Exeter Accommodation

Inside Exeter's gothic cathedral, St Peters. As impressive inside, as out

St Nicholas Priory, The Mint, Exeter

Historic Ship Inn, Exeter, apparently frequented by Sir Francis Drake!

Exeter's Roman Walls

Exeter Cinema Contemporary Arts Shopping Entertainment England

Exeter, city of southwest culture, have you heard. Exeter is rich in Roman, Medieval, and Wool Trade/Canal history, but there's more! In these contemporary times, Exeter, a prestigious university city, has evolved offering visitors a choice of cinema, contemporary art and popular culture centres. Exeter is a superb city for shopping as well, particularly off the wall clothes shops and off beat designer names. Check out the clothes shops on Gandy Street near the Phoenix Art Centre - fantastic stuff!

Exeter is very much a kind of Southwest equivalent of say York or Bath. Take your pick from a choice of chic cafe bars, arthouse cinema, cutting edge contemporary art, and a selection of arts and crafts shopping, particularly on Quayside. Fans of Early cinema history and popular culture will love the Bill Douglas Centre for Cinema and Popular Culture, contemporary art fans will marvel at the exhibitions at the Spacex Gallery, and check out the new arthouse cinema - The Picture House.

Exeter Quayside

Feel the Exeter chill. Quayside on the River Exe and at the beginning of the Exeter Ship Canal has evolved like so many UK watersides. We're talking cafe culture tourism now, not bustling industrial woollen trade. As Quaysides go, Exeter is a delight retaining many of it's old buildings such as the historic Customs House which dates back to 1681. Devon Arts and Crafts, home grown by Devon artists is on the menu here. The Exeter Crafts Guild have set up shop, co-operative style, at the excellent Quay House Visitor Centre. Here you can browse an exquisite collection of cards, pottery, glass, and quirky ceramics. Check out the magical cards (with featured cats) of Prue Berthon who trained at the Chelsea School of Art and Cathy Reeves' ceramic sheep are superb. Or how about Tina Hill's 'Glowies'. Unusual little figures made from luminous clay which glow in the dark. The work of the Exeter Craft Guild co-operative is a must view on any visit to Exeter.

The Woollen Trail (pick up a leaflet trail guide at the tourist info point) takes you along the Quayside, and introduces you to some of the Woollen trade history once prevalent in this part of Devon. At one time this quayside was crammed with unloading and loading barges, exporting finished cloth to various locations in Europe. Visit the two particular historic buildings at the heart of the Woollen industry - The Customs House and Wharfinger's House.

Sample the choice of Devon tea rooms, cafes, restaurants and superb shopping on Exeter's Quayside. Shoppers looking for quirky gifts or antiques will love the choice of Devon Arts and Crafts shops. Sample a spot of Devon fishing, fishing fans! Both the River Exe and the Exeter Ship canal are fishing favourites with anglers. There's the usual selection of modern entertainments on Exeter Quayside as well, including chic cafe/bars. Entertainment treats include the Mega Bowl Ten Pin Bowling, the Riverside Leisure Centre and there's a few choice Quayside night clubs. Throughout the year there's also a selection of water-based events such as Raft Racing, Dragon Boat Racing and canoe competitions and as you'd expect on this bustling Quayside, they have a Regatta as well. Check out The Exeter Rowing Club's link to the right for Regatta details.

Exeter Quayside is the perfect spot to begin either a riverside or canalside walk. Alternatively, branch out into the nearby Haldon Hills. If you were a fan of the long running series on TV, The Onedin Line, it was filmed on parts of Exeter Quayside! Note the Roman Walls as well which stretch down to the Quay, and signs of original Roman life and use of Exeter waterside.

Family Entertainment, Powderham Castle, Exeter

Exeter Stately home/come castle anyone. Powderham Castle is still owned by the Earl of Devon wot wot. Set in a rather nice deer park, adjacent to the River Exe (swoon) Powderham Castle is not just a castle, it's an events hoster, and it's licenced for civil wedding ceremonies, if you fancy being Earl and Earless for the day! You can wander around the lavish interior, taking in the portraits of the Courtenay familey of old and there's a chapel and medieval hall and grand staircase. Like many stately homes and castles it's had to adapt to survive, and Powderham Castle has done this rather well with lots of family entertainment such as the Secret Garden with a selection of friendly pets and animals, good for the tots! Tractor and Trailer rides tottle around the grounds, and there's a delightful woodland garden with primroses and and Devon Violets.

Check out some of the many events throughout the year, such as 'Knights of Powderham', or the Teddy Bears Picnic. Diversification has stretched into celebrity alliances, and yes Powderham Castle also lays on various concerts and music events. Yes, Wet Wet Wet, and David Cassidy have entertained here. There's classical music and opera concert events held here too. Check their web link to the right for event details. Halloween week also offers visitors the obligatory ghosts toors, spooktastic!

Looking for an introduction to local Devon produce? You won't do better than the exquisite food hall at Powderham Castle. You'll find big fine food Devon names here like Stillman's the Butchers and Ryders the Bakers. There's a fabulous House of Marbles centre as well, and it's famous Teign Valley Glass based in Bovey Tracey that are behind this little gem. There's a pottery painting studio as well, very popular with kids and adults alike. You select the pottery you wish to have a go at painting, then off you go. Other bonus facilities are the on-site Belvedere Cafe and Restaurant, and for quirky plant lovers there's a Perfumed Garden outlet offering such gems as a choice of English Scented Pinks.

Powderham Castle is open evey day except Saturday from 10.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. (last admission 4.30 p.m.), from 23rd March to 30th October. Special offer family tickets are available for two adults plus two children! Powderham Castle is conveniently placed near Exeter. Leave the M5 at Junction 30 (Sandygate) and proceed towards Exeter joining the A379 in a southerly direction. Continue over the Countess Wear Roundabout and take the first exit left on the A379, signposted to Dawlish, then follow Powderham Castle brown tourist signs. Powderham castle entrance is in the village of Kenton, just on the left hand side. Powderham Castle, Kenton, Exeter, EX6 8JQ. Tel: 01626 890243.

Exeter Cinema

Exeter has developed a reputation not just for superb art house cinema venues, but as a hotspot for exploring the history of cinema and popular culture. In conjunction with Exeter University, the relatively new Bill Douglas Centre for the History of Cinema and Popular Culture puts Exeter on the map as a city for cinema fans alongside Bradford and it's National Film Theatre. This History of Cinema and Popular Culture Centre is truly Exeter's contemporary jewel in the crown. Cinema fans get ready, a choice of changing exhibitions focusing on anything from early cinema and D.W.Griffiths to James Dean to Disneymania.

Various archives and collections have been left to centre, including it's namesake's - Bill Douglas's archive, so it's rich in cinematic archives and memorabilla. Bill Douglas, renowned British Filmmaker, is up there with the greats, particularly for his trilogy of growing up in poverty in Edinburgh (where he himself was born and grew up). This trilogy consists of My Childhood (1971), My Ain Folk (1973) and My Way Home (1978) and focus on the life of young boy Jamie growing up in a small tin mining town just outside Edinburgh. Bill Douglas was also a collector and enthusiast of early cinema so his donated archive to the centre consists of everything from film star cigarette cards, to film festival programmes, and postcards, many of which are studio portraits of the stars. The cinema archive here will amaze, and you can get a taste of it on the online 'Everyone's Virtual Exhibition' (EVE) through the centre's weblink to the right.

Exhibitions change frequently, but you can view past exhibitions on film noir, Joan Crawford, Shakespeare in Film and more online. There's a reading and archive room, and lots of cinema ephemera in the exhibitions including Shirley Temple dolls and Disney figurines, including some exquisite Snow White ones! It's a must visit for cinema fans, and this cinema history and popular culture centre takes time to explore delvings into the 'cinema' idea pre-cinema, so expect to find out much about Lantern shows in the 1700s and how the Victorians projected images. A fascinating cinematic journey - don't miss it!

The Museum at the Bill Douglas Centre is open to the public, free of charge. Opening times are Monday to Friday, 10:00 - 16:00, except Bank Holidays. Find the centre on Exeter University campas at: The Bill Douglas Centre for the History of Cinema and Popular Culture, University of Exeter, The Old Library, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter EX4 4SB. Phone: + 44 1392 264321. If you do want to view certain cinema archives after searching online - you can ring up and pre-book it for viewing!

Exeter Cinemas

If your looking for a superb blend of arthouse and mainstream cinema then head for Exeter's relatively new Picture House Cinema - a building with a design twist indeed. There's a great cafe on-site, plus a selection of frequent events and talks alongside a superb choice of films. Find the Exeter Picturehouse at 51 Bartholomew Street West, Exeter EX4 3AJ, Tel: 08707 551238

There were many cinemas in Exeter at one time, notably the classic deco Savoy Cinema on New London Square, sadly now demolished. Never fear, there is still a classic odean cinema on Sidwell Street which dates from 1937 and has a superb classic recognisable Odean frontage with its long, narrow windows Check out the Odeon web link to the right, for bookings contact: Telephone Number 0871 22 44 007.

Exeter Phoenix

The Exeter Phoenix is a blending of visual arts, theatre, music events and film. They get and are getting some primo acts here including recently new folk star Seth Lakeman, as well as furious Mexican music by Los de Abajo. Check out their web link to the right for full programme listings.

It's an aesthetically pleasing venue, with relaxing caf� bar on-site (open 10am - 11pm, Monday - Saturday), and you can hold your conference or workshop here with hire-out rooms, edit suites and the auditorium for all manner of conference and commercial use � meetings, seminars, talks etc. Most of the public spaces are licensed for entertainment up until 2.00am. On New Year's Eve they use the whole building (plus a marquee outside) for a big party. It is estimated that the Exeter Pheonix has some 150,000 visitors a year

Facilities include an auditorium (capacity 450 standing or 210 seated), galleries, a Media Centre and various studio spaces which are used for a large range of regular classes. Events and activities cross all genres, from dance, film and live art to hip hop, drum 'n' bass and reggae. Contemporary art exhibitions take place in the galleries and film is also programmed.

Exeter Phoenix, Bradninch Place, Gandy Street, Exeter, Devon EX4 3LS. Telephone 01392 667080

Exeter Contemporary Art

Spacex Gallery, Exeter, prepared to be wowed by one of the best contemporary art galleries in the UK. Changing exhibitions, and projects that are not just in these galleries here on Preston Street, but are spread out across Exeter (note the Blue Boy statue in the heart of Exeter's shopping district!)

Exhibited work, past and present focuses particularly on the environment. Projects have been undertaken in conjunction with the RSPB. You can view many of the superb past projects online. Look particularly at 'Homeland', a series of workshops and artworks in and around Exeter. Currently about to launch is an exhibition called Folk Archive, exploring the place of Folk and Vernacular art in the UK and Ireland. Another Exeter gem!

Spacex Gallery, 45 Preston Street, Exeter EX1 1DF. Tel: +44 (0) 1392 431786. Open Tuesday-Saturday, from 10am-5pm, Admission free!

Exeter Visitor Information & Shopmobility

Quay House Visitor Centre 46 The Quay Exeter EX2 4AN T: 01392 271611 E: quayhouse@exeter.gov.uk. Exeter Visitor Information & Tickets Dix's Field Exeter EX1 1GF T: 01392 665700 F: 01392 665260 E: evit@exeter.gov.uk

Exeter Shopmobility, 8-10 Paris Street, Exeter, EX1 1GA. Tel: 01392 494001, open from Mon-Fri, 9.30am-4.30pm, Sat 10am-4pm. Contact shopmobility for access to manual and powered scooters for use around local shops and Exeter Town Centre.

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