Sights in Exeter
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Cathedral Church of St Peter
Magnificent in warm, honey-coloured stone, Exeter's Cathedral Church of St Peter is framed by lawns and wonky half-timbered buildings - a quintessentially English scene often peopled by picnickers snacking to the sound of the bells.
The site's been a religious one since at least the 5th century but the Normans started the current building in 1114 and the towers of today's cathedral date from that period. In 1270 Bishop Bronescombe remodelled the whole building, a process that took 90 years, and introduced a mix of Early English and Decorated Gothic styles. You enter via the gorgeous Great West Front. Above the door, scores of weather-worn figures line an image screen, whi…
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Exeter Quay
The perfect place on a summer's day to forget you're in a city. The red stone warehouses that line the River Exe at Exeter Quay are home to antiques markets, pubs and restaurants, many with alfresco dining. There's been a quay on the site since Roman times, but by the 14th century the route to the sea had been cut off by an incredibly sharp piece of business practice.
Those with vested interests in forcing trade to the port of Topsham to the south, built a weir across the river - severing the city's water link. Undeterred, John Trew built the first ship canal in Britain in 1563 to restore access to the sea. The quay has open-air jazz on Sundays between June and September,…
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Powderham Castle
Stately but still friendly Powderham Castle is the historic home of the Earl of Devon. It was built in 1391, damaged in the Civil War and remodelled in the Victorian era, and has some of the best preserved Stuart and Regency furniture around. There's a fine wood-panelled Great Hall, a glimpse of life 'below stairs' in the kitchen, and parkland with 650 deer.
The earl and family are still resident and, despite the grandeur of Powderham, for delightful fleeting moments it feels like you're actually wandering through someone's sitting room. Powderham is on the River Exe near Kenton, 8 miles south of Exeter. Bus 85A runs from Exeter (20 minutes, every 15 minutes Monday to Sa…
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Underground Passages
Prepare to crouch down, don a hard hat and possibly get spooked in what is the only system of its kind open to the public in the country. These medieval, vaulted Underground Passages were built to house pipes bringing fresh water to the city. Unlike modern utility companies, the authorities opted to have permanent access for repairs, rather than dig up the streets each time - genius. Guides lead you through the network, telling tales of ghosts, escape routes and cholera.
The last tour is an hour before closing.
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Guildhall
The medieval Guildhall is just a few steps away from the high street bustle, through an intricately carved oak door. A gloriously ornate barrel roof tops a structure that dates in parts from 1330, making it the oldest municipal building still in use in the country. It's lined with wooden benches and crests of dignitaries - the mayor still sits in the huge throne-like chair at the end. Opening hours depend on civic functions; drop in as you pass or call ahead for times.
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Bill Douglas Centre
A delightful homage to film and fun, the Bill Douglas Centre is a compact collection of all things celluloid, from magic lanterns to Mickey Mouse. Inside, discover just what the butler did see, and why the flicks are called the flicks. Movie memorabilia reigns upstairs - Charlie Chaplin bottle stoppers mingle with Ginger Rogers playing cards, James Bond board games and Star Wars toys. It's a 15-minute walk from the centre, on the University of Exeter campus.
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Museum
Roman Exeter features strongly in the city's museum. Expect chunks of mosaic, bits of amphorae and a good re-creation of the bathhouse that used to lie under what is now Cathedral Green. There are also piles of south Devon flints, and a reconstruction of a Dartmoor Bronze Age roundhouse. Hunt out the tomb-like Egypt room, complete with a 3000-year-old mummy case and (mock-up) hieroglyphics on the walls. There are good, free quiz sheets for children.
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City Wall
Fragments of Exeter's russet-red City Wall weave an elusive, two-mile trail around the fringes of the old Roman city. The most ancient bits are 2000 years old and with newer, particularly Civil War, defences built on top, it's perfect for playing a game of history detective - decoding the layers of the past. A surprising 70% is still standing and it springs up beside shops and car parks as well as parks, often accompanied by information panels.
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Exeter Cathedral
At the city's heart is the magnificent Cathedral Church of St Peter, which has stood largely unchanged for the last 600 years. One of England's most graceful cathedrals, its celebrated features include the 14th-century stained glass East Window, the West Window and the largest section of Gothic rib-vaulting in the world. Take up excellent, free guided tours.
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Exeter Castle
In the Northernhay Gardens, at the end of Castle St, you can skirt the tree-fringed ruins of the city's 11th-century castle (but not go inside). The gatehouse is worth searching out - it has a plaque commemorating three Devon women who were tried here for witchcraft in 1685 and became the last in the country to be hanged for the crime.
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Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery
Exeter's multipurpose museum has a little bit of everything, from Roman-era artefacts dug up around the city to excellent ethnographic displays from across the globe (look out for some spooky African masks and an impressive suit of samurai armour).
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Quay House Interpretation & Visitor Centre
The Quay House Interpretation & Visitor Centre , with its small artefact and map collection, has more on the quay's past. There are more shops and cafés on the other side of the river.
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Butt's Ferry
The bathtub-like Butt's Ferry is propelled across by a ferryman pulling on a wire - technically it's a floating bridge, one of only a handful in the country.
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