)

"White Other" is a term used in the United Kingdom 2001 UK Census to describe White people persons of non-British people and non-Irish people descent in Great Britain....
" increased by 24% from 2.9% to 3.6% - higher than any other town or city in the United Kingdom.

The Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics

The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
 estimated that Exeter's population in mid-2007 was 122,400.

Economy

The city provides strong industries and services to a sizable area. The Met Office
Met Office

The Met Office , is the United Kingdom's national weather service, and a subsidiary of the Ministry of Defence . Part of the Met Office headquarters at Exeter in Devon is the Met Office College, which handles the training for internal personnel and many forecasters from around the world....
, the main weather
Weather

Weather is a set of all the Phenomenon occurring in a given atmosphere at a given time. Weather phenomena lie in the hydrosphere and troposphere....
 forecasting organisation for the United Kingdom
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 and one of the most significant in the world, relocated from Bracknell
Bracknell

Bracknell is a town in the Bracknell Forest borough of Berkshire, England. It lies 18 km to the south-east of Reading, Berkshire, 16 km southwest of Windsor, Berkshire and 53 km west of London....
 in Berkshire to Exeter in early 2004. It is one of the three largest employers in the area (the others being the University of Exeter
University of Exeter

The University of Exeter is a university in the South West England of England. Most of its activities are located in the city of Exeter, Devon, where it is the principal higher education institution....
 and Devon County Council
County council

A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries....
), providing a welcome boost to the local economy
Economics

File:Ballard Farmers' Market - vegetables.jpgEconomics is the Social sciences that studies the Production theory basics, Distribution , and Consumption of Good and Service ....
.

Exeter City Council
Exeter City Council

Exeter City Council is the council and local government of the city of Exeter, Devon.The council are currently bidding for the city to become an unitary authority within Devon, much like neighbouring Plymouth and Torbay....
 is currently bidding for the city to become an Independent Unitary Authority
Unitary authority

A unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national government....
, a status granted to nearby Plymouth and Torbay
Torbay

Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth....
 in 1998. An outline case was submitted to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in May 2006. If successful, a new unitary city council could be up and running in Exeter by April 2009.

On 26 June 2004, Exeter was granted Fairtrade City status.

A NEF
New Economics Foundation

The New Economics Foundation is an independent Great Britain think-tank, or, in their own description, a "think-and-do tank".The group's goal is to promote their progressivism view of welfare economics and environmentalism....
 survey in 2005 rated Exeter as the worst example of a clone town
Clone town

Clone town is a United Kingdom term for a town where the High Street or other major shopping areas are significantly dominated by Chain stores. The term was coined by the New Economics Foundation, a British think tank, in their 2004 report on "Clone Town Britain"....
 in the UK, with only a single independent store in the city's High Street, and less diversity (in terms of different categories of shop) than any other town surveyed. However, Exeter has many independent shops off the High Street such as those in Gandy Street, which was reconstructed after bombing in 1942.

Princesshay
Princesshay

Princesshay is the name for a new commercial retail development in Exeter.The Princesshay was a 1950s pedestrianised parade of shops, the first pedestrian shopping centre in the country, running from Bedford Street to Eastgate House, roughly parallel with the High Street....
, a post-war
Post-war

A post-war period is the interval immediately following the beginning of a war and enduring as long as war does not resume. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum when a war between the same parties resumes at a later date ....
 retail area running parallel to the High Street was also home to a number of independent stores prior to redevelopment in 2007. It is an innovative varied development and it is still intended that a number of the new units will be let to local independent stores.

Landmarks

Hooker Statue
Among the notable buildings in Exeter are:
  • The cathedral
    Exeter Cathedral

    Exeter Cathedral, full name Cathedral Church of Saint Peter, is an Anglican cathedral in the city status in the United Kingdom of Exeter, Devon, in the South West England of England and the seat of the bishop of Exeter....
    , founded in 1050 when the bishop's seat was moved from the nearby town of Crediton
    Crediton

    Crediton is a town in the Mid Devon district of Devon, England. It stands on the A377 road Exeter to Barnstaple road at the junction with the A3072 road road to Tiverton, Devon, about north west of Exeter....
     (birthplace of Saint Boniface
    Saint Boniface

    Saint Boniface , the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid or Wynfrith at Crediton in the kingdom of Wessex , was a missionary who propagated Christianity in the Frankish Empire during the 8th century....
    ) because Exeter's Roman walls offered better protection against "pirates", presumably Viking
    Viking

    A Viking is one of the Norsemen explorers, warriors, merchants, and Piracy who raided and colonized wide areas of Europe from the late eighth to the early eleventh century....
    s. A statue of Richard Hooker, the 16th century Anglican theologian
    Theology

    Theology is the study of the existence or attributes of a deity or gods, or more generally the study of religion or spirituality. It is sometimes contrasted with religious studies: theology is understood as the study of religion from an internal perspective , and religious studies as the study of religion from an external perspective....
    , who was born in Exeter, has a prominent place in the Cathedral Close.
  • The ruins
    Ruins

    Ruins is a term used to describe the remains of man-made architecture: structures that were once complete but which have fallen into a state of partial or complete disrepair, due to lack of Maintenance, repair and operations or deliberate acts of destruction....
     of Rougemont Castle
    Rougemont Castle

    Rougemont Castle is the historic castle of Exeter.The castle was first built in 1068 to help William the Conqueror maintain control over the city....
    , built soon after the Norman Conquest; later parts of the castle were still in use as an Assize court
    Assize Court

    The Court of Assize, or Assizes, refers to an obsolete circuit criminal court in most common-law contexts, but is still in use elsewhere, e.g., Assizes of Jerusalem....
     until early 2006 when a new Crown Court
    Crown Court

    The Crown Court of England and Wales is, together with the High Court of Justice of England and Wales and the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, one of the constituent parts of the Supreme Court of Judicature in England and Wales....
    s building opened. A plaque near the ruined Norman gatehouse recalls that in 1685 Alice Molland, the last person executed for witchcraft
    Witchcraft

    Witchcraft, in various historical, anthropological, religious and mythological contexts, is the use of certain kinds of supernatural or Magic powers....
     in England, was imprisoned in Exeter. The future of the castle is at the moment uncertain, but moves are afoot to alter its use, possibly to a restaurant and housing.
  • The Guildhall
    Guildhall

    A Guildhall is a building historically used by guilds for meetings. It is also the name of several specific buildings, now mainly used as town halls....
    , the oldest municipal building in England still in use.
  • Mols Coffee House Historic building in the Cathedral close.
  • The Guild
    Guild

    File:Windsorguildhall.jpgA guild is an association of artisan in a particular trade. The earliest guilds were formed as confraternities of workers....
     of Tucker
    Tucker

    Tucker may refer to:...
    s and Weavers, a fine old building that is still used for smart functions.
  • The Custom House
    Custom House

    A Custom House or Customs House was a building housing the offices for the government officials who processed the paperwork for the import and export of goods into and out of a country....
     in the attractive Quay area, which is the oldest brick building surviving in the city.
  • St Nicholas Priory
    St Nicholas Priory

    The Benedictine Priory of St Nicholas or just St Nicholas Priory was a Benedictine monastery founded in Exeter, England in 1087. At the dissolution of the monasteries the church and chapter house range were pulled down but the domestic buildings were left intact....
     in Mint Lane, the remains of a monastery
    Monastery

    Monastery , a term derived from the Greek language word ???ast?????, neut. of ???ast????? - monasterios denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of Monk, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in Cenobium or alone ....
    , later used as a private house and now a museum owned by the city council.
  • A number of medieval churches including St Mary Steps which has an elaborate clock.
  • "The House That Moved", a 14th century Tudor
    Tudor

    Tudor may refer to:...
     building, earned its name in 1961 when it was moved from its original location on the corner of Edmund Street in order for a new road to be built in its place. Weighing more than twenty-one tonnes, it was strapped together and slowly moved a few inches at a time to its present day position.
  • Parliament Street
    Parliament Street, Exeter

    Parliament Street is a 50m long street in Exeter, England, which links the High Street to Waterbeer Lane and dates from the 14th century. It was formerly called Small Lane and was renamed when Parliament was derided by the city council for passing the Reform Act 1832....
     in the city centre is one of the narrowest streets in the United Kingdom (see photograph).
  • The Butts Ferry
    Butts Ferry

    The Butts Ferry is a hand operated pedestrian cable ferry that crosses the River Exe in the city of Exeter in the England county of Devon. The crossing has been in use since at least 1641, but the name is more recent....
    , an ancient cable ferry
    Cable ferry

    A cable ferry is a means of water transportation by which a ferry or other boat is guided and in many cases propelled across a river or other larger body of water by means of cables connected to both shores....
     across the River Exe.


Rougemontcastle
Many of these are built in the local dark red sandstone
Red sandstone

Red sandstone may refer to:*Old Red Sandstone*New Red SandstoneExcess long comment to prevent listing on...
, which gives its name to the castle and the park that now surrounds it (Rougemont means red hill).

Northernhay Gardens
Northernhay Gardens

Northernhay Gardens are located in Exeter, Devon on the northern side of Rougemont Castle. They are the oldest public open space in England, being originally laid out in 1612 as a pleasure walk for Exeter residents....
 located just outside the castle, is the oldest public open space in the whole of England, being originally laid out in 1612 as a pleasure walk for Exeter residents. Much of Northernhay Gardens now represent Victorian
Victorian architecture

The term Victorian architecture can refer to one of a number of architectural styles predominantly employed during the Victorian era. As with the latter, the period of building that it covers may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 ? 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom after whom it is named....
 design, with a beautiful display of trees, mature shrubs and bushes and plenty of flower beds. There are also many statues here, most importantly the war memorial
War memorial

A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war....
 by John Angel and the Deerstalker
Deerstalker

A deerstalker is a type of hat that is typically worn in rural areas, often for hunting, especially deer stalking. Because of the hat's popular association with Sherlock Holmes, it is also a stereotypical hat of a detective....
 by E.B. Stephens. The Volunteer
Volunteer

A volunteer is someone who works Community service or for the benefit of environment primarily because they choose to do so. The word comes from France, it can also be translated as "will" ....
 Memorial
Memorial

A memorial is an object which serves as a memory of something, usually a person or an event.Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures,statues or fountains ....
 from 1895, also in the gardens, commemorates the formation of the 1st Rifle
Rifle

A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls....
 Volunteers in 1852. Other statues include John Dinham, Thomas Dyke Acland and Stafford Northcote (a local landowner who was a Victorian
Victorian

Victorian may mean:* 19th-century matters:**Victorian era**Victorian architecture**Victorian decorative arts**Victorian fashion**Victorian morality...
 Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer

The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet of the United Kingdom Minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters....
).

Transport

The M5 motorway
M5 motorway

The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from the M6 motorway at Great Barr to Exeter in Devon. Heading south from the M6, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley....
 to Bristol
Bristol

Bristol is a City status in the United Kingdom, unitary authority area and Ceremonial counties of England in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff....
 and Birmingham
Birmingham

Birmingham is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. Birmingham is the most populous of England's English Core Cities Group, and is the List of United Kingdom cities by population British city after London, with a population of 1,010,200 ....
 starts at Exeter, and connects at Bristol with the M4
M4 motorway

The M4 motorway is a motorway in Great Britain linking London with West Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Berkshire, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea....
 to London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
 and South Wales
South Wales

South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west....
. The older A30 road
A30 road

The A30 is an old trunk road which runs from central London to Land's End, the westernmost point of the mainland of southern Great Britain , and is sometimes called the Great South West Road....
 provides a more direct route to London via the A303
A303 road

The A303 is a trunk road in England. It is the main road between Basingstoke in Hampshire and Honiton in Devon. The M3 motorway, the A303 and the A30 road together make up one of the main routes from London to South West England, running from London to Land's End in Cornwall....
 and M3
M3 motorway

The M3 motorway is a motorway in Hampshire and Surrey, England. It runs from Sunbury-on-Thames to Southampton and is approximately long. The motorway was built to relieve traffic on the A30 road and A33 road, the congested single carriageway trunk roads that previously carried the traffic....
. The M5 is the modern lowest bridging point of the River Exe
River Exe

The River Exe in England source near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon....
. Going westwards, the A38
A38 road

The A38 is a major trunk road in England. Though formally known as the Exeter - Leeds Trunk Road, it actually runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire....
 connects Exeter to Plymouth
Plymouth

Plymouth is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority on the coast of Devon, England, about south west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers River Plym to the east and River Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound....
 and south east Cornwall
Cornwall

Cornwall , constitutional Duchy and palatine, is a metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain....
, whilst the A30 continues via Okehampton
Okehampton

Okehampton is a town and civil parish in Devon, England, at the northern edge of Dartmoor, on the River Okement. The border of the Dartmoor National Park is just south of the town....
 to north and west Cornwall. Travel by car in the city is often difficult with regular jams centred on the Exe Bridges area. To address the problem, Devon County Council is considering the introduction of congestion charges.

Exeter's main operator of local buses is Stagecoach Devon
Stagecoach Devon

Stagecoach Devon Ltd, part of the Stagecoach Group, is a bus operator serving the East Devon and Torbay areas of South West England. It was formed in 1995 with the purchase of Devon General and Bayline....
, which operates most of the services in the city. Dartline is a minor operator in the City. Former Cooks Coaches were taken over by Stagecoach
Stagecoach Devon

Stagecoach Devon Ltd, part of the Stagecoach Group, is a bus operator serving the East Devon and Torbay areas of South West England. It was formed in 1995 with the purchase of Devon General and Bayline....
 forming Stagecoach Cooks Coaches. Western Greyhound
Western Greyhound

File:Western Greyhound 518.jpgWestern Greyhound is a bus operator in Devon and Cornwall. They operate many long distance rural routes operated mainly by Mercedes-Benz Vario Plaxton Beaver 2 minibuses....
 is also a main operator connecting Exeter to Cornwall, Somerset
Somerset

Somerset is a Counties of England in South West England. The county town is Taunton, which is in the south of the county. The Ceremonial counties of England of Somerset borders the counties of Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west....
 and many different places in South West England
South West England

South West England is one of the regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area, and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly....
. The High Street, pedestrianised except for bus and bicycle traffic, serves as the main hub for local buses. Country and express services operate from the city's bus station, in Paris Street, which intersects the High Street at its eastern end; some also call at Exeter St Davids railway station
Exeter St Davids railway station

Exeter St Davids station is the most important of seven National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. Today the station is owned by Network Rail and operated by First Great Western....
 for direct connection to train services. Country bus services, mostly operated by Stagecoach, run from Exeter to most places in East and North Devon
North Devon

North Devon is a Non-metropolitan district in Devon, England. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon district include Braunton, Fremington, Devon, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth....
, but some are very infrequent. Regional express services run to Plymouth
Plymouth

Plymouth is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority on the coast of Devon, England, about south west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers River Plym to the east and River Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound....
, Torbay
Torbay

Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth....
, Bude
Bude

Bude is a small seaside resort town in North Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, at the mouth of the River Neet. Bude is twinned with Ergué-Gabéric, France....
, and along the Jurassic Coast
Jurassic Coast

The Jurassic Coast is a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of southern England. The site stretches from Orcombe Point near Exmouth, Devon in East Devon to Old Harry Rocks near Swanage in East Dorset, a distance of ....
 to Lyme Regis
Lyme Regis

Lyme Regis is a coastal town in West Dorset, England, situated 25 miles west of Dorchester, Dorset and east of Exeter. The town lies in Lyme Bay, on the English Channel coast at the Dorset-Devon border....
 and Weymouth, some operated by Stagecoach and others by First Bus. National Express
National Express

National Express is the brand under which the majority of long distance bus and Coach services in Great Britain are marketed, and also the company that manages this network and operates some of the services....
 operates long distance routes, for example to Heathrow
London Heathrow Airport

London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , located in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the largest and Busiest airports in the United Kingdom by total passenger traffic airport in the United Kingdom....
 and London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
.

There are two main line railway routes from Exeter to London, the faster route via Taunton to London Paddington
Reading to Plymouth Line

The Reading-Plymouth line is the central part of the trunk railway line between London Paddington station and Penzance railway stations in the southern United Kingdom....
 and the slower West of England Main Line
West of England Main Line

The West of England Main Line is a United Kingdom railway line, running from Waterloo station to Exeter St Davids railway station. Historically, the main line continued to Okehampton railway station and Plymouth railway station, and competed for the lucrative Atlantic Boat Train traffic....
 via Salisbury to London Waterloo
Waterloo station

London Waterloo is a major railway terminus in London, England owned and operated by Network Rail. It is in the London Borough of Lambeth near the South Bank, in Travelcard Zone 1, and houses a British Transport Police station....
. Another main line, the Cross-Country Route, links Exeter with Bristol
Bristol

Bristol is a City status in the United Kingdom, unitary authority area and Ceremonial counties of England in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff....
, Birmingham
Birmingham

Birmingham is a city status in the United Kingdom and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. Birmingham is the most populous of England's English Core Cities Group, and is the List of United Kingdom cities by population British city after London, with a population of 1,010,200 ....
, the Midlands
English Midlands

The Midlands is an area of England which broadly corresponds to the early-mediaeval Mercia. The area lies between Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales, and its largest city is Birmingham....
, Northern England
Northern England

Northern England, the North, the North of England, or the North Country refers to the parts of England north of an ill-defined line....
, and Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
. Many trains on all three lines continue westwards from Exeter, variously serving Torbay
Torbay

Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth....
, Plymouth
Plymouth

Plymouth is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority on the coast of Devon, England, about south west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers River Plym to the east and River Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound....
 and Cornwall
Cornwall

Cornwall , constitutional Duchy and palatine, is a metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain....
. Local branch lines run to Paignton
Paignton

Paignton is a coastal town in Devon in England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the unitary authority of Torbay which was created in 1998....
 (see Riviera Line
Riviera Line

The Riviera Line is a local railway line that connects the city of Exeter to the "English Riviera" resorts of Torbay in Devon, England. It is closely linked with the London to Penzance Line with which it shares the route along the South Devon Railway sea wall....
), Exmouth
Exmouth, Devon

'Exmouth' is a harbor town and seaside resort in Devon, England, at the east side of the mouth of the River Exe. It has a population of 32,972 ....
 (see Avocet Line
Avocet Line

The Avocet Line is the railway line from Exeter to Exmouth, Devon, England. It was originally built by the London and South Western Railway. The line follows the Exe Estuary for most of its route, giving views of the estuary....
) and Barnstaple
Barnstaple

Barnstaple is a town in the in the Districts of England of North Devon in the county of Devon in the South West England. It lies west southwest of Bristol, north of of Plymouth and northwest of the county town of Exeter....
 (see Tarka Line
Tarka Line

The Tarka Line is a railway line from Exeter to Barnstaple in Devon, England. The line follows the River Creedy, River Yeo and River Taw for some of its route....
). There is also a summer weekend service to Okehampton
Okehampton

Okehampton is a town and civil parish in Devon, England, at the northern edge of Dartmoor, on the River Okement. The border of the Dartmoor National Park is just south of the town....
 for access to Dartmoor
Dartmoor

Dartmoor is an area of moorland in the centre of Devon, England. Protected by National parks of England and Wales status, it covers .The granite highland dates from the Carboniferous period of geology history....
. Exeter is served by two main railway stations. Exeter St Davids
Exeter St Davids railway station

Exeter St Davids station is the most important of seven National Rail stations in the city of Exeter in southwest England. Today the station is owned by Network Rail and operated by First Great Western....
 is served by all services, whilst Exeter Central
Exeter Central railway station

Exeter Central railway station is the smaller of Exeter's main railway stations, but is the more centrally located. It is situated on the West of England Main Line, and is also served by local services to Exmouth railway station, Paignton railway station and Barnstaple railway station....
 is more convenient for the city centre but served only by local services and the main line route to London Waterloo. There are also six suburban stations, Topsham
Topsham, Devon

Topsham is a suburb of Exeter in the county of Devon, England, on the east side of the River Exe estuary between Exeter and Exmouth, Devon. Although village-sized, with a current population of around 5,023, it was designated a town by a 1300 royal charter, until the Exeter urban district was formed....
, St James Park
St James Park railway station

St James Park railway station is a suburban railway station in Exeter, Devon, England. It is operated by First Great Western. It is adjacent to the Exeter City F.C....
, Exeter St Thomas
Exeter St Thomas railway station

Exeter St Thomas railway station is a suburban railway station in Exeter. The station is elevated on a low viaduct with entrances on Cowick Street....
, Polsloe Bridge
Polsloe Bridge railway station

Polsloe Bridge railway station is a suburban railway station in Exeter, Devon, England....
, Pinhoe
Pinhoe railway station

Pinhoe railway station is a suburban railway station in the city of Exeter, Devon that serves developments on the eastern edge of the city around the village of Pinhoe....
 and Digby & Sowton
Digby and Sowton railway station

Digby and Sowton railway station is the most recently opened railway station on the Avocet Line in Devon, opening 23 May 1994. The station is unstaffed, however a computer ticket machine is installed selling tickets for immediate travel....
, served only by local services.

Exeter International Airport
Exeter International Airport

Exeter International Airport is an airport close to the city of Exeter in the county of Devon, England.The airport handled 1,024,730 passengers in 2007, the first time over 1 million passengers have used the airport in a single year, which represented a 4.3% increase on the 2006 passenger total of 982,804....
 lies east of the city and the local airline
Airline

File:Fedex-md11-N525FE-051109-21-16.jpgFile:Ryanair.b737-800.aftertakeoff.arp.jpgAn airline provides civil aviation for passengers or freight, generally with a recognized operating certificate or license....
, previously called Jersey European and British European but now known as Flybe
Flybe

Flybe Limited is a United Kingdom airline based at Exeter International Airport, England. It operates over 150 routes between over 50 European airports....
, is a significant local employer. The airport offers a range of scheduled flights to UK and Irish
Republic of Ireland

Ireland is an Island country in north-western Europe. The modern Sovereignty state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned by the British on 3 May 1921....
 regional airports and charter
Charter airline

A charter airline, also sometimes referred to as an air taxi, operates aircraft on a charter basis, that is flights that take place outside normal schedules, by a hiring arrangement with a particular customer....
 flights including a seasonal service to Toronto
Toronto

Toronto is the List of the 100 largest municipalities in Canada by population in Canada and the Provinces and territories of Canada Provincial and territorial capitals of Canada of Ontario....
, Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
. Connections to international hubs began with Paris Charles de Gaulle in 2005 and later a daily service to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport

Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the Netherlands' main airport, located 20 minutes southwest of Amsterdam, in the municipality of Haarlemmermeer....
.

The Exeter Canal
Exeter Canal

The Exeter Canal, downstream of Exeter, Devon, England was built in 1563 which means it pre-dates the "History of the British canal system" period and is one of the oldest artificial waterways in the UK....
 was built in 1558, making it one of the oldest artificial waterways in Britain
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
. It was cut to bypass weir
Weir

A weir is a small overflow-type dam commonly used to raise the level of a river or stream. Weirs have traditionally been used to create Water mills in such places....
s that had been built across the River Exe
River Exe

The River Exe in England source near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon....
 to prevent trade in the city and to force boats to unload at Topsham
Topsham, Devon

Topsham is a suburb of Exeter in the county of Devon, England, on the east side of the River Exe estuary between Exeter and Exmouth, Devon. Although village-sized, with a current population of around 5,023, it was designated a town by a 1300 royal charter, until the Exeter urban district was formed....
 from where the Earls of Devon
Earl of Devon

The title of Earl of Devon was created several times in the Peerage of England, and was possessed first by the de Redvers family, and later for the House of Courtenay....
 were able to exact large tolls to transport goods to Exeter. Originally 3 feet deep and 16 feet wide (0.9 m by 5 m), it ran 1.75 miles (2.8 km) from just below the Countess Weir
Countess Wear

Countess Wear, alternatively called Countess Weir, is a residential district within the city of Exeter, in the England county of Devon. The name derives from the weir constructed in 1286 on the instruction of Isabella de Fortibus, Countess of Devon....
 to the centre of Exeter. It was later extended to Topsham, deepened and widened, and was successful until the middle of the 19th century since when its use gradually declined - the last commercial use was in 1972. However it is now widely used for leisure purposes, and the city basin is being included as part of a £24 million redevelopment scheme.

Education

  • The University of Exeter
    University of Exeter

    The University of Exeter is a university in the South West England of England. Most of its activities are located in the city of Exeter, Devon, where it is the principal higher education institution....
     has two campuses in the city, both notable for their attractive parkland. It is one of the largest employers in the city.
  • Exeter is one of the four main sites of the University of Plymouth
    University of Plymouth

    The University of Plymouth is the largest university in the southwest of England, with over 30,000 students and is the fifth largest UK university based on student population....
  • The Peninsula Medical School, a joint operation of the two universities, has one of its main sites in Exeter
  • St Loye's School of Health Studies, well-known for training in occupational therapy
    Occupational therapy

    File:Occupational therapy psychiatric hospital.jpgOccupational Therapy, often abbreviated as "OT", incorporates meaningful and purposeful occupation to enable people with limitations or impairments to participate in everyday life....
     has now been incorporated into the University of Plymouth.
  • Exeter College
    Exeter College

    Exeter College may refer to:* Exeter College, Oxford a college of Oxford University* Exeter College, Exeter a college in Exeter, Devon...
     is a major further education
    Further education

    Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities ....
     college. It operates as a sixth form
    Sixth form

    The sixth form , in the Education in England, Education in Wales and Education in Northern Ireland education systems, Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Belize, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and Malta is the final two years of secondary schooling when students are sixteen to eighteen years of age and normally prepare for...
     for the entire maintained school sector in the city.
  • For about 30 years the city of Exeter operated a maintained school system in which the divisions between phases came at different ages from most of the United Kingdom
    United Kingdom

    The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
    , with first, middle and high rather than infant, junior and secondary schools, so that children transferred between schools at the age of about 8 and 12 rather than 7 and 11. From 2005, however, it has adopted the more usual pattern, because of the pressures of the UK National Curriculum
    National Curriculum

    The National Curriculum was introduced into England, Wales and Northern Ireland as a nationwide curriculum for primary education and secondary education public education schools following the Education Reform Act 1988....
    . The changeover back to the more typical structure led to a city-wide, PFI
    Private Finance Initiative

    The Private Finance Initiative is a controversial method, developed initially by the United Kingdom government, to provide financial support for 'public-private partnerships' between the public sector and private sectors....
     funded, rebuilding programme for the high school
    High school

    High school is the name used in some parts of the world to describe an institution which provides all or part of secondary education. The term originated in Scotland and spread to the New World countries as the high prestige that the Scottish educational system had at the time led several countries to employ Scottish educators to develop the...
    s and led to the changing of names for some schools. Following the reorganisation there are 25 primary schools, 4 referral schools, 3 special school
    Special school

    A special school is a school catering to students who have special educational needs due to severe learning difficulties or physical disabilities....
    s and 5 secondary school
    Secondary school

    Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling, known as secondary education, takes place....
    s within Exeter. The secondary schools are:
  • Isca College of Media Arts (formerly Priory High School)
  • St James' School (formerly St James' High School)
  • St Luke's (Church of England) Science & Sports College (formerly Vincent Thompson High School)
  • St Peter's Church of England Aided School - A Language College
    Language College

    Language Colleges were introduced in 1995 as part of the Specialist school in the United Kingdom. The system enables secondary schools to specialise in certain fields, in this case, modern foreign languages....
  • West Exe Technology College
    West Exe Technology College

    West Exe Technology College is one of the five secondary schools in Exeter, Devon, England. West Exe was previously known as St Thomas High. The catchment area for the school is the St Thomas, Exeter area, Alphington, Devon, and some parts of Exwick....
     (formerly St Thomas High School)


In addition:
  • Exeter School
    Exeter School

    Exeter School is a selective Independent school co-educational day school for children between the ages of 7 and 18 located in Exeter, Devon, England....
     is the oldest of several independent schools in the city.
  • Exeter Tutorial College, a small independent college on Magdalen Road.
  • Exeter is home to several substantial language school
    Language school

    A language school is a school where one studies a foreign language. Classes at a language school are usually geared towards, but not limited to, communicative competence in a foreign language....
    s
  • Exeter is also home to the Royal West of England School for the Deaf & the West of England School for the Partially Sighted.
  • The Atkinson Unit is a secure specialist residential and educational complex for children in care or remand
    Remand

    The term remand may be used to describe an action by an appellate court in which it remands, or sends back, a case to the trial court or lower appellate court for action....
    ed by the courts.


Religion

There are many churches in Exeter belonging to different Christian
Christian

A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism#Christian view religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus and interpreted by Christians to have been prophesied in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament....
 movements and an Anglican cathedral
Cathedral

A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop. It is a Religion building for worship, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy, such as the Roman Catholic Church, Anglicanism, Orthodox Christian and some Lutheranism churches, which serves as a bishop's seat, and thus as the central church of a dioc...
. It is the seat
Seat

Seat can refer to:A place to sit, particularly the area one sits upon , See:* Chair* Car seat* Airline seat* Saddle, a type of seat used on the backs of animals, bicycles , etc....
 of the Bishop of Exeter
Bishop of Exeter

The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The incumbent usually signs his name as Exoniensis or incorporates this in his signature....
. The present building was complete by about 1400, and has the longest uninterrupted vaulted ceiling in England
England

native_name =|conventional_long_name = England|common_name = England|image_flag = Flag of England.svg|image_coat = England COA.svg|symbol_type = Royal Coat of Arms...
, and other notable features. The Anglican churches form the Deanery of Christianity (Exeter)
Deanery of Christianity (Exeter)

The Deanery of Christianity is a dean in the Archdeaconry of Exeter, Diocese of Exeter. This deanery covers most of the city of Exeter. It takes the name "Christianity" because there is a tradition that a diocese and a deanery should not share the same name....


There is also a synagogue
Synagogue

A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer.Synagogues usually have a large hall for prayer , smaller rooms for study and sometimes a social hall and offices....
 on Mary Arches Street - the third oldest in England, built in 1761. Exeter's mosque & Islamic Centre is on York Road, and serves the Southwest region as well as the city. There are plans to construct a purpose-built mosque on the same site.

According to the last census
United Kingdom Census 2001

A nationwide census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th Census in the United Kingdom....
, in 2001 69.12% of the population stated their religion as Christian, which is lower than the regional average of 73.99% and the national average of 71.74%. All other religions were under 1%, which was slighter higher than regional averages, although much lower than national averages, except for Buddhism, which was slightly higher than the average. 20.45% stated as having no religion, which was higher than the regional average of 16.75% and the national average of 14.59 and the percentage of people not stating their religion was also slightly higher.

Sports

  • Rugby Union
    Rugby union

    Rugby union is a competitive outdoor contact sport, played with an oval ball, by two teams of 15 players. It is one of the two main codes of rugby football, the other being rugby league....
     is popular in the South West
    South West England

    South West England is one of the regions of England. It is the largest such region in terms of area, and extends from Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly....
    : Exeter's clubs are the Exeter Chiefs
    Exeter Chiefs

    Exeter Rugby Club is a rugby union club based in Exeter, England.The Exeter club was formed around 1871 and played its first match in 1873.In 1905, Devon played a match against the All Blacks at the County Ground, the home of the club, attracting a crowd of 6,000....
     (who currently play in National Division One
    National Division One

    National Division One is the second tier of the England rugby union leagues. Since the advent of leagues it has been known by several names. From 1987-88 until 1996-97 it was known as Division 2 of the Courage League or Courage Clubs Championship....
     and were runners-up in the 2007/08 season), Wessex and Exeter Saracens.
whilst Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City F.C.

Exeter City Football Club are an England Football club, based in Exeter, who were members of the Football League from 1920 to 2003, and rejoined the league for the 2008–09 season, after 5 seasons in the Conference National....
 play a game of football]]

  • The city's leading football club, and only professional side, is Exeter City
    Exeter City F.C.

    Exeter City Football Club are an England Football club, based in Exeter, who were members of the Football League from 1920 to 2003, and rejoined the league for the 2008–09 season, after 5 seasons in the Conference National....
    . The club became founder members of the Football League's new Third Division
    Football League Third Division

    From the 1992-93 in English football to the 2003-04 in English football, the Football League Third Division was the third-highest division of The Football League and the fourth-highest division in the overall English football league system....
     (south) in 1920, but have never progressed beyond the third tier of the English football league system and in 2003 were relegated to the Conference
    Football Conference

    The Football Conference is a association football league in Football in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South....
    , not reclaiming their league status for five years.
  • Exeter Cricket Club play in the Premier Division of the Devon Cricket League at both First and Second XI level.
  • The University of Exeter
    University of Exeter

    The University of Exeter is a university in the South West England of England. Most of its activities are located in the city of Exeter, Devon, where it is the principal higher education institution....
     has a strong reputation in sport and regularly wins or comes close to winning national trophies in inter-university sports.
  • Exeter rowing Club enjoys much success both locally and nationally, and has a recorded history stretching back to the early 1800s.
  • The Devon & Exeter Squash
    Squash (sport)

    Squash is a racquet sport game played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball. Squash is characterized as a "high-impact" exercise that can place strain on the joints, notably the knees....
     club is one of the most active squash clubs in the region, annually hosting the Exeter Diamonds which is a professional team of world class players. The club also has a strong membership, high standards and a notably junior team.
  • The Great West Run
    Great West Run

    The Great West Run is an annual road running event held through the streets of Exeter, usually in late April. It was first run in 1985. Originally run as a marathon, in recent years it has always been run as a half marathon....
     half marathon
    Half marathon

    A half marathon is a road running event of 21,097.5 meters, or miles, about 13.1 miles. It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads....
     is run through the streets of Exeter in late April or early May each year
  • Exeter's speedway
    Motorcycle speedway

    Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four clockwise laps of an oval circuit....
     team, Exeter Falcons
    Exeter Falcons

    The Exeter Falcons were a Motorcycle speedway team which operated from 1947 until their closure in 2005 at the County Ground Stadium in Exeter....
    , was founded in 1929 and were located at the County Ground
    County Ground

    There are several stadiums in England called the County Ground:* County Cricket Ground, Bristol, Bristol - home of Gloucestershire CCC* County Cricket Ground, Chelmsford, Chelmsford - home of Essex CCC...
     until its closure in 2005. In a fixture during the 2004 season, they beat Rye House
    Rye House

    Rye House may refer to:*Rye House , a Registered Historic Place in Litchfield, Connecticut*Rye House Kart Circuit, karting circuit in Rye House, Hertfordshire, England...
     by the maximum score of 75-18 scoring 5-1s in every heat. Exeter Falcons are hoping to ride again in a proposed new location, possibly at Exeter Racecourse
    Exeter Racecourse

    Exeter Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located near the city of Exeter, Devon, England. Locally it is known as Haldon racecourse because of its location on top of the Haldon....
     in 2008. The site was where Exeter Falcons legend Australian Jack Geran trained youngsters in the art of the shale sport on a speedway training track in the late 1970s and early-1980s. Speedway was also staged briefly at tracks in Alphington
    Alphington, Devon

    Alphington is a village in the southwest of Exeter in southwest England. The Ward of Alphington has a...
     and Peamore after the Second World War. The history of Speedway
    Speedway

    Speedway may refer to:...
     in Exeter up to the mid-1950s has been recorded in three books by Tony Lethbridge.


Public services

Home Office
Home Office

The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security and order. As such it is responsible for the police, United Kingdom Borders Agency and MI5....
 policing in Exeter is provided by The Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
Devon and Cornwall Constabulary

Devon and Cornwall Constabulary is the Home Office police force responsible for policing the counties of England of Devon and Cornwall in England and the unitary authorities of Plymouth, Torbay and the Isles of Scilly....
. The emergency fire brigade is provided by The Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service is the statute Fire service in the UK covering the counties of Devon and Somerset, including the unitary authorities of Plymouth and Torbay, in South West England....
, which is headquartered at Clyst St. George near Exeter. It has one fire station with two water tender ladders, a water tender, an aerial ladder platform, a water foam carrier, a handyman vehicle, a prime mover, an environmental pod and an incident support unit.

The Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust has a large hospital located to the south east of the city centre. Ambulance
Ambulance

file:Ambulancebroomfieldhospital.jpgfile:C12 air ambulance.jpgfile:Scilly Isles Ambulance Service alongside Tresco quay.jpgAn ambulance is a vehicle for transporting sick or injured people, to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury....
 services in Exeter are provided by South Western Ambulance Service
South Western Ambulance Service

The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust is the authority responsible for providing NHS ambulance services in the English counties of Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset....
 NHS Trust. The West Trust Divisional HQ and 999 control is in Exeter which provides cover for Devon
Devon

Devon is a large Counties of England in South West England. The county is also referred to as Devonshire, but that is an entirely unofficial name, rarely used inside of the county but often indicating a shire....
, Cornwall
Cornwall

Cornwall , constitutional Duchy and palatine, is a metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain....
, Somerset and the Isles of Scilly.

Notable people from Exeter

See List of people from Exeter
List of people from Exeter

Notable people from Exeter, Devon include*Baldwin of Exeter , Archbishop of Canterbury*Joseph of Exeter , poet*Robert Stone , composer and member of the Chapel Royal....


Culture


Literature

Riddle Pyramid Comp
The Exeter Book
Exeter Book

The Exeter Book, Exeter Cathedral Library MS 3501, also known as the Codex Exoniensis, is a tenth-century book or codex which is an anthology of Anglo-Saxons poetry....
, an original manuscript and one of the most important documents in Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon

Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a Germanic people inhabiting parts of England during the Dark Ages* Anglo-Saxon architecture* Anglo-Saxon economy ...
 literature, is kept in the vaults of the cathedral. The Exeter Book dates back to the 10th century and is one of four manuscripts that between them contain virtually all the surviving poetry in Old English
Old English language

Old English is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written in parts of what are now England and south-eastern Scotland between the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century....
. It includes most of the more highly regarded shorter poems, some religious pieces, and a series of riddle
Riddle

A riddle is a statement or question having a double or veiled meaning, put forth as a puzzle to be solved. Riddles are of two types: enigmas, which are problems generally expressed in metaphorical or allegorical language that require ingenuity and careful thinking for their solution, and conundrums, which are questions relying for the...
s, a handful of which are famously lewd. Some of the riddles are inscribed on a highly polished steel obelisk in the High Street, placed on 30 March 2005.

The Inquisitio Eliensis, the "Exon Domesday" (so called from the preservation of the volume at Exeter), is a volume of Domesday Book
Domesday Book

The Domesday Book is the record of the great survey of England completed in 1086, executed for William I of England, or William the Conqueror....
 that contains the full details which the original returns supplied.

One of Rosemary Sutcliff
Rosemary Sutcliff

Rosemary Sutcliff CBE was a United Kingdom novelist, best known as a writer of highly acclaimed historical fiction. Although primarily a children's author, the quality and depth of her writing also appeals to adults, she herself once commenting that she wrote "for children of all ages from nine to ninety."...
's best-known children's books, The Eagle of the Ninth
The Eagle of the Ninth

The Eagle of the Ninth is a historical adventure novel for children written by Rosemary Sutcliff and published in 1954. Set in Roman Britain in the 130s after the building of Hadrian's Wall, it is the story of a young Roman officer Marcus Aquila's search to discover the truth about the disappearance of his father's legion in the north of...
, begins in Roman Isca Dumnoniorum.

The Crowner John Mysteries
Crowner John Mysteries

The Crowner John Mysteries are a series of novels by Bernard Knight following the fictional life of one Sir John de Wolfe, a former Crusading Knight appointed to the office of Keeper of the Pleas of the King's Crown i.e....
 by Bernard Knight
Bernard Knight

Professor Bernard Knight, CBE, became a Home Office pathology in 1965 and was appointed Professor of Forensic Pathology, University of Wales College of Medicine, in 1980....
 are a series of books set in 12th century Exeter.

Theatre

The Northcott Theatre
Northcott Theatre

The Northcott Theatre is a Theater situated on the Streatham Campus of the University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, England....
 is located on the campus of the university and is one of relatively few provincial English theatres to maintain its own repertory company
Repertory

Repertory or rep, called stock in the US, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation....
. Its annual open air Shakespeare
William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare was an English people poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's preeminent dramatist....
 performance in the grounds of Rougemont Castle is well regarded nationally. This theatre is the successor to the former Theatre Royal, Exeter
Theatre Royal, Exeter

The Theatre Royal, Exeter was the name of several Theater situated in the city centre of Exeter, Devon, England in the United Kingdom....
.

Barnfieldtheatre
There are also two other theatre buildings with associated companies. The Barnfield Theatre
Barnfield Theatre

The Barnfield Theatre in Exeter, England was originally built as The Barnfield Hall near the end of the 19th century by Exeter Literary Society and converted to a Theater in 1972, and is located near the centre of the city on Barnfield Road, Southernhay....
 was converted in 1972 from the Barnfield Hall which was built towards the end of the 19th century by Exeter Literary Society. The theatre is a charity and is used as a venue for both amateur and professional theatrical companies. In January 2007 it received £200,000, about the same as the original cost to build it, to refurbish its interior. The New Theatre is the home of the Cygnet Training Theatre
Cygnet Training Theatre

Cygnet Training Theatre is a British drama school based in Exeter, Devon.Founded in 1980 by Monica Shallis , Cygnet is a member of the Conference of Drama Schools....
, a member of the Conference of Drama Schools
Conference of Drama Schools

The Conference of Drama Schools comprises 22 accredited drama schools in United Kingdom. Founded in 1969, the 22 member schools offer courses in Acting, Musical Theatre, theatre director and Technical Theatre training....
. In addition, theatrical productions and other stage performances frequently take place at the Phoenix Arts Centre
Phoenix Arts Centre

The Phoenix Arts Centre is a theatre in the Leicester City Centre of Leicester, England. The centre hosts live shows and films of the arthouse and world cinema genres....
 off Gandy Street. All these locations are close to the city centre.

Music


Exeter has a diverse and thriving music scene for a city of its size.

  • Phonic FM
    Phonic FM

    Phonic FM is a Community radio in the United Kingdom station in Exeter, Devon, England. The station was set up in 2008 and started broadcasting on 15th Feb 2008....
    , the community radio station, features local DJs, live broadcasts from gigs around Exeter, interviews with artists and guests.
  • The Phoenix centre is regularly host to live music and DJs in many genres
  • The Cavern Club in Queen Street is a popular venue for live punk, indie and underground dance music.
  • The Hub in Mary Arches street is also a popular live music venue.
  • Amber Rooms on Sidwell Street holds dance and alternative world beats nights.
  • The Globe Inn on Clifton Road in Newtown holds live events most nights (including world music, open mic nights and local rock bands).
  • Timepiece has 3 floors, with various discounts available with student union card
  • Exeter does not have a resident professional orchestra, but the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
    Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

    The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is an England orchestra. The orchestra was originally based in Bournemouth, but in 1979 moved its offices to the adjacent town of Poole....
     tours to the city regularly.
  • The largest orchestra based in Exeter is the EMG Symphony Orchestra which presents regular concerts at the University of Exeter and in Exeter Cathedral.
  • Exeter Children's Orchestra is a youth orchestra with patrons Marin Alsop and Sir Colin Davis
  • Kagemusha Taiko is a drumming ensemble that combines theatrical performance with excellent drumming
  • The cathedral choir is nationally known, and the cathedral is frequently the venue for concerts by visiting orchestras.
  • There are two Festivals each year, of all the arts but with a particular concentration of musical events
  • The annual "Vibraphonic" festival held in the spring provides a fortnight of soul, blues, jazz, funk, reggae and electronic music. A radio station, Vibraphonic FM, runs for a month around the festival.
  • Children of the Drone
    Children of the Drone

    Children of the Drone are an Exeter, UK-based improvisational drone music collective formed in 2001. Originally formed by Simon Egan, Keith Hunter and Matthew Watkins, the collective now consists of about twenty players, with a core group of about a dozen....
     is an improvisational music collective, based in Exeter since 2001
  • Exeter has held a "Respect Festival" since 2002 to promote cultural differences and that they need to be accepted and not discriminated.
  • Exeter is the home of Mansons Guitar Shop and is where Matthew Bellamy
    Matthew Bellamy

    Matthew James Bellamy, is the main songwriter and lead vocalist, guitarist and pianist in the Rock music group Muse . He also scores strings for Muse songs....
     of MUSE
    Muse (band)

    Muse are an English rock music band that was formed in Teignmouth, Devon, England in 1994. Since their inception, the band has comprised Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard ....
     gets his guitars custom made.


Museums and galleries

  • The city museum is the Royal Albert Memorial Museum
    Royal Albert Memorial Museum

    Royal Albert Memorial Museum on Queen Street, Exeter, Devon, England is the largest museum in the city....
     in Queen Street. The Museum also runs St Nicholas Priory which is just off Fore street.
  • The Phoenix Arts Centre and Phoenix Media Centre occupies the former university site in Gandy Street.
  • Spacex is a long established modern art gallery


Newspapers

  • , is a monthly 'what's on' listings guide for Exeter and the Heart of Devon. Exeter's Essential Guide.Exeter list
  • Express and Echo, daily (current)
  • The Exeter Times, formerly known as the Exeter Leader, weekly, free
  • Flying Post
    Flying Post

    Flying Post was a Hudson's Bay Company trading post located on the Kukatush or Groundhog River, a tributary of the Mattagami River. The post was approximately eighty miles downriver from Kukatush or Groundhog Lake, and one hundred miles upriver from the river's junction with the Mattagami....
    , weekly (discontinued 1917, but title revived in 1975 as an alternative (polemical) community magazine)
  • The Western Morning News
    Western Morning News

    The Western Morning News is a politically independent daily regional newspaper covering Devon and Cornwall and parts of Somerset and Dorset....
    , a Plymouth
    Plymouth

    Plymouth is a City status in the United Kingdom and unitary authority on the coast of Devon, England, about south west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers River Plym to the east and River Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound....
    -printed daily regional paper, is also popular


Twinnings

Exeter is twinned with:
Rennes
Rennes

Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the Capital of the Bretagne Regions of France, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine Departments of France....
, Brittany
Brittany

Brittany is a former independent Celtic nations monarchy and duchy, now incorporated into France. It is also, more generally, the name of the cultural area whose limits correspond to the historic province and independent duchy....
, France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
Bad Homburg
Bad Homburg

Bad Homburg vor der H?he is the main town of the Hochtaunuskreis, Hesse, Germany, on the southern slope of the Taunus, bordering among others Frankfurt am Main and Oberursel ....
, Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl

Yaroslavl is a types of inhabited localities in Russia in Russia, the administrative center of Yaroslavl Oblast, located north-east of Moscow....
, Russia
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
Terracina
Terracina

Terracina is a town and comune of the province of Latina - , Italy, 76 km SE of Rome by rail ....
, Italy
Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
The city also seeks to maintain a relationship with HMS Exeter
HMS Exeter (D89)

HMS Exeter is a Type 42 destroyer destroyer, the fifth ship of the Royal Navy to be named Exeter, after the city of Exeter in Devon.Exeter was the first of the slightly modified 'Batch 2' Type 42 destroyers....
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See also

  • Exeter Book
    Exeter Book

    The Exeter Book, Exeter Cathedral Library MS 3501, also known as the Codex Exoniensis, is a tenth-century book or codex which is an anthology of Anglo-Saxons poetry....
  • Exeter (HM Prison)
    Exeter (HM Prison)

    HM Prison Exeter is a is a Prison security categories in the United Kingdom men's prison, located in Exeter in the Devon, England. The term 'local' means that this prison holds people on remand to the local courts....
  • Henry Phillpotts
    Henry Phillpotts

    Henry Phillpotts , Bishop of Exeter or "Henry of Exeter," as he was often called, was England's longest serving bishop since the 12th century, , one of the most striking figures in the Church of England of the 19th century and one of the last of the pre-Reform bishops....


External links

  • from White's Devonshire Directory, 1850