Exeter

About Exeter 

Exeter Cathedral

Exeter Cathedral

Exeter is a historic city in Devon, southern England. It is the county town and is home to Devon County Council. It is located on the River Exe and is approximately 37 miles north east of Plymouth and 70 miles south west of Bristol. Exeter has good transport links with Exeter St David’s railway station, Exeter Central railway station, the M5 motorway and Exeter International Airport connecting the city both nationally and internationally.
 
The Met Office, the main weather forecasting organisation for the United Kingdom and one of the most significant in the world, is now located in Exeter. The city is twinned with Rennes in France, Bad Homburg in Germany, Yaroslavl in Russia and Terracina in Italy. 

History 

Exeter City

Exeter City

  • The Latin name for Exeter, Isca Dumnoniorum, infers the city was of Celtic origin and evidence of a settlement on the banks of the River Exe prior to the foundation of the Roman city in about AD 50. Exeter was also the southern starting point for the Fosse Way Roman road. More than 1,000 Roman coins have been found in the city indicating its importance as a trading centre, at its most prosperous in the first half of the fourth century.
  • In Medieval times Exeter began to establish itself as a market town holding weekly markets and annual fairs for its citizens several times a week. The city developed a strong wool trade supporting the 30,000 people working in the wool and cloth industries within Devon. The city continued to grow harnessing the power of water to provide for industries, however a decline started as steam took over and coal fields were too far away to make it economical to develop further. Exeter extended its canal network to improve the local economy.
  • In 1763 a synagogue was opened, it remains one of the oldest in Britain.
  • The railway arrived in 1844 with St Davids station being opened by the Bristol and Exeter Railway.  St Thomas station opened with the extension of the line to Plymouth and in 1860 the Central Station opened to serve traffic on the London and South West Railway network.
  • In the 20th century, Exeter was heavily bombed by the German Luftwaffe with many historic buildings destroyed and others severely damaged including the grand Cathedral of St Peter.
  • Regarded as second only to Bath as an architectural site in southern England, Exeter has been a city with some beautiful buildings rather than a beautiful city. As a result there is a significant tourist trade however Exeter is not dominated by tourism. 

Facts  

  • Population – 122,400 (2007)
  • Governing Authority – Exeter City Council
  • Major Industries – Mixed including Higher Education; Public Administration; Meteorological Services; Tourism
  • Post town – EXETER
  • Postcode – EX1-6
  • Dialling code – 01392
  • Police – Devon and Cornwall Police
  • Fire – Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
  • Ambulance – South Western Ambulance Service

 Discover Exeter – useful links to city guides, what’s on and places to see 

Exeter Town Centre

Exeter Town Centre

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