Exeter Off The Beaten Path

In the northern tower of the cathedral, under the clock, there is a very old and tiny door. In the very old and tiny door there is an even tinier circular hole. Why?

Apparently, the bell rope hung there, its end greased with wax. Mice liked the wax. They ran about in the cathedral and the monks did not enjoy walking over them when they rse for early-morning prayers. So it was decided that there should be a cathedral cat, and the cat needed a hole so it could get at the mice who ate the wax.............

This is supposed to be the origin of the nursery rhyme 'Hickory, dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock............' . It might be; it's a good story anyway!

Parliament Street in Exeter is, allegedly, the narrowest street in the world. One end opens onto the High Street (opposite Halifax building society) - the other end opens into the Guildhall shopping centre just opposite Woolworths side entrance.
At its widest point it is only 1220mm across so if you want to walk along its length perhaps you should do it before lunch!!

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Medieval monks were allowed to use 'misericords' (small wooden ledges to rest one's buttocks on) to keep themselves focused and comfortable through the long hours of prayer. Many were beautifully carved and Exeter has some wonderful examples.

The one in the main picture has been put on show because it is an interesting example of how the Medieval mind worked. The woodcarver had probably never seen an elephant, and obviously did not know what its feet looked like. So he gave it the feet he thought it would have; if you look closely, you'll see this elephant has the hooves of an ox.

Although most of the choir stalls are inaccessible you can see one or two other misericords on the end of the rows...and if you are lucky (or ask nicely) a warden may lift more up for you to see.

The Exeter misericords date from the 1300s and are some of the best examples in England.

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If you fancy an escape from the ubiquity of the city's infernal-combusting-engined machines then a wander down the Exeter Ship Canal is the ideal way to get away from them all and doublyplus ideal is the cracking pub at the end of the journey.

The Turf Hotel, located at the Turf Lock where the canal meets the Exe Estuary, is one of the few pubs in Britain that is not accessible by private motor vehicles. Instead the canal's towpath has been upgraded to form part of the new(ish and still under construction in parts) Exe Estuary Cycle/Walking Trail which loops traffic-free from Exmouth on the eastern side of the river to Dawlish on the west.

The six mile section from Exeter Quay to the pub makes for a pleasant canal-side stroll or cycle with the pub sitting on the spit of land where the canal and estuary meet. The immediate area is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the pub's beer garden occupies a prime spot.

Not only is the location stunning but the pub itself manages to have a proper-pub feel offering a convivial welcome, a good range of local beers and home-cooked food using mostly local suppliers.

well worth a visit
near starcross the family was connected too henry the 8th
william of orange and cromwell .great setting also great west railway cross property
the late earl was tied to brunell builder of the railway

The Blackdown Hills of east Devon are famous for their many ancient churches and quaint towns. Many hundreds of miles of narrow lanes lined by tall hedges twist through the hills.

Along one of those lanes between Ottery St. Mary and Seaton you might come across Southleigh, where you'll find this old church. It overlooks a field where dairy cows graze during the day.

Unsurprisingly, Northleigh is just a couple miles north of Southleigh.

The church here is atop a hill with views over the surrounding village and farms. Its white rendered tower makes for a distinctive landmark.

On to Colyton, a small town a few miles north of the large resort town of Seaton. Antique doubledecker trams connect the towns.

Colyton's church is quite impressive. The flamboyant tower and windvane can be seen for miles.Inside Colyton's church is a chapel dedicated to an old local aristocratic family where you'll see several extravagant monuments.