Exeter, England Attractions

Exeter, the old county town of Devon, has retained its historic charm despite its growth in size and importance. Roman town walls, the medieval cathedral quarter, rows of Tudor and Stuart houses, handsome communal buildings and numerous parks and gardens make up the townscape of Exeter which is a center of modern service industries. The surrounding Devon countryside is one of England's richest areas of pastureland and is famous for its thick cream and cream cheese; a delicious specialty is the "cream tea", a pot of tea served with small scones topped with cream and jam.

As early as 1 B.C. the Dumnonier tribe established a trading settlement at the point where the River Exe ceases to be navigable. In A.D. 1 the Romans expanded it and extended the important trading and supply route from London to Dorchester as far west as Exeter. About 200 the mighty town walls were built (remains are in the area around Southernhay). In the confusion of the post-Roman period a Saxon monastery was founded near the site of the present-day cathedral, to which, among others, St Bonifatius (d. 745) a missionary to the Germans belonged. Even during the reign of King Alfred Danish invaders repeatedly penetrated from the coast as far as Exeter and sacked the town several times between 876 and 1003. After its reconstruction Edward the Confessor honored the tireless work of the town's inhabitants by transferring the bishop's seat from Crediton to Exeter. The town resisted the Norman invasion until 1068 but following an 18-day siege it was finally taken by William the Conqueror. Since the 12th century Exeter has developed because of the river traffic into a flourishing commercial center. During the Wars of the Roses the town switched its alliance, not always to its advantage, between the Houses of Lancaster and York. In 1497 it withstood an attack by Perkin Warbeck and in the Reformation in 1549 defended itself against the rebels for the introduction of the English Prayer Book. In the Civil War Exeter fell into the hands of the Royalists and was consequently plundered by the Parliamentarian troops so that the citizens reacted by tolerating the secret meetings of the Royalists in the town. The Stuart king Charles II personally visited the town in 1671 to thank it for its support. James II, on the other hand, was less popular with many of Exeter's citizens supporting the Duke of Monmouth instead, for which they were later severely punished. Peace did not prevail again until William III came to the throne. In May 1942 the historic quarter of the town suffered heavy damage in the air raids.
Exeter is a popular tourist destination for the notable landmarks, theatre, music venues and several museums.