Besley I llustrated Hand Book of Exeter THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES b -^ BESLEYS'-^ -J. ILLUSTRATED > /!^; '^I^. H^»^ i JM^^* OF ^ EXETER5 ^ \ INSTITUTIONS, WALKS, RIDES, EXCURSIONS, &c, &c. -5. PRICE ♦ SIXPENCE. > '\ BESLEYS' ILLUSTRATED HAND BOOK OF EXETER, f:f)e aratf)etjral, INSTITUTIONS, WALKS, RIDES, EXCURSIONS, &c., &c. PRICE SIXPENCE. (Exeter : PEIUTED AND PUBLISHED BV H. BESI.EY AND SON, DIEF.CTORY OFFICE, SOUTH STREET. 80 1. D BY ALL BOOKSELLERS. INDEX w Albert Memorial Museum, p. 59 Ancient Houses, 68 Architectural Society, 86 Athenaeum, 73 Bampfylde House, 73 Bankruptcy Court, 49 Banks, 49 Baths and Wash-houses, 87 Bishop's Palace, 88 Blind Institution, 107 Broadgate, old, 86 Bury-meadow, 64 Canal and Basin, 44-9S Carfoix, 70 Cathedral, 10 „ Altar-table, 34 ,, Bishop's Throne, 25 „ Chapter House, 'it „ Choir, 19 „ Clock and Bells, 19 ,, Date of. 14 „ East and West Windows oi the, 17 „ fine view from the roof of the, 23 ,, Flooring in Choir, 31 „ Font, 17 „ Lady Chapel, the, 29 „ Library, 22 „ measurement of the, 13 ,, Minstrel's Gallery, 16 ,, Monuments in the, 20 „ Nave of the, 15 „ Organ, 36 „ Paintings on Screen, 18 „ Pulpit, 27 „ Reredos, 32 ,, Restoration of the, 23 ,, Roof, the, 30 „ Screens, 29-35 „ Sedilia, 28 „ Stalls, 23 „ Towers, 18 ,, Transepts, 35 Cemetery, the new, 85 Cemetery, the old, 105 Central Schools, 87 Chapels of Dissenters, 41 Charitable Institutions, 42 Churches and Chapels, 41 Church of St. Michael, 107 City Walls, 8 Cleave, 105 Climate of Exeter, 46 Close, the, 53 College Hall, 86 Colleton Crescent, 91 Congregational Church, 55 Cowick Priory, 104 Cowley-bridge Road, 108 Custjm House, 49 Dane's Castle, 78 Deaf and Dumb Institution, 93 Devon Sessions House, 76 Dispensary, 63 Duryard Park, 79-108 Eastern Market, 59 Eastgate Arcade, 79 Episcopal Charity Schools, 106 Excursion to Berry Pomeroy Castle, 110 „ Bovey Potteries and Coal-pits, 110 „ Chudleigh Rock, 109 ,, CuUompton, Welling. ton & Taunton, 110 ,, Dawlish and Teign- mouth, 110 „ Dunsford Bridge, 109 ,, Exmouth & Budleigh Salterton, llu „ Fingle Bridge, 109 ,, Ilaytor Rocks, Becky Falls, &c., 109 „ Houndtor Coombe, Lustleigh Cleeve, &c., 109 ,, Ilfracombe, 110 ,, Landslips, the, 109 „ Lydford, 111 ,, Lvnton and Valley of Rocks, 111 „ Minehead, Dunster, and Bampton, 111 „ North of Devon, 110 „ Powderham Castle.lIO „ Sidmouth, 109 „ Tavistock, 110 „ Torquay and Dart- moutli, 110 ,, Tiverton & the Valley of the Exe, 111 ,. Ugbrooke Park, 109 „ Westward Ho! UO Exeter City Arms, 58 Exeter Diocesan Training Col- lege, 83 Exeter Nursery, 97 ,, School of Art, 59 Extent of the City & Suburbs, 7 Exwick, 108 Eye Infirmary, 90 11.0994 j.^7 INDKX. Father Peter, 105 Female Penitentiary, 92 Free Cottae-es. 106 Friars' Walk, 91 Grammar School, 90 Guildhall, 5.5 Hackney Carriages & Fares, 50 Heavitree, Walks to, 84 Hele'a Commercial School, 64 HorticulturHl Society, &c., 48 Hospital, Devon and Exeter, 54 Hotels, 49 Ide, 104 Inland Revenue Offices, 49 Institution, Devon & Exeter, 52 Iron Bridge, 106 Jews' Synagogue, 95 Larkbeare, 92 Lepers' Hospital, 90 Literary and Philosophical So- cieties, 4S Lucombe, Pince & Co.'s Nursery Grounds, 97 Markets, 59 Masonic Hall, 70 Newspapers, 43 Northernhay, 76 Polsloe Priorv, 85 Post Office, 80 Public Institutions, &c., 44 „ Offices, 49 [96 „ Schools, 42, 83, 85, 92, 94, ,, Walk~ and Buildings, 51 Railway Stations, 63, 104, 108 Reformatory School & Refuge, 85 Reservoir, 7S River £xe, 44 Rougemont Castle, 73 Rougemont Hotel, 63 Royal Public Rooms, 82 Sanitary condition of Exeter, 47 Savings Bank, 72 Sclater's Nursery, 83 Snail Tower, 105 Southernhay, Barnfield, &c., 54 Sporting and Fishing, 50 Stamp Office, 49 St. Ann's Chapel, 84 St. German's, 79 St. John's Hospital, 81 St. Leonard's, 93 Streatham Hall, 108 St. Thomas' Union Workhouse, Telegraph Office, 49 [105 Theatre, 82 Topsham Road, 92 Trade of Exeter, 43 Tuckers' Hall, 95 Veitch's Nursery, 67 Victoria Hall, 64 View from Cowick Hill, 104 „ Castle Walls, 74 ,, Pennsvlvania Hill, 79 Waddledown, 105 Walks and Public Buildings, 51 ,, by the Canal, 96 ,, by the Exe, 91 Water Supply, 48 Wear, 91 Western Market, 94 West of England Insurance Office, 71 Whitstone, fine view near, 105 Wonford Lunatic Hospital, 93 Workhouse, 84 Wynard's Chapel, 90 THE HAND BOOK OF EXETER. UCH discussion has arisen amongst learned antiquarians as to the name and date of the first foundation of this city. That it was very ancient, both tradition and history concur in maintaining. — " Exeter was, undoubtedly, a place of conse- quence long before the Christian Era. It was of old time called Corinia, and the counties of Devon and Cornwall were both comprehended under the same name, this city being the metropolis. By the Romans it was called Augusta, but as divers cities were so named by them, this city was called Augusta Britannorum, and so called (as some think") by the Romans at the conclusion of the peace made at the siege of this city between King Arvii-agus and Vespasian, Commander of the Roman Ai-my under Claudius Augustus. The Bi-itons in their tongue called tliis city by sundry names, the first Penhulgoile, that is to say, the pros- pei'ous chief town in the wood. It was also called Pennehaltcaii-e, that is, the chief citie or town upon the hill. The Cornislimen called it B 6 EXETER. by the several names of Pennecaire, Caireruth, and Caireiske. Pennecaire signifies the chief citie ; Caireruth signifies the red citie, from the colour of the soil on which it is situated, which is a red earth ; Careiske is the citie of Iske, being so called of the river which floweth by the same Ptolomeus, the famous astronomer, who about the year of our Lord 162, Coell being King of this land, nameth this city Isca, and the river Isaca ; and Bale, the antiquary, following the same opinion, doth also name the city Isca, and the inhabitants therein Iscans ; but it is more likely that the river should be called Isca, according to the British speech, wherein it was called Isca, and which name by transposing of the two middle letters doth at this present remain, being now named Isca or Exa. But whatever were the censures and opinions of Ptolomeus (who was then in Alexandria), and of Bale, who followed him, both of whom wi-ote only upon report, it is cei'tain that the names which the Britons gave were of the longest continuance, and this citie was called by their denominations for the space of 1,500 years, until the coming of the Saxons, the Picts, and the Scots into this realme, which was about the year of our Lord 450. For they, where and whensoever they prevailed in any place, did for the most part alter and change the names of all places and towns, accounting it a great renown, as also a perpetual memorial of their chivalry, to give new names either of their own devises oi' of their own native countries, for so it is written of them. The Saxons, therefore, as of all other cities and towns (few excepted), so of this also they changed and altered the old names, and called it Monketon, and by which name it was called for the space of three hundred and odd years, and until the time of King Athelstan, for he, about the year of our EXETER. 7 Lord 932, being much grieved and unquieted with the rebelHon of the Cornish people, because they refused- and denied to acknowledge him foi- their lawful King, did bend his force and conduct his army against them. And having subdued and prevailed over them, he returned to this city, and while he rested here he repaired the same, and the walles, which before were but mighty ditches of earth, and the banks set with great poles of timber, now destroyed, he builded all of square stone, as it is recorded of it, and then he altered and changed the former names, iind called it after the name of the river Esseterra, or Exeterra, that is to say, Exeter-. It is also written in an old chronicle that it is named Exancestria or Exancestre, which .should seem to be so called by the Saxons." Having thus given some account of the ancient name* and foundation of Exeter, we must refrain from going further into her early history. To chronicle her renown and suffering through battles and sieges, — to describe the royal visits and pageants within her walls, — and to trace her doings and progressive rise to her present state, must be left to the pages of more elaborate histories ; our limits will only allow us to enter vipon a very brief description •of this ancient city, as she now stands. Exeter, the capital of Devonshire, is situated 176 miles from London, in the eastern division of the county, and in the hundred of Wonford ; is poss<3ssed of a jurisdiction independent of Devon, and enjoys the privilege of a separate county by an Act of Edward VI. The popula- tion by the last census of the City of Exeter was 37,665 ; St. Thomas, 5,541 ; Heavitree, 4,349. It returns one member to Parliament : * For this we are indebted to a Paper road by o\n- late respected Town Clerk, John Gidley, Esq., before the British ArchaDologieal Association, in 1861. 8 EXETER. its civil government is vested by the Municipal Corporation Bill, in a Mayor, Recorder, Magis- trates, fourteen Aldermen, and forty-two Coun- cillors. The city rises with a bold aspect on the eastern bank of the river Exe, and was for- mei'ly enclosed within walls and gates : a portion of the former still remaining. The antiquary may be gratified with an inspection of the old Saxon gateway to Rougemont Castle, now standing in Castle-street, adjoining the entrance to the present Castle-yard. The Castle, now the site of the Devon Sessions House, encloses a space about thirty poles in diameter, somewhat in the form of a pentagon, and is situated on the north side of the city, about two furlongs from the river, on a hill overlooking every part of the ground within the walls on which the town is built, and command- ing from the ramparts an extensive prospect. It has borne the name of Rougemont Castle fi'om the red rock on which the old Castle was built, and was famous for its antiquity, as tradition reports it to have been first built by order of Julius Cj«sar, in the fiftieth year before Christ ; but from the researches of the late Dr. Oliver and others, it appears " that King Athelstan was the first of our monarchs who surrounded the city of Exeter with walls and erected a Castle, between the years 925 and 941."* The city lies below the Castle, the figure of which within the walls is nearly a parallelogram of four furlongs in length and three in breadth, having its eastern and southern corners cut oft' and rounded. From its most westerly point the wall runs nearly straight to the north, and some years since, before the intervention of * Oliver's History of Exeter, p. 179. EXETER. y buildings joined the wall by Korthernhay to the Castle.^^eneath the Castle the city extends from north-wpst by south to east, and has from the Castle* hill a declivity to every part of its walls. The principal streets, High-street, Fore- street and Bridge -street, run in a continuous line from east to west through the longest diametei' of tlie city, and are intersected by South-street and North-street at right angles, thus dividing it into nearl}' four equal portions : — to the north-east, the suburb of St. Sidwell, containing three princij^al streets, extends in length about live furlongs ; these streets lead to various newly formed streets and places in all recorded tcr'Eave built the existing towers. The actual ext^t- of his Cathedral can only be a matter of conjecture. It is probable, however, that like all our Norman Cathedrals, it had but three bays in the choir, and terminated in an apse ; and traces of Norman work may be discerned in the walls of the nave. This Cathedral suffered much injury during the siege of Exeter by King Stephen ; but was eventually repaired by the several Bishops who succeeded to the See after that calamity. We now come to the period of the com- mencement of the building of the third or present Cathedral. Early in the thirteenth century. Bishops Bruere and Bronescombe commenced a new edifice in the early English style. The lower portion of the Chapter House is a beautiful specimen of the work of this period. The Lady Chapel was completed by Bishop Peter Quivil, who lies buried, accor- dingly, in the centre of it ; with the quaint inscription of not too coi-rect latinity, — " Petra tegit Petrum ; nihil officiat sibi tetrura." He, too, it was that in prosecuting the new work, made portions of the old edifice subser- vient to the design, the ponderous Norman towers being converted into transepts. The Chapels of St. Gabriel and St. Mary Magdalene, lying south west and north-west of the Lady Chapel, and the Chiipels of St. James and St, Andrew, at the north and south of the choii- aisles, belong to the same (Early English) period. The several successors of Quivil con- tinued the work, apparently according to the plan and foundation laid by the designer ; especially Bishop Stapeldon : and it was tiiudly completed, with the exception of the internal decorations, the sculptured western facade and 12 EXETBR— THE CATHEDRAL. the rood screen ''probably the work of Bishop Braiityngham) by Bishop Granclisson, in 1360. EXETER CATHEDRAL— WEST FRONT. On viewing the exterior of this building a gi'eat impression is produced on the mind of the spectator by the massiveness of the two towers, and the noble and perfect appearance of the whole sti'ucture. The west end presents a superbly-sculptured screen composed with elaborately-carved canopied niches of exquisite designs, containing effigies of Patriarchs, Apostles, Bishops, Kings of England, Crusaders, and emblematical figures of the cardinal virtues and Angels * This screen also contains three * ^ome of these have been mutilated by time or the depreciating hands of barbarous innovators ; but some of the damaged statnes, together with the decayed pinnacles round the Church, liave been renewed recently by the Dean and Chapter. A very necessary and important work for the preservation of the edifice was effected, not PXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. 13 recessed porches, from which open the three great wesfeeTn doors into the nave. Those porches ar^^also elaborately sculptured. Within the screen, and between that and the western wall of the nave, is a small Chantiy Chapel dedicated to S. Radegunde ; it is entered from the south side of central porch. The upper or clerestory and vaulting is supported by graceful flying buttresses, surmounted with richly- panelled canopied and crocheted pinnacles, which stand out boldly, casting their well- defined shadows on the mass of the building. The roof is of lead, with a beautiful fleur-de-ly ornament on its ridge, a feature Avhich is peculiar to this Cathedral, and very much increases its general effect. The two towers r-esemble each other in their general forms ; but the arcaded stages and the sculpturing of them will be found to be diflferent. "With the excep- tion of the towers, which are Norman, the style and general harmony of the whole offer incontestable evidence of its being the result of one unifoi-m plan. The style is the Early Decorated, or Early Middle Pointed. The internal dimensions of the Cathedral con- tain an area of 29,600 square feet ; length, 383 feet ; transept, 140 feet ; nave, 140 feet ; width, 72 feet (34 feet without aisle) ; transept, 28 feet; height from floor to vaulting, 68 feet ; towers, 145 feet. The Cathedral consists of a nave with two aisles of corresponding length ; a Chapel of S. Edmund the Martyr, now used as a Consistory Court, at the north-west angle ; a porch on the north side ; transepts terminated by two square towers, from which two small Chapels open on long since by this Lody, — the thorough and complete draining of the earth on the north-eastern side of the <"'athedral ; in doing which, much of the accumulated soil was removed, and the whole of the plinth laid open, which before was entirely covered. 14 EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL, the east ; St. Paul's on the north, with Sylke's Chantry adjoining ; St. John the Baptist's on the south ; choir, with two aisles extending one bay eastward beyond it, and an Ambulatory. From the aisles, midway, stand out two Chapels, S. Andrew and S. James, forming a minor transept. There is a Crypt under the Chapel in south aisle. The new Canons' Vestry, built during the restoration, opens out from the south aisle. At the north-east and south-east angles of the aisles are two small monumental or Chantry Chapels — St. G-eorge's or the Speke Chapel, and the Chapel of the Saviour, other- wise Bishop Oldham's. The Lady Chapel is divided from the Choir by the Ambulatory ; there are two Chapels, one on either side of the Lady Chapel, forming shoi-t aisles to it ; they are dedicated to S, Mary Magdalene on the north side, and S. Gabriel on the south side. There is a Chapter House on the south side of the south tower, and divided from it by a Chapel called the Holy Ghost Chapel. The following record is extracted from the fabric rolls of the Cathedral : — 1. Leofric.. Saxon Cathedral .. 1050— -lOT'i 2. Osbern . . ( Began Norman CathedraU io7'2toll03 3. Warelwast ^oxyer. Choir, eastpartof n07-1136 [ Nave ) 4. Chichester .. Building continued .. 1138 — 1155 5. E.WarelwastDitto 1160 6. BartholomewDitto 1161—1184 ^' "^^Chantm- { Building renewed } .. 1186—1191 8. Marshall . . CompletedNormanCathedi-al, Longer Choir, Lady Chapel, 6 other Chapels, North Porch, rest of Nave, N.E. Nave door, Vaulting.. ..1194tol206 9. Simon d' Apulia . . . . . . . . 1214—1223 10. Bruere . . Choir Stalls, the lower part of Chapter House 1224—1244 11. Blondy 1245—1257 EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. 15 12. Bronescombe . .Chapels of St. Gabriel, St. ^yr' Mary Magdalen, St. ,''?- Andrew, St. James, ^"^ converted 1257— 1280 13. Qiiivil .. ,. Transformed Transepts with Chapels, East Bay of Nave, Lady Chapel, Ambulatory 1280—1291 14. Bitton . . Transformed part of Choir and Aisles 1292—1307 15. Stapledon .. Finished Choir,built Rood Screen, Thi-one, Sedilia, begun North Cloister . . 1308—1326 16. Berkcly 1326—1327 17. Grandisson .. Finished conversion of Xave, Xorth Cloisters, and part of "West Front, and St. Eadegunde's Chapel 1327— 136» 18. Brantyngham .. Finished "West Front, East Window, Cloisters 1370—1394 The nave is grand and spacious, and consists of seven bays. The aisles are divided from the body of the nave by a columnade of Purbeck mai'ble clustered columns, with beautifully moulded bases and capitals from which spidng a series of lofty arches exquisitely moulded, which support the ponderous walls and roof. Between the springing of the arches from the marble pillars are beautifully carved corbels of foliage, masks, niches, Madonnas, angels, &c., from which rise the graceful vaulting shafts surmounted with carved capitals, from which rise in majestic beauty the superbly moulded ribs and vaulting — with elaborately .sculptured bosses — exquisitely finished at their intersec- tions, which attracts and leads the eye from one extremity of the Church to the other, and will not fail to strike the stranger with its sublime and imposing efTect, Over the lofty arcades of arches dividing the aisles from nave runs a moidded stiing course from west to east, the entire length of the Cathedral, from which rises 16 EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. the triforium, consisting of deeply recessed arcades of trefoil arches supported on marble trefoil shaped columns, and this is crowned with a tracei-ied pai-apet and clerestory of magnificent windows with exquisite geometrical tracery. On the north side of the nave, projecting from the triforium and clei-estory, is that singular example of ancient art, called the Minstrel EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. IT Galleiy. It rises from a bracketed cornice, and displa^s-in fi-ont a series of twelve canopied niches, in \Yliich stand as many figures of angels playing upon musical instruments of different kinds, and one niche at either end — in all fourteen. There are galleries extending round the whole interior of clerestory and communi- cating with each other. Just within the north- west entrance to the nave is placed the historical baptismal font of marble, erected for the baptism of the Princess Henrietta, 4th daughter of Charles 1st, who was born at Bedford House in 1643. A fine Gothic font, the gift of the late Canon Bartholomew, which formerly stood in the nave, is now relegated to one of the Chapels. The seating of the nave for Divine Service, with necessaiy stalls and chairs, was the gift of the late Chancellor Harington. The pidpit, of Mansfield stone, was erected as a memorial of Bishop Patteson, who was killed in one of the islands of the Pacific in 1874. Notice the two fine brass chandeliers suspended from the roof. The whole of the interior is warmed by means of stoves. The two noble and elegant windows of this Cathedral, one at the east, the other at the west end, are particulaily admiied for the beaxity of the tracery and rich colour of the painted glass, and the windows of the nave on either side are examples of great variety and beauty of tracery. At the east end of the south aisle there is a fine window, whose glazing is commemorative of four Bishops Courtenay, the most notable being Peter Courtenay, Bishop of Exeter, donor of the great bell in the North Tower. This window is by Clayton and Bell. Gotliic gate screens separate the aisles of the choir from the transept : whilst the choir itself is divided from it by a screen or rood loft of stone of most excpiisite design, 18 EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. probably constructed late in the reign of Edward III. The upper part includes a range of thirteen paintings in oil upon stone, in arched compartments, representing the Creation, Adam Jind Eve, the Deluge, Moses dividing the Red Sea, the Destruction of Solomon's Temple, Building of the Second Temple, the Angel uppearing to Zachai-ias, the Nfitivity, the Baptism of Christ, Taking down from the Cross, the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Descent of the Holy Chost. These, though both ill drawn and rudely executed, are curious, and are supposed to represent sculptui-es in bas-relief which originally filled those compartments, of which there are traces. An interesting specimen of ancient mural painting was brought to light a few years since by the accidental falling of some plastering near the clock, immediately over Sylke's monumental chapel. The subject iliscovered is supposed to be that of the Resur- rection of our Saviour. Over the screen stands the oi'gan, which, although now exceeded in size by several recently built, is still unsui'passed in quality of tone. It was buUt by John Loose- more in the year 1665, and the scale ranged, before the Restoration, from GGr to D in Alt ; the total number of pipes was 1,495 The choir consists of 8 lay vicars, 6 secondaries, and 12 choi'isters, under the direction of the organist. The usual services are at 7.45, 10.30 a.m., and 3 p.m., and from Advent to Easter, an evening service on Sundays in the nave at 7 p.m. The late Dean Boyd originated the evening services and bore the expenses of the lighting the nave with gas, the musical portion being performed by a voluntary clioir. In the south tower is a handsome monument to the memory of Hugh Courtenay and Margaret his wife, dated 1377-1390. Also a canopied monument to the memory of Sir John and Lady EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. 19 Gilbert, dated 1580. The fine window is filled with stained^ glass as a memorial of the late Sir John tajlor Coleridge, who died in 1876. The work -^ by Clayton and Bell. There are 1 1 bells in this tower, 10 of which ai-e rung in peal, being the largest and heaviest set in the kingdom ; the tenor weighing 2,000 lbs. . ^ • In the north tower is an ancient and curious clock, and the great bell. The clock merits particular attention, both from its remote age and from the peculiarity of its mechanism. It was constructed upon the now exploded principle of astronomy, which regarded the earth as the centre of the universe, and it shows the hours of the day and the age of the moon. It is supposed to have been made in the latter years of the reign of Edward III. The great bell, upon which the houi's of the clock are struck, is one of the heaviest in England, being 12,500 lbs. weight. All the interior work of the clock has been renewed. Above it is a fine window, corres- ponding to that in the south tower It has been filled with stained glass, with what has been popularly known as the " Women's window " subjects. In the centre of the upright lights is a figure of the Virgin Mary, surrounded by Eunice and Lois with Timothy, the Queen of Sheba, Miriam, Lydia, the Little Captive Maid, and Dorcas. To Miss E. Marriott, of The Close, is due the credit and the exertion for carrying out so interesting an addition to the Cathedral decorations, the cost having been gathered from Devonshire women of " all sorts and conditions " in life. The execvition is by Hardman of Birmingham and F. Drake, of Exeter. On entering the choir, the stranger will feel the force of the description of the late Bev. Dr. 20 EXETER THE CATHEDRAL. Oliver, where he says " The mind is enchanted with the exquisite i-ichness of the noble east window ; with the splendid episcopal throne, that towers in airy state to the vaulting ; and as the spectator advances to the sanctuary, he will acknowledge that the three stalls on the right, or sedilia, are unrivalled in beauty and delicacy of sculpture." The throne is of oak, about 52ft. in height, the canopy of which is composed of pointed arches, columns, niches, pinnacles, and foliated ornaments, tastefully and delicately carved, rising in a pyramidal form, and finishing in a series of ascending spires. It was erected in the early part of the 14th century ; but probably altered by Bishop Bothe, in 1470. During the commonwealth it was taken down and concealed ; but replaced at the Restoration. The fine old monuments existing in this Cathedral are numerous, and especially worthy the stranger's attention. We cannot do more than enumerate some of the principal ones, and point out their situation. In the Lady Chapel are two monuments of early bishops, supposed to be those of Bartholomew Iscanus (i.e. of Isca, or Exeter), and of Simon de Apulia. In the chapel of St. Gabriel, on the south of the Lady Chapel, stands the stately monument of Bishop Bronescombe, founder of the chapel, who died in 1280 ; in the chapel of St. Mary Magdalen, on the north side of the Lady Chapel, is a corresponding monument of Bishop Stafford, who died in 1419 : these, perhaps, may be deemed two of the gems of the numerous ancient sepulchral mementoes within this Cathedral. In the south choir aisle are the efiigies of two crusaders : one of which is said to have been of the Raleigh family, and the other of Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford. Here also is a fine brass, erected to the EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. 21 memory of the late Dean Boyd, and on the opposite side a neat tablet to the memory of Mrs. Boy^.-. In the choir is a splendid monument* of Bishop Stapledon, who was murdered in 1326, the chaste and elegant altar tombs of Bishops Marshall and Lacey ; the former died in 1206, the latter in 1455. In a recess in the noi'th aisle of the choir is a sepulchral memorial, representing a full length skeleton lying on its winding sheet, supposed to be emblematic of mortality. Nearer the Lady Chapel, in the same aisle, is the statue of an armed knight, commonly supposed to be to the memory of Sir Richard Stapeldon, the bishop's brother. In St. Mary Magdalen's Chapel is a monument to the memory of Sir Gawen Carew, A.D. 1589, restored and decorated by the members •of the Carew family. In St. Gabriel's Chapel were two fine specimens of modern art, one an ■exquisite piece of sculpture of a fvdl size figure in white marble, by Sir Francis Chantry, of Northcote, the painter, who died in 1831 ; the other by Flaxman, in memory of Lieut. -Gen. Simcoe, who died in 1806; but during the Restoration those monuments were removed from this chapel, so as to disclose the fine arcading in the wall behind them, that to the memory of Northcote is placed in the noi-th tower, near to the stone staircase ; whilst that to the memory of Lieut. -Gen Simcoe is placed in the south aisle of choir, near to St. James's Chapel. Among the mural monuments are several of recent erection : — In the north aisle of nave, one by the officers and privates of the 9th Lancers, in memory of their comrades who fell in India ; another in the north transept, erected by the officers and privates of the 20th or Devonshire Regiment, to the memory of their comrades who lost their lives in the Crimean War ; and another under the grand western 22 EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. window, to the memory of the officers and privates of the 32nd or Cornwall Regiment, who fell in the memorable defence of Lucknow and (Jawnpore, in 1857, and the subsequent campaign against the rebels in India. Besides these there are many other monuments which the stranger will inspect with a high degree or interest. In his round over this Cathedral, he cannot fail to be delighted with the exquisite ancient art displayed in the beautifully pointed arches — the delicate sculpture of the decorations, and in the screens between the chapels, — ^and the other ornamental embellishments of the several monvimental chapels with which this sacred edifice is enriched. There is a Chapter House on the south side, approached from the cloisters. The upper part is, probably. Bishop Bothe's, 1478 ; but the lower part is in the richest Early English style ; and it is probable this portion was the work of Bishop Bruere,or his successor, about 1230-1245. It consists of a splendid room, measuring 75 feet by 30. Its richly ornamented roof and general design is exceedingly interesting. The library, which used to be kept in the Lady Chapel, is kept here. It contains abovit 8,000 volumes, among which are many valuable and scarce books. The oldest printed book in the collection is a folio edition of Caesar, printed in 1471, in a very good state of preservation. Among the Cathedral MSS. (not shown without express permission), are some of genuine Saxon origin, a series of accounts of the fabric of the Cathedral, the episcopal registers from the time of Edward I., and a volume of the Domesday Survey of William the Conqueror, relating to the counties of Devon and Cornwall, of the size and style of the small exchequer volume. In addition to these, the valuable library of the EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. 23 late ChanceUor JIarington was bequeathed to the Dean and Chapter. To those who do not mind the effort of ascending, we would recommend a walk round the roof of the north tower. This will afford a favourable opportunity of inspecting the archi- tectural construction of the building extei-nally, and at the same time admit of an extensive and beautiful prospect over the whole of the city and neighbourhood. We shall now proceed to give a somewhat detailed account of the work of the restoration, for much of which information we are indebted to Mr. E. G. S. Luscombe. THE EESTOilATION OF THE CATHE- DRAL AND ACCOUNT OF THE ELABORATE REREDOS, PULPIT, &c., IN 1876. Since the restoration, the Cathedral Church of St. Peter's vies in beauty with any like stnicture in the United Kingdom. The cost of the restoration of the choir was about iJ 25,000, and of the whole interior .£40,000, the extent to which funds are at present forthcoming. The whole series of Stalls is new, excepting the ancient misereres, whose quaint style and excellent workmanship marked them out as worthy of embodiment in the new design. These new stalls have been constructed by Messrs. Farmer and Brindley, of London, and replace the old ones, of quasi -Elizabethan style. The four end stalls are appropi-iated to the four dignitaries of the Cathedral— the Dean, the Precentor, the Chancellor, and the Treasurer. These stalls are surmounted with carved figures in oak, of four former ]3isliops of the Diocese — Bishop Marsliall, wlio (lie«l in 1200 ; P.ishop Quivil, who died in 1291 ; and wlio lies buried 24 EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. in the centre of the Lady Chapel, where his gravestone is traceable in the floor ; Bishop Walter de Stapeldon, who was brutally murdered in London on the 15th October, 1326, and buried in the Church of St. Clement Danes at the time, but said to have been afterwards re-interred in Exeter Cathedral ; and Bishop John de Grandisson, who was consecrated at Avignon in 1327, died in 1369, and was buried in the chapel of St. Rhadegunde on the south side of the grand west entrance of his own Cathedral Church. The stalls are of the finest close- grained oak, canopied and pinnacled, and pro- fusely covered with rich and elaborate carvings in the panels and other portions of the design. Altogether there are 49 stalls, the four principal ones being appropriated to the chief dignitaries, as already mentioned. Next to them come the Archdeacon's seats. The Archdeacon of Exeter sits next to the Dean, the Archdeacon of Totnes next to the Chancellor, and the Archdeacon of Barnstaple next to the Treasurer. Figures of prophets and apostles are placed at the ends of the stalls. In front of the stalls, on either side, are two rows of benches for the choir and the families of the clergy. At the ends of the benches are figures of animals and birds. All these figures, both at the ends of the stalls and the ends of the benches, are supposed to be praising God, the design being illustrative of the verse " All ye works of the Lord, praise ye the Lord." The seats for the Mayor and Corporation have been removed from the south to the north side ; the priest-vicars occupy central seats. The " misereres," or seats, in the chief stalls have been left almost intact, and here the old carving in the stalls shows to advantage for quaintness and beauty of design. These carvings are of three kinds — foliage and figures from real life. Amongst the figures EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. 25 from life are^a lion with a serpent biting his heel ; an elephant, said to be the earliest carving of one in England ; pairs of fishes and doves ; combat of man and beast ; a man playing on pipe and tabor ; another throwing a great stone ; and another upholding a seat. Then there are grotesque monsters and nondescripts — two centaurs with bow and arrow ; a Nebuchadnazzar, saddled, with hind hoofs and fore claws ; mermen and mermaids ; lion with bird's claws ; birds with human hands, heads, and head-dresses, and flowery tails ; a double bird with a human head ; and a swan drawing a knight in a boat. These quaintly carved ' ' misereres " are attributed to Bishop Bruere, who fiJled the episcopal chair about the middle of the 13th century, and who had spent some half-dozen years in the East. In the chorister's stalls very handsome book- rests of brass have been provided, and the standard lights, also of bi-ass, are of appropriate design. The litany desk adjacent, presented by (Chancellor Harington, is of extremely handsome design, and richly carved, especially in the end panelling. The Bishop's Canopied Seat or Throne, which stands about 52 feet high, has been thoroughly restored by Mr. Luscombe. The Fabric Rolls and the style show that this elaborate structure Avas erected in Bishop Stapledon's time, for in 1312 there appears a charge for " timber for the Bishop's seat, £6 12s. 8^d." Great care must have been taken in the selection of the oak of which it is made, for we are told that the wood, brought from Newton and Chulmleigh, was kept for four years in order that it might be thoroughly sejisoned. There is an entry in the Fabric Rolls to the effect that in 1316 the sum of £4 was paid to Robert de Gidmeton for making the Bishop's seat by contract or task -work. The 26 EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. EXETER CATHEDRAL— THE BISHOP'S THRONE. EXETER— THE CATHEDRAL. 27 charge for painting the throne is mentioned as being £1 ICsT The original cost of this excel- lent carvedf' canopy appears to have been sur- prisingly small, even for times when labour was exceedingly cheap. The old carved work is of great excellence, and consists chiefly of foHage, with knops or finials of great beauty, sur- mounting tabernacled niches. The pinnacled corners are enriched with a great variety of heads of animals, as the sheep, the dog, the ox, the pig, and the monkey. At one time the niches were -occupied with statuettes, or " ymagives," supposed to be those of saints, the figure of the patron saint of the Cathedral probably filling the topmost one. The elaborate structure has been thoroughly cleaned, scraped and repaired, and the cai'vings restored where required. The inclosure at the base is quite new, and has been carried out strictly in accordance with the old style of the rest of the throne. The throne itself has been elevated considerably, and a stone base inserted, the raising being managed aftei- the American plan, without taking any of the structure to pieces. The enclosure, fitted up not only to afford accommodation for the Bishop of the Diocese, but for a couple of Chaplains as well, is approached by three steps of Devonshire marble, from the Ashburton quarries. At either corner of the inclosure traces of portraits of Bishops Warelwast, QuivU, Stapeldon and Grandisson were discovered, and these have now been revived. The Splendid New Pulpit is the gift of the late Mr. Edwin Force, the Chapter Clerk. It rests on eight quati-efoil columns, clustering round a central shaft, the whole springing from a massive base of Plymoutli marble. The eight detached columns and the floor of the pulpit are of Ogwell maible ; the steps are of Ash- 28 EXETER THE CATHEDRAL. burton marble. The body of the pulpit itself is of Derbyshire alabaster, very elaborately carved, with canopied panels and delicately-worked cornice and mouldings. The spandrils and canopies are especially noteworthy for work- manship, and are very beautifully inlaid with various Devonshire marbles. In the seven recess panels are appropriate figures and groups in alabaster. No. 1 is a figure of St. Peter with keys and book ; No. 2, St. John in the Wilderness ; 3, John the Baptist before H erod ; 4, the Sermon on the Mount ; 5, St. Peter on the day of Pentecost ; 6, St. Pavil at Athens ; and 7, St. Paul. The brass book-rest, brass hand-rail and brass gixard round the pulpit are of appropriate design. The Sedilia, of the date of the 14th century, has been carefully restoi-ed, and new steps inserted of polished white lias. There are considerable traces of ancient fresco painting still remaining here and there. The beauty and delicacy of this restored accessory of the Cathedral deserves particular attention, as being acknowledged to comprise some of the finest specimens of carved foliage in existence. The Sedilia was in so dilapidated a condition that it was found requisite to put 1,300 new pieces into it. Coming to the Ambulatory, we find that St. Gabriel's Chapel has been restored. The fine arcading has been renovated, the roof richly decorated, the floor relaid, and the altar dias laid with ornamental tiles, to which lead marble steps. The piscina has been carefully restoi'ed, and the monument to Bishop Brones- combe, who died in the ISth century, repaired and redecorated. The St. Mary Magdalene Chapel, in which is the monument to Bishop Stafford, who died at Bishopsclist, 1419, has :EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. 29 been restored in the same way as its companion Chapel — tfcat of St. GabrieL The L45>r Chapel, built in 1200 and "trans- formed " a hundred years later by Bishop Quivil, has now undergone transformation at the hands of nineteenth century artificers. The roof has been richly and beautifully decorated; the floor laid with marbles and tiles, in the centre of which is an incised stone, with floriated cross, to the memory of Bishop Quivil. The steps to the altar are of Ashburton marble,, with very rich inlaid tiling. The reredos in the Lady Chapel has been restored and redeco- rated, and it is further intended to fill its nine panels with paintings illustrative of the Creation and the Eedemption. The window over the reredos has been filled with stained glass, the gift of Chancellor Harington, to the memory of his sister. The four side windows have been filled with stained glass in memory of the late Bishop Phillpotts. The small triangular window over the entrance to the Chapel has also been filled with stained glass. The whole of the fittings — altar table, lectern, candelabra, Canons' desk and prayer desks are the gift of Lady Rolle. As restored, the Lady Chapel presents a gem-like appear- ance, the general effect being considerably heiglatened by the erection of entrance gates of solid polished brass. The Speke Chapel, erected to the memory of one of the ancestors of the distinguished African traveller of the present century, has been restored, and presents, in most respects, the appearance of the Oldham Chapel, which was restored, and the tomb and effigy re-decorated some years ago by Corpus Christi College, Oxford. The Screens at the back of the stalls are new. Much need there was of improvement in. 50 EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. that part of the Cathedral, the old screens being of unsightly brick. The Purbeck marble •columns have been scraped and otherwise cleaned, the old decayed stone replaced, and the whole semi-polished. All through the restored portion of the Cathedral disfiguring whitewash has been removed from pillar and wall. One of the most noticeable portions of the restora- tion is in the vaulted roof. The roof has been thoroughly renovated, the bosses and other bold carving touched up, and the delicate mouldings richly painted and gilded. Where- ever traces of old colouring or gilding have been found they have been carefully restored. The repair of the massive pillars which support the •choir arches proved heavier than was expected. The pillars were covered with whitewash and plaster, and on that being removed the Purbeck marble showed itself very decayed on the outer face. The replacing of the decayed portions has taken something like a hundred tons of marble to do it full justice. It was proposed to polish the whole of the pillars, but the idea was abandoned on account of the large amount of time, labour, and money such an extensive undertaking would entail. Accordingly, the pillars were semi-polished ; possibly at some futvire time they will be polished, so as to accord with the handsome appearance of the small shafts in the aisles. The triforium arcading has been treated in a manner similar to the pillars, the intervening stone-work i-epaired, and the face of the stone no longer •defaced by plaster and whitewash. The vaulted roof of the choir has been restored in a most •complete manner. The corbels of the vaulting shafts have been picked out, and the beautiful foliated designs are now brought strikingly out. Before the restoration the roof was covered all over with disfiguring whitewash. That was ,. "EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL, 31 cleared off, and then considerable traces of pre- vious adoYnrnent in colour was brought to light. In placeit-the colouring was extremely well pre- served, and, with the view of obtaining an idea of what the effect would be of a thorough renovation of the work of the original painters, a section was restored. The question of cost, however, intervened to prevent the decoration of the roof in accordance with its original appearance, and conseqiiently what has been done is principally confined to the ribs and bosses, the beautiful treatment of which, under the artist's hands, adds much to the light and handsome appearance of the vaulted roof. Many of the bosses are noteworthy for their marked character. At the eastern end one of those bosses represents the Coronation of the Virgin ; another the Crucifixion (which, it will be recollected, was one of the debateable subjects in the Reredos trial) ; and Sampson slaying the lion. Another of the prominent bosses is made up of four masks, and others are finely carved to represent fruit and foliage. An angel playing on an instrument of music ; David playing on the harp ; Balaam mounted on the ass ; and the four Evangelists form the subjects of several of the smaller bosses, while scattered all over are heads of kings, queens, and bishops of the Church. From the ceiling to the floor is a natural transition. Perhaps nowhere in the restored choir has more impi-ovement been made than in the flooring. Here the work of restoration has been very completely carried out. The pave- ment within the altar-rails is composed of very elaborately-designed tiles, from the manufactory of Messrs. Godwin, of Hei-eford. The space immediately within the rails is divided into eight panels, the designs representing the Prophets and Evangelists — Isaiah, Jeremiah, 32 EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL, Ezekiel, Daniel, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The intervening spaces have been filled in with tiles. The flooring from the first step of the chancel to the reredos is composed of Godwin tiles, marbles from Plymouth, Ashbur- ton, Babbacombe, Ogwell, Anglesea (green), Genoa (green), Sicilian, and Cornish porphyry, the whole designed in twelve ornamental panels. The steps themselves are of marble from the Plymov^th and Ashburton quarries. From the Bishop's throne to the first step of the chancel, or " The Presbytery," the floor is laid with Godwin tiles, marbles from Plymouth, Babba- combe, Ogwell, and stone from Pocombe, with the arms of the following nine Bishops designed in tiles : — Bishop Warelwast, Bishop Marshall, Bishop Bruere, Bishop Bronescombe, Bishop Quivil, Bishop Bitton, Bishop Stapeldon, Bishop Grandisson, and Bishop Oldham. From the transept of the nave to the Bishop's throne the floor is laid with Godwin tiles, Sicilian marble, and Pocombe stone. The panelling in the floor is said to be the finest work of its kind in the world, and gives a gorgeous effect to the entire surroundings. All the floor has been laid by Mr. Luscombe, of Exeter, and the designs specially supplied by Sir Gilbert Scott, as far as convenient following out the original tiling. The New Eeredos now forms one of the chief ornaments in the restored choir. The design is by Sir Gilbert Scott, and the execution by Messrs. Farmer and Brindley. The form of the new reredos is a large central and gable- shaped compartment, flanked on each side by a smaller one, the lower centre of each being occupied with figures in bas relief, while the apices are surmounted by sculptured objects appropriate to the general design, and graceful canopies, pinnacles and filials adorn the upper portion of the structure. No commoner ,- EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. 33 materials iJian alabaster, marble, and precious stones — such, as lapis lazuli, malachite, &c., are to be seeil in the new reredos, the summit of which rises to the height of nearly thirty feet above the floor of the choir. Derbyshire alabas- ter is the. prevailing matei'ial of which the reredos is made. The reredos-proper springs from carved mai-ble brackets resting on pilaster's of rose-royal, which, in their turn, stand on alabaster bases. The super-altar consists of a polished alabaster slab, resting on a marble mosaic of Emperor's red, verde antique, and sienna. Behind and above this the reredos is divided into three compartments by pilasters of polished alabaster, the front surfaces of which are studded with precious stones. The large sculptured group, in alabaster, occupying the central compartment of the reredos, I'epre- sents the Ascension. The figure of our Lord is three feet and a half high, and is full of benignant majesty. The eleven Disciples are ranged on the gi-ound below, in postures expres- sive of the variovis modes in which they view the wondrous departure of their ascending Lord and Master. St Peter, the patron Saint of the Cathedral, is kneeling, looking upwards in awe- struck adoration, whilst Angels appear through clouds on either side of the Saviour. The subject of the sculptures in the compartment on the noi-th is the Ti-anstiguration. Christ, His Head surrounded with the conventional "glory," stands upright, before the gaze of the sons of Zebedee, the beloved Disciple kneeling in rapt adoration, while Peter and James have fallen to the ground. Figures of Moses and Elias are seen dimly on either side of the central figure. In the south compartment there is a group of no less than fifteen figures, the subject the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Disciples on the day of Pentecost. The three Marys of 34 EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. the Gospel story are introduced in the group with good effect. The i-eredos only fills up a third or so of the space at the east end of the choir. The intervening spaces on either side are tilled with wing-walls of polished marble, the whole surmounted with a coping of polished alabaster, along the top of which again runs a light and beautiful iron grille, about four feet high, and richly gilded. Not the least striking feature of this part of the Church is the way in Avhich the back of the reredos has been treated. This is perfectly plain, presenting an extensive surface of polished alabaster, the blocks arranged so ingeniously as to give the general effect that the whole is composed of one immense polished block of variegated marble. The reredos is said to have cost nearly £2,000, which has been borne by Chancellor Harington and Dr. Blackall. In the walls of the Ambula- tory, immediately facing the back of the reredos, are two stone tablets, on which are deeply cut the Ten Commandments. These stones are not new, but are the old tablets, the back of each turned to the front and rechiseled. The Altar Table, of beautifully-carved oak, is the erift of Chancellor Harington. The altar table-cloth has been pi-esented by the wife of the late Archdeacon Freeman. The stools ai'e covered by very i-ich needlework, made and presented by the Misses Denny. The credence table has been made and presented by Mr. Edwin Luscombe. The handsome altar railing- is the gift also of Chancellor Karington. Hei-e also are two candelabra, very rich in workman- vship, jewelled, and with designs of Angels clustei'ing ai'ound the base. The entrance to the choir now presents a very richly-canopied and pinnacled appearance, with iron ornamental gates, brilliantly gilded. All up and down the "long-drawn aisles" a -EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL, 35 good deal o£. restoration has been done to pillars^ walls and monuments, decayed stone replaced, and blurred carving sharpened up. St. James's Chapel, formeily used as a vestry, has been restored in a very thoughtful manner. The new tiled floor laid down is an exact imitation of the old pavement taken up, and here and there pieces of the old have been worked into the floor along with the new. St. Andrew's Chapel, on the opposite side of the building, has also been similarly treated. And here it may be mentioned that in the course of restoration in this part of the Cathedial Mr. Luscombe opened out an ancient crypt of two bays, measuring 20ft. by 18ft., under St. James's Chapel, with a finely groined roof, and traces of an ancient staircase in an angle, communicating with the chapel above. In the North Transept, the Chapel of St. Paul has been restored and fitted up as the choral vicars' vestry. In the South Transept, St. John the Baptist's Chapel has also been restored, and used as a Priest Yicars' vestry, The Sylkes Chantry, in the North Transept, has been carefully repaired, and in fact, the whole of the transepts restored and the bosses underneath the towers decorated, in unison with the decoration of the roof of the Choir. A great deal has been done to the Rood Sci'een, and long-required improvements effected. The screen has been " pierced," so as to admit of a fuU view of the Choir from the Nave. In past times the canopied and recessed panels in the Rood Screen were filled with subjects in bas- relief. These long ago disappeared, and for some time past their places have been supplied by thirteen oil paintings — representing the Creation, Adam and Eve, the Deluge, the Israelites Crossing the Red Sea, the Ke- building of the Temple, the Angel appearing 36 EXETER THE CATHEDRAL, to Zacharias, the Birth of Christ, Baptism of Christ, the Descent from the Cross, the Resur- rection, the Ascension, and the Descent of the Holy Ghost. Amongst other improvements, the arrangement for chiming has been altered. The old plan of striking the bell from the outside has been done away with, and now the bells are struck from beneath. The whole of the new chiming arrangements has been carried out by Mr. Edwin Luscombe. The Organ, as altered and improved, is one of the most prominent features in the restored choir. The instrument is almost of world-wide celebrity, and, even before its " restoration," was held to be one of the largest and most powerful in the kingdom. It was originally erected by John Loosemore, about the year 1665. Loosemore, so tradition asserts, was a servant of the then Dean and Chapter, who spent his time, during the period when the Commonwealth ruled England with a rod of iron, in building this organ, in secret, within the walls of the Cathedral. When Charles II. came to the throne of his ancestors, the builder of the grand organ had his reward in seeing it erected in the rood-loft, where it has ever since remained, and where, through succeeding generations, it has, with wonderful success, taken a prominent part in the services of the Cathedral Church When it was decided, some few years ago, to commence the restora- tion of the Cathedral, it was felt that the occasion was opportune for introducing modern improvements into the organ. Accordingly, Mr. Henry Speedily, of London, undertook the task of restoring the instrument, and has, without doubt, succeeded in effecting a wonderful improvement in many of its details. Indeed, it would be strictly correct to say that little now remains of Loosemore's old organ but - EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. 37 the case, the- great organ soundboard, and some few of the pipes. The gi-eat organ pipes are now all -^n front of the instrument. The additions are an entire new choir organ, CC to F ; an entire new swell, CC to F ; and a great organ, GG to F (58 notes). The front pipes are nearly 300 in number, and are made of pure tin (99-6) burnished. The organ is supplied with a separate reservoir, which is fed from a main bellows. The whole of the instrument is of the highest class of workmanship, and reflects great credit on the builder. The diawstop action and the composition pedal action are of iron, with bushed centres, in order the better to obtain noiseless action. This arrangement has proved so far exceedingly successful — a great matter, considering that much annoyance will be thereby saved the Canons, who sit in close proximity to the oi-gan. The whole of the action, wood pipes, &c. have been varnished or polished. 1 he keys are overhanging with ebony naturals and ivory sharps. The stops are as follows : — Swell Organ. — 1, Double Diapason, wood, 16 feet ; 2, Open Diapason, metal, 8 feet ; 3, Stop Diapason, wood and metal, 8 feet ; 4, Salcional, metal, 8 feet ; 5, Principal, metal, 4 feet ; 6, Mixture, metal, 3 ranks ; 7, Cornopean, metal, 8 feet ; 8, Oboe, metal, 8 feet ; and 9, Clarion, metal, 4 feet. Great Organ. — 1, Double Diapason, wood, 16 feet; 2, Open Diapason, metal, 8 feet ; 3, Stop Diapason, wood and metal, 8 feet ; 4, Clarabella, wood C, 8 feet ; 5, Flute Harmonique, metal, 4 feet; 6, Principal, metal, 4 feet; 7, Twelfth, metal, 2| feet ; 8, Fifteenth, metal, 2 feet ; 9, Sesquialtra, metal, 3 ranks : 10, Mixture, metal, 2 ranks; 11, trumpet, metal, 8 feet; 12, Clarion, metal, 4 feet. Choir Organ. — 1, Gamba, metal, 8 feet; 2, D 38 EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. Dulciana, metal, 8 feet ; 3, Lieblich-Gedact, wood, 8 feet ; 4, Gemshorn, metal, 4 feet ; 5, Wald-flute, wood, 4 feet ; 6, Corno-di-Bassetto, metal, 8 feet. Pedal Organ. — 1, Open diapason, metal, 32 feet; 2, Open Diapason, metal, 16 feet; 3, Bourdon, wood, 16 feet. Couplers. — Swell to Pedals ; Great to Pedal, GG ; Great to Pedal, CC ; Choir to Pedal ; Swell to Great ; Swell to Choir. Composition Pedals. — 4 to Great Organ ; 4 to Swell. There is a double-acting pedal for couplers. The whole of the choir organ pipes are of spotted metal and the pedal pipes are of spotted metal and tin combined. The reeds are also constiucted of spotted metal. The towers of pipes, with the exception of the four corner ones, are of different designed mouths. The front pipes and the pedal pipes have all " gussetted mouths," and the pedal board is radiating and concave. The whole of the swell pipes are enclosed in a solid box, 24 inches thick, with two fronts, the result being that when the shutters are opened the full tones of the instrument can be heard either in the choir or the nave, wherever Divine service is held, as the case may be. Mr. Speechly exercised per- sonal supervision over the construction of the organ, and it is now one of the finest and most powerful in the kingdom ; adding much to the fame, no doubt, of the successful, able and painstaking builder. As seen from the choir, the organ presents a fine appearance, with its enlarged and freshly-ornamented case, and resplendent with the higly burnished pipes, artistically placed in the woodwork, the whole front of the organ harmonising in its general treatment wonderfully with the architectural features of the I'est of tlie choir. The whole of .EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL, 39 the work qf_ re-construction of the organ was, until the time of his death, under the personal supervision of the late Mr. A. Angel, who was organist in the Cathedral for thirty-four years, and who during the whole of that period took a deep interest in all that concerned his favourite instrument. The case has been restored, remodelled and enlai-ged by Mr. Luscombe. Mr. E. M. Vinnicombe, who was assistant organist with the late Mr. Angel, had the honour of opening and presiding at the organ until the present organist, Mr. D. Wood, Mus. Bac, Ox., was appointed. In less than a month after the re-opening of the choir, viz., on S. Peter's Day, 29th June, 1876, the work of restoration of the nave of the Cathedral was commenced. The new oak stalls for the clergy and choristers are the gift of the late Rev. Chancellor Harington. The new pulpit is in memory of the late Bishop Pattison, The pulpit is a superb specimen of architectural art, and reflects great credit on Sii- Gilbert Scott, who designed it, and also on Mr. Luscombe, who carried out the work. The beautiful Minstrel's Gallery, in the nave, as before described, is well worthy attention, the I'estoration having brought out the original decorations. It may be as well, in conclusion, to recapitu- late, in a few words, the general work of the restoration, and who have been instrumental in carrying it out. The whole has been carried out from the designs and under the instructions of the celebrated architect, the late Sir Gilbert Scott. Under Sir Gilbert Scott, for a con- siderable period, Mr. Snellgrove superintended the work ; but to its completion, Mr. E. G. S. Luscombe, of St. Sidwell-street, has had the charge. The whole of the restoration work generally, the new pulpit, the restoring of the 40 EXETER — THE CATHEDRAL. Bishop's throne, and a portion of the new wood- work have been done by Mr. Edwin Luscombe, of St. Sidwell-street. The new stalls erected have been provided by Messrs. Farmer and Brindley of London. The painting and stained- glass windows have been done by Messrs. Clayton and Bell ; the lighting arrangement and altar rails by Messrs. Hart and Peard, of London ; the brass choir desks, pulpit railing, metal gates and grilles by Mr. Leaver, of Maiden- head ; and the organ by Mr. Henry Speechly, of London. Among special gifts made in con- nection with the restoration are the reredos, by Dr. Blackall and the late Chancellor Harington ; altar railing, altar table and Litany desk by the late Chancellor Harington ; altar cloth by Mrs. Freeman ; the pulpit by the late Mr. Edwin Force, the chapter clerk ; the credence table by Mr. E. Luscombe, the chapter surveyor ; and the whole of the fittings in the Lady Chapel by the late Lady Rolle. Exeter is divided into nineteen parishes and three precincts, and contains, besides the Cathedral, twenty-one parish churches and five episcopal chapels. Most of the churches and chapels are of small dimensions, with the exception of those built in the present century. We shall point out their situation in alpha- betical order. The church of AUhallows is in Goldsmith-street ; Allhallows on the Walls, in Bartholomew-yard ; Bedford Church, in Bedford Circus ; St. David, on the north side of the city, and approached either by North-street, Queen- street, or the New North-road, from Longbrook- street ; in this parish is the fine church of St. Michael and all Angels; St. Edmund, in Edmund-street, on the western side of the city ; St. James, at the higher end of Sidwell-street ; St. John, on Fore-street-hill ; St. Lawrence, in the High-street, near Castle-street ; St. Martin, -''" EXETER. 41 in the north-eastern corner of the Cathedral- yard ; St. Maiy Arches, in Mary Arches street ; St. Mary-^Sfajor, on the south-western side of the Cathedral-yard ; St. Mary Magdalene, in Rack- street ; St. Mary Steps, in West- street ; St. . Matthew, Newtown ; St. Olave, in Fore-street ; St. Pancras (not used for Divine service), in Pancras-street ; St. Paul, in Paul-street ; St. Petrock, in the north-western corner of the Cathedral-yard ; St. Sidwell, in Sidwell-street ; St Stephen, in High-street, opposite Gandy-street ; the Holy Trinity, at the lower end of South-street. There are also Wynard's Chapel in Magdalen-street ; the Chapel attached to the Devon and Exeter Hospital ; St. Ann's Chapel, at the top of St. Sidwell-street ; and the Chapel at the Ti'aining College, Heavitree-road (for the students only). The parishes and churches in the suburbs are : — Alphington, on the west, about a mile from Exeter, on the Plymouth road ; Heavitree, on the east, about the same distance on the London road ; St. Leonard, on the southern side of Exeter, at Mount Hadford ; St. Thomas on the western side, in Cowick-street ; and St. Andrew's Chapel, in the same parish, at Exwick. Besides the episcopal churches and chapels here enumerated, there are several other places of religious worship in use in Exeter. For the Independent denomination, a handsome and spacious bviilding in East Southernhay : the old chapel in Castle- street being now used as a school- room ; two for the Baptists, situated in South- street and Bartholomew-street ; two foi" the Wesleyans, one in the Mint, the other on Southernhay, also Mission Halls in King-street and Blackboy-road ; one for the United Methodists, in Queen-street ; one for the Bible Christians, in Lower Northernhay- street ; one 42 EXETER. for the Calvanistic Dissenters, in Longbrook- terrace ; three for the Plymouth Brethren, one in Friernhay-street, another at Market Hall (Fore-street) and in Sid well street ; the Unitarian Chapel, in South-street ; a meeting house of the Society of Friends, in Magdalen- street ; a new and commodious Roman Catholic Church, dedicated to the Sacred Heart, in South- street ; the Salvation Temple, on the Friars' Walk ; and the Jew's Synagogue, in Mary Arches-street. In this city there are many excellent public schools, some of ancient foundation, and others of private institution : of the former, the Exeter Grammar i^chool, in St. Leonard's; St. John's Hospital School, in High-street, founded in 1633; and Hele's Commercial School, estab- lished 1 850, in the New Noiih Road, are the most prominent. There is also a High School for Girls in tlie Barnfield and an Episcopal Middle Grade School for Girls in Queen-street, together with numerous efficient Board Schools. Of public Charitable Institutions, there are the Devon and Exeter Hospital, on Southernhay ; the Dispensaiy, in Queen-street ; the Eye Infirmary, in Magdalen-street ; the Deaf and Dumb Institution, on the Topsham-road ; the Lunatic Asylum, at Wonford ; and an asylum for city paupei's at Digby's, near Exeter; the Female Penitentiary, in Holloway-street ; the Institution for the Blind, on St. David's Hill ; the Devon and Exeter Reformatoiy, in St. Sidwell's ; Baths and Wash-houses, in Rack- street ; and various others of minor importance, besides those partaking of a religious character, supported by the different denominations of professing Christians resident in the city and neighbourhood. Among them may be mentioned the Ewing's Lane and Exe Island Mission, with extensive buildings in Exe Island, erected at ^ EXETER. 43 the expensg^ of the late Mr. Reynolds. By ancient bequests, a number of Alms-houses, scattered ^eve'r various parts of the city, are supported ; nor must we omit in this enumera- tion the group of Free Cottages, near St. David's Hill, built by the munificence of the late Mr. John Dinham and of the late Mr. J. Scanes. The following newspapers are published in Exeter : — The Western Times, daily ; the Exeter (Gazette, on Friday, and The Devon and Exeter Daily Gazette ; the Exeter Flying Post, on Wednesday, and Evening Post, daily ; and the Devon Weekly Times, on Friday, and Evening Express, daily. From the richness and fertility of the soil of the surrounding country, Exeter has long been noted for the cheapness and plentifvil suj^ply of its markets Two handsome and spacious markets, built at a great cost, are worthy the inspection of the stranger, as public works of design. The markets were formerly held in the street. Exeter was once a place of great tirade in the manufacture of wooUenis. Her exports were said to amount, about the year 1768, to above a million in value annually. The French Revolu- tionary War so destroyed this commerce, that no efibrts on the part of her merchants, on the return of peace, were able to restore it. The woollen manufacture of the city is now extinct. The celebrated pillow lace, known as Honiton lace, is extensively made in Exeter and the neighbourhood ; and to the credit of the opera- tives in this branch, it may be mentioned, that the highest prizes, both of the Great Exhibition of 18.51, and the Paris Exhibitions of 1855-67, were awarded to an Exeter manufacturer — Mrs. Treadwin, of the Cathedral-yard, who has also been most successful in minor local exhibitions. 44 EXETER. A considerable import and export trade of a miscellaneous description is now carried on. Hides and tanning materials, wines, brandy, fruits, velonia, coal and iron are imported. Leather, paper, corn, cider and other articles are exported for London and other parts of the country. From the spirit of enterprise among the old merchants of this city arose the undertaking of the Exeter f^hip Canal — one of the largest and earliest examples of this kind of work in the kingdom. The original canal was first made in 1564, but considerably enlarged in 1675; and again enlarged and lengthened in 1827, and a Wet Dock or Basin constructed on the south- western side of the city, which is now connected by rail to the Great Western Line. Vessels of three or four hundred tons can approach the quay. The Canal commences from the Basin, and extends about six miles to a place called Turf, within three or four miles from the mouth of the Exe. THE EXE. This river, from which the city takes its name, has its origin in the forest of Exmoor, in Somerset, about three or four miles north-west of Exford. It receives several tributary streams in its course. The river Barle joins it at Brush- ford ; it then enters Devonshire, and passing Oakford Bridge, receives the river Batherm, between Clayhanger and Bampton ; then passes by Tiverton, and below Collipriest House receives the two streams of the Loman ; three miles from Tiverton it reaches Bickleigh Bridge, a little below which it is joined by the small river Dart, and is considerably augmented at Netherexe by the river from Thorverton ; and more so about one mile from Stoke Bridge, and three from Exeter, by the Culme, the largest of ''" THE EXE. 45 all the rivejs that run into it. Along most of this course its silvery streams are threaded through the inost beautiful valleys, over water- falls, and between sloping hills crowned with hanging woods and picturesque scenery of the finest order. Two miles above Exeter, the Greedy, whose tributary stream is next in magnitude, comes from the north-west, and mingles its waters with the Exe before it passes Cowley Bridge. It rises several miles north of Crediton, passes the bridge at Newton St. Cyres, then New Bridge and Pynes Bridge, and just below the latter enters the Exe. Thei-e are other contributary rivulets below the city, one of which, from Alphington, formerly emptied itself into the Canal, but is now, by means of a tunnel, carried under the Canal to the Exe. At Topsham it receives the Glyst, about four miles below Exeter, where it suddenly widens its bed to upwards of a mile, and becomes navigable for ships of several hundred tons. From this place the Exe rolls on, a majestic stream, between a constant succession of the richest and most varied scenery on both its banks ; having the woods and castle of Powderham on the west, and the pleasant village of Lympstone, with gentlemen's seats on the east. In this part of its course it receives several little tributary streams : one near Exminster, a pleasant trout brook, called the Kenn, at Powderham ; and a .small I'iver from Lympstone on the opposite bank. Having passed Starcross on the west, the river makes a sudden turn towards the east, finding a barrier to its direct course in a vast sandbank that extends neai-ly two miles from east to west, called the Warren. Thus turned and contracted in its channel, it winds round between this barrier and a flat pi-ojecting point which rus out from the town of Exmouth, and washes over a small bar of sand, near the 46 EXETER. Checkstone, into the British (Channel. The course of the Exe, including all its windings, is estimated at about seventy miles. It is a pure pellucid stream till joined by the Greedy, which imparts to it a reddish colour, from the soil through which the latter flows. From Topsham on the east side of the river, and from Turf at the west, two railways, viz., the Exmouth and South Devon, give great facilities for enjoying the fine scenery thus bordering the Exe. In speaking of the climate of Exeter and its neighbourhood, we shall take the liberty of quoting from the highly esteemed and popular work* of our talented townsman, Thomas Shapter, Esq., m.d., on the Climate of the South of Devon. "The chief characteristic of the climate of this district," says this writer, " is that of being warm, soft, mild, equable, calm, and free from storms. Though subject to a large share of rain, yet it seldom occurs that a whole day is so unceasingly wet as not to afford some hours, whether early or late, sufficiently fine for out- door exercise. During the winter season the temperature rarely maintains for any length of time, a degree so low as to render the climate particularly inclement ; frost seldom occurring, and rarely of long continuance. The air is usually damp ; but from the prevalence of warm westerly winds, the moisture which it contains is not cold and chilling. A general impression prevails that this, which may be styled the muggy weather of Devon, is unwholesome : such, however, is not the case — in fact, the accompanying temperature takes from it the usual injuriousness of such a condition. The character of the spring, during the early part, * " The Climate of the South of Devon," by Thos. Shapter, m.d., Physician to the Devon and Exeter Hospital. Post 8vo., Churchill, London. I •^ EXETER. 47' does not.^Baaterially difter from the winteiv excepting that the air is less damp and the days less rainy^ Towards the close of this season, north-easterly winds somewhat prevail. The summer is rarely very hot. and though showers are frequent, yet it may be considered a dry season. The winds which blow, for the most part from the north-west, are cooling and refreshing. The evenings and nights, however, are sometimes cold and damp. The autumn is warm and inclined to be damp and rainy : it is peculiarly the season for the Devonshire drizzle, which is a rain so light as to deposit itself as a thick dew, attended by a grey, clouded sky : the winds during this season are chiefly from the west. By way of marking the general mildness of the climate, it may be mentioned that many of the tender and delicate exotics flourish in the open air, and are not destroyed by exposure during the winter season. During this period, also, it is not unfrequent to see the hedges studded with many of the native flowers." Of the sanitary condition of Exeter, as deduced from a report of the " Health of Towns Commission," and shewn in a little work* published by the author of the foregoing obser- vations, after a minute and careful inquiry into the geological strata, position, medical statistics, and public improvements for the preservation of health, it clearly appears " that the locality of Exeter is peculiarly healthy," and " that the average mortality of Exeter is less than that of the principal cities of England, and not greater than is genei'ally incident to favorably situated towns." From the period of the decline of the manufacturing trade, may be dated the com- mencement of a spirit of improvement in * " Report of the Sanitary Condition of Exeter." By Thomas Shapter, m.d. 48 EXETER. widening and making new streets, and removing old obstructions in the public thoroughfares, which, whilst tending so much to make Exeter a desirable place of residence, at the same time opened a new channel for the industry of her citizens, and materially lessened the vicissitudes of fortune among those who would otherwise have felt great deprivation. From these improvements, followed the introduction of most of the literary, scientific, and trading companies, that now give amusement, profit, and employ- ment to great numbers of the population. One of the most important of the former being The Devon and Exeter Institution, in the Cathedral- yard, containing upwards of 26,000 vols, of choice and valuable works, with a I'eading room a,ttached. The city is amply supplied with water from a fine stream at Cowley Bridge, about two miles from Exeter, which from thence is pumped into large Reservoirs on elevated spots on the north- eastern side of the city, by which means a good Bupply is forced into every street and suburb. The water undertaking belongs to the city and is under the management of the Town Council. Leaving to other and larger publications an enumeration of every institution and public •establishment now formed in this city, we shall briefly dismiss this part of the subject by giving the locale of the following principal institutions. In Queen-street, The Devon and Exeter Albert Memorial, opened in 1868, containing a Free Library and Reading Room ; in Bedford Circus, the Athenaeum, a building in which lectures are given, and where Literary and Philosophical Societies assemble for discussion. There are Architectural, Graphic, Literary, Natural History, Horticultural, and Vocal and Orchestral Societies. A Chamber of Commerce. Science Classes, and a flourishing School of Art, whose \ EXETER. 49 yearly exhibitions add to the attractions of thia prosperous - city, are established in connec- tion witt the Albert Memorial Museum. At the Victoria Hall, in Queen-street, and the Royal Public Rooms, in Northernhay Place, — balls, concerts, public meetings, &c., are held. There is a modern and commodious Theatre, built by C. J. Phipps, F.R.I. B.A., situated in Longbrook-street . PUBLIC OFFICES AND BANKS. The Post and Telegraph Offices, erected in 1886, are in High Street ; the Bankruptcy and County Coui't Office is in Bedford Circus ; the Custom House and Wharfinger's Office, on the Quay ; the Inland Revenue and Stamp Office in Queen Street. There are six Banks and a. Savings Bank ; the Exeter Bank ; the City Bank ; branches of the Devon and Cornwall Bank ; of the National Provincial Bank of England ; of the Wilts and Dorset Bank ; and of Fox, Bi'os., Fowler & Co. : the four former are in the Cathedral Yard, and the two latter in High Street. The Savings Bank is in Bedford Circus. PRINCIPAL HOTELS. The London, Sidwell-street ; the Half Moon, in High-street ; the Clarence and the Globe, in the Cathedral-yard ; the Rougemont, Queen's and City, in Queen-street ; the White Lion and Bude ITaven, in Sidwell-street; the White Hart, in South-street ; the Crown and Sceptre, in North- street ; the South Western, in Paul-street ; the Museum, in Queen street ; the Black Horse, in Longbrook-street; and the Seven Stars, in St. Thomas. There are a great number of Boarding and Lodging Houses in every part of the city and neighbourhood. 50 EXETER. SPORTING AND FISHING. To the lover of field sports, the neighbour- hood of Exeter offers many attractions. Within ten or fifteen miles, several packs of hounds are kept, which are thrown off regulai'ly once or twice a week during the season. To anglers, the different streams in the vicinity give excellent fly-fishing ; on the Exe, from Cowley Bridge upwards, on the Tiverton Road ; on the Culme, branching off from the Exe at Stoke Canon, about three miles on the same road ; on the Greedy, another stream joining the Exe just above Cowley Bridge ; on the Teign, either upwards or downwards from Dunsford Bridge, seven miles on the Moreton road ; on the Kenn, four miles on the Plymouth road ; on the Clyst, about three miles and a-half on the Sidmouth road ; on the Otter, about twelve miles on the Honiton road. Anglers are allowed to fish in the Canal, by cards, to be obtained at the Town Clei'k's office. HACKNEY CARRIAGE STANDS AND FARES. The following are the most used stands for Hackney Carriages : — At Saint Anne's Chapel, in St. Sidwell's ; at Summerland-street and at the " Victory " Inn, Sidwell-street ; at St. John's Hospital and at St. Lawrence's Church, High-street ; at the Higher Market, at the Albert Memorial Museum, and beyond the Railway Bridge in Queen-street ; at the Obelisk, New North Road ; in Milk-street ; at St. Olave's Church and at Tucker's Hall, in Fore-street ; in King-street ; in Bindge -street ; in Palace- street ; in Magdalen-street ; on Magdalen-hill ; in Paris-street ; on Southernhay ; at the Devon and Exeter Hospital ; in Bedford-street ; in Longbrook-street ; and at the Railway Stations. EXETER. 51 F^BES FOR TIME AND DISTANCE. *tf ' Descriptioa of Carriage. o O 4> i 03 •0 4J Wa ^1 P. = % TIME. te K U o ^ o c -^^ gs c3 u 2° V •S "O .,- 'a ■^ J? •c be ^ 3 o I UJ UI u. u. O o en li O 5 Here we take occasion to refer to the Cathedral Close, with its many interesting £ 54 EXETEE. examples of ancient houses. A principal one among them is that of Mr. Worth's (the original Mol's Coffee House), flanked by St. Martin's Church, as is well shewn in the accompanying illustration. Also, we get a peep at this point of a side street, Catherine, with some old houses. Beyond the " Institution " just mentioned, there are courts and houses and doorways which will excite the interest of the antiquary. The old trees here are quaint, ragged and grotesque, curiously framing in, as in a picture, many of these old fronts, and presenting a sort of rural aspect to the precinct. Leaving the Institution, the visitor continues onward, having this building on the left. A short distance, passing under a small iron bridge, wiU bring him to Southernhay, Barnfield, Dix's Field, &c., each having parterres and walks in front. From Southernhay branches a pleasant walk to Heavitree, Mount Radford, &c. About midway, on the south-western side of Southern- hay, there is an opening to Bedford Circus, leading back to the High-street, and at the lower end of Southernhay stands THE DEVON AND EXETER HOSPITAL. This humane and benevolent institution was founded in August, 1741, and in the month of January, 1743, the hospital was opened with thirty beds for the reception of patients. As the funds of the institution increased, the hospital has been from time to time considerably enlarged. At the north-eastern end of the building, and communicating with it, is a neat brick chapel, erected at the sole expense of the late Arthur Kempe, Esq., Surgeon, of this city, for the use of the inmates of the hospital. Through the benevolence and liberality of this gentleman, the patients are enabled to attend Divine Service without leaving the precincts of EXETER. 55 the hospital. Opposite this noble institution is a spot q|' ground, enclosed and planted, which was formerly the Southernhay Burial Ground. Passing up Southernhay, at the entrance of Dix's Field, stands the Southernhay Congre- gatiottAl Church. This building is in the early decorated style, the exterior walls being com- posed of limestone, Bath stone, and red sand- stone. It is capable of accommodating 600 worshippers on the ground floor and 450 in the galleries. Returning to the western door of the Cathedral and facing High-street, attention may be called to the fine elevation of the City Bank, also those of the National Provincial and Devon and Cornwall Banks, and to the semi-Gothic front of Messrs. Wippell's establishment — all good examples of what may be aptly called the Victorian age of adapted architecture as com- pared with the earlier examples already alluded to in the Cathedral-yard. Walking by the carriage way into High street and turning to the right, the Guildhall, of which Exonians are justly proud, will next claim the attention of the visitor. THE GUILDHALL. From the antiquarian researches given to the public by the late Rev. George Oliver, D.D., and Pitman Jones, of this city, it appears that the Guildhall has from time immemorial occupied its present site. It was rebuilt in 1464. A chapel dedicated to St. George and St. John the Baptist stood in front, which is supposed gave place, about the year 1593, for the erection of that portion now projecting into the street ; the old chapel bell still remains, and is rung on occasions of alarms of fire. The Hall, on the ground floor, extending 62^ feet in length by 25 feet in breadtli, is well 56 EXETER. proportioned, and with its open and gracefully formed timber roof, may be termed a handsome structvire. The sides are wainscotted round with carved mouldings, surmounted by a frieze, on which are emblazoned the armorial shields of THE GUILDHALL. EXETER. 57 ancient Mcorporated trades of Exeter, bene- factors ajjd' illustrious citizens. There is a convenient gallery over the entrance to the HoU, and at the farther end a fine ^vindow filled with stained glass, exhibiting the Royal and City Arms and the Arms of mayors and sheriffs, commencing from the date of the Mtmicipal Reform Act. The Hall contains a full length portrait by Sharland, of Alderman Phillips, many years magistrate of this city, and who first introduced the use of gas in Exeter, about the year 1816 j a full length portrait of CJeorge II., by T. Hudson, formerly of Exeter ; a portrait, by Sir Peter Lely, of the Princess Henrietta Maria, daughter of Charles I., who was born in Exeter, 16th June, 1643 ; a portrait of John Rolle Walters, Esq., representative of this city in parliament, from 1754 to 1776; a portrait of John Tuckfield, Esq., founder of the Hospital, and representative of this city in parliament from 174-5 to 1776 ; a full length portrait, by Leakey, of Henry Blackall, Esq., three times mayor of Exeter ; a portrait of Lord Chief Justice Sir Charles Pratt, after- wards Earl of Camden, by T. Hudson ; a portrait of General Monk, by Sir Peter Lely ; another, by Pyne, of Benjamin Heath, Esq., town clerk of Exeter for fourteen years, and uncle of the late Judge Heath. Above the gallery at the south end are suspended the well worn colours of the 4th Regiment. In front of the northern centre window is a bronze bust of the first Lord Sidmouth, by Westacott, presented to the city by the present Viscount. Above stairs there is a council chamber, con- taining several portraits of mayors and distin- guished per.sons connected with the city ; a grand jury room and other apartments. Here we also notice an excellent drawing by Rouge 58 EXETER. Croix, of the City Arms, with description, from which the following has been gathered : — EXETER CITY ARMS. These Arjns were granted at the visitation in 1564, during the mayoralty of John Peryam — probably the worthy whose portrait hangs in the Council Chamber. It wovild appear that the Helm, Crest and Supporters were added as augmentation to the original shield, which may be technically des- cribed thus : Party per Pale, Gides and Sable. Over all a Triple-tower Castle or. The motto " Semper Fidelis" is attributed to Queen Elizabeth as an acknowledgment of loyalty in connection with the defeat of the Spanish Armada, conveyed to the mayor and citizens in a letter of thanks; for that they " fitted out three ships, which were manned, armed and maintained at their own expense, and sent to reinforce the Queen's fleet." At each Assize it is usual for the Sheriff, upon the Judge breaking Commission, to request the privilege of having the City prisoners tried in the Guildhall, which is generally done. By making application at the Town Clerk's Office (in Bedford Circus), the stranger will be shown the Cap of Maintenance, worn by the Sword Bearer of the city on civic occasions ; the handsome Sword of State, presented to the city by Renry VII. ; the antique Sword, given by Edward IV. ; and numerous documents of great antiquity and interest. EXETER. 69 A shqj-fe- distance above the Guildhall, after passing thjB; little Church of Allhallows, on the left, thfe* stranger will come to Queen-street : in this street is THE EASTERN MARKET. The building is of the Doric order, and may be considered grand and somewhat decorated, though retaining all the simplicity and beauty of that style of architecture. It is durable and substantial, being built principally of Cornish granite and Bath stone : the whole of the exterior is composed of the latter. Great attention has been paid to the free admission of light and air into the interior. The shops, stalls and benches, for the sale of commodities (except fish), are distributed over the area of the general market. In the centre of the building is an avenne of granite pilasters running from the principal entrance to that in Goldsmith-street ; this space is occvipied by stalls for the sale of fruit, &c. The fish market is kept separate from the part devoted to the sale of general articles. This market and the one on the western side of the town having been built at the same time, under the provisions of one Act of Parliament, the separate cost of each cannot well be ascertained. A little below the Market, and on the opposite side of the street to it, is the Devon and Exeter ALBERT MEMORIAL MUSEUM. This handsome building, designed to contain a Free Library. Museum and Schools of Science and Art, was decided upon as a fitting memorial to H.R.H. the late Prince Consort. The foundation stone was laid on the 16th October, 1865, and the north wing and centre were 60 EXETER. completed in March, 1868. The south wing was not finished till 1869, and was first opened during the meeting of the British Association, held at Exeter in August of that year. That part of the site which fronts upon Queen-street was liberally presented by the late R. S. Gard, Esq., of Rougemont Castle ; the remainder was purchased out of the subscriptions, &c., amount- ing to over .£11,000, besides nearly .£3,000 raised by a grand bazaar and fancy fair, held at Easter, 1868. The building was designed by John Hay ward, Esq., of this city, whose plan was selected out of thirty others, which were submitted to public competition. The archi- tecture is of Gothic character. The building is faced with dark red porphyry from the Pocombe <|uarries, near Exeter, relieved with dressings of Bath-stone and Chudleigh limestone. The shafts of the windows are of red sandstone, from Bishop's Lydiard, near Taunton. The principal entrance is through an arcade of three arches supported on columns of polished Abei*- deen granite. The ground floor is raised six or seven feet above the level of Queen-street. The whole of the rooms are en suite, so as to allow of passage completely round the building on occasions of large assemblages. The Museum occupies the whole of the right-hand side of the building, the Free Library is located on the left, and between them, at the back of the building, are the Class Rooms of the School of Science. The Library contains nearly 19,000 volumes of books, of which about 9,355 are in the lending department, and the remainder — over 2,000 — form the reference library. Owing to the extension of the premises, the whole of the Library has to some extent been re-organised. A commodious reference room has been added at the rear of the premises. A large number EXETER. 61 ■of specimens illustrative of Natural History- have beej^, already presented to the Museum. The bulk of these collections were formed by the late F. W. L. Ross, Esq., of Topsham, and generously presented by his widow. The lower Museum' consists of two rooms. In the smaller of the two, which is open to the roof, is arranged the Ethnological collection. Here are two Egyptian Mummies and many objects of interest from various parts of the world. In the largest room will be found foreign mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes, shells, and insects ; also an elementary collection of British fossils and numerous specimens of the building stones, clays, minerals, and other economic products of Devon and Cornwall. There is a fine collection of Indian insects, collected by the late Colonel John Graham, in the Bengal Presidency, and presented by his widow. Over the lower museum is an upper one, and a small picture gallery, occupied by some choice proofs of engravings, by the eminent engraver, Samuel Cousins, R.A., a native of Exeter, presented by himself and Mr. Graves, the publisher. The rest of the upper floor is appropriated to the School of A rt, and contains an elementary class room, painting room, room for casts, and a ladies' class room, with retiring rooms, &c. ; nearly 300 pupils receive instruction here annually. In the elementary class room is a fine picture by the late J Cross, representing the burial of the two sons of Edward IV., in the Tower. The upper Museum contains the local collection of zoological specimens, fossils, minerals, and antiquities. There is a good collection of British birds, principally obtained in the neighbourhood of Exeter. It contains the only recorded specimen of the Great Black- headed or Caspian Gull (Larus ichthyaetusj ever killed in Britain, which was shot at Exmouth 62 EXETER. in June, 1859. Amongst other rarities are the Rose-coloured Pastor, killed at Chudleigh ; White Stork, kiUed at Clyst St. George ; White Spoonbill, killed at Exmouth; Spotted Red- shank, Avocet, Purple Sandpiper, Curlew Sand- piper, Egyptian Goose, Canada Goose, Garganey, Long-tailed Duck, Little Gull, Great Northern Diver, Black and Sandwich Terns — all shot near Topsham. To Mr. Ross's specimens have been added many others, presented by various gentle- men in Devon, and some of them are of great rarity. There are a number of magniticent groups of stuffed Hawks used in Falconry, mounted by William Brodriek, Esq., of Chud- leigh, and deposited on loan by that gentleman. The visitor should notice the fine head and seven pairs of horns of the Red Deer of Exmoor. They all belonged to the same animal, and show the mode of growth and increase in size from the first year to the seventh ; also a young Grampus a day or two old, which was cast ashore at Exmouth in June, 1844. The anti- quities from barrows on Broad Down, Farway, near Honiton, excavated by the Rev. R. Kirwan, are of great interest, especially the drinking cups of bituminous shale and incense vessel. Amongst the British fishes should be noticed the Sword-fish, measuring over 8 feet in length, and weighing 1001b., which was found stranded on the mud below Topsham in July, 1858; a Sturgeon, llOlbs. in weight, taken off Exmouth Bar ; Sunfish, weighing 3 cwt., taken at Seaton ; and two specimens of the Silvery Hair-taU— one of the i-arest British fishes — taken at Seaton and Start Point. The lady visitor will be attracted by the collection of lace, presented by Mrs. Bury Palliser and Mrs. Treadwin, and the collection of Gold and Silver Spoons presented by Henry Matthews, Esq. There are also many interesting objects of local antiquarian history, "^ EXETER. 63 and consi(Jp**ble additions are being made to the general collection by friends of the institution, arranged 'Zander the superintendence of the zealous and efficient curator, Mr. James Dallas. Adjoining the Museum are the County- Chambers, in which is the office of the ISTational Lifeboat Institution, and next a substantial building, now occupied by a business firm, but built by the Board of Works for the Postal Service. On the left is THE DISPENSARY. This plain, but neat and substantial building, was erected 1840-41. The internal arrange- ments, comprising dispensing, physicians', surgeons' and patients' rooms, a good size board- room, and other accommodations are complete. This excellent and useful charity has been established since 1818 and is supported by voluntary contributions. Passing the entrance to Northernhay, on the right is the Queen Htreet Station of the LONDON & SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY Company, whose trains depart hence for London vid Yeovil and Salisbury to Waterloo ; also for Ilfracombe, Barnstaple, Bideford, and other towns of the North of Devon ; for Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton ; and, by the Devon and Cornwall Line, to Devonport, Plymouth, Tavistock, Launceston, Okehampton, &c. Im- mediately opposite stood the old city prison, which has been pulled down, and on its site has been erected THE ROUGEMONT HOTEL, by a Company, formed to supply the long experienced want of a first-class Hotel with all modern improvements, conveniently situated within easy access of the city and the railway stations. Close adjoining stands 64 EXETER. THE VICTORIA HALL, built by a Joint Stock Company for the purpose of aiding the requirements of the British Association Meeting, in 1869. The hall has a large circular roof of one span. At the eastern end is a spacious orchesti-a and organ, and frequent organ recitals, at popular prices, are given during the winter months. The large hall will seat altogether about 1,600 persons. A smaller hall, which will seat about 400 persons, has more recently been added, and is most conveniently arranged. We are now in Queen-street road, and pursuing our course straight on, passing some commercial establishments and the Inland Revenue offices on our left, we come to BURY MEADOW, a small piece of ground, planted, enclosed, and dedicated to the public. It is really a pretty spot, and deservedly prized and preserved by the citizens as an airing ground and public promenade. The tree surrounded by railings, in the centi-e of the roadway, was planted by the civic authorities in honour of the marriage of H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. Im- mediately opposite Bury Meadow is HELE'S COMMERCIAL SCHOOL. The present two bviildings, in the Elizabethan style — one the school-house and the other the residence of the master — comprise the first of a series of schools which are to be built from the munificent bequests of the benevolent Elize Hele, who lived in the reigns of James and his successor, Charles the First. As it may appear strange to many of our readers, that a bequest so ancient should have been left till the year 1850 to be carried out, we shall endeavour to give some little account, which will show how EXETER. 65 the present and future schools have been, and are to be, b^P^ught into existence. In the year 1632, Elize.,Hele, the founder, conveyed to certain tril^'tees, seven manors, and various lands and hereditaments, to be applied to charitable purposes — such as the maintenance and educa- tion of poor children in St. John's Hospital ; £400 for a poor maidens' school in Hele's Hospital ; the maintenance of a schoolmaster in Ne\vton ; also for one in Totnes ; and other benevolent purposes. By a decree of the Vice- Chancellor, in November, 1825, arising out of a suit in Chancery, instituted in the name of the Attorney-General, against the then existing trustees, heirs, and descendants of the founder, it appeai-ed that up to that time only some of the intentions of the founder had been fulfilled, and that large sums had accrued from fines on renewal of leases, which were then in their hands unappropriated. These sums, in conse- quence of the events which had happened, became vested in the crown ; and the right of appropriation belonged to his then Majesty. This decree ordered an account to be taken of all these fines, and the money to be vested in the funds. By an order of the Lord Chancellor, made in 1837, under an Act of Parliament, new trustees were appointed for the management of charities ; and the lands and tenements belong- ing to this charity became vested in them. On the 9th of November, 1839, her present majesty, Queen Victoria, after receiving petitions from the inhabitants of Exeter, issued her royal warrant, declaring that all moneys, stocks, funds, securities, and fines on granting leases, which, by virtue of the before mentioned decree she had the power of bestowing, should be vested in the Commissioners of Woods and Forests. And by another royal warrant, dated the 4th of March, 1840, the Commissioners were empowered 66 EXETER. from these sources to raise a sum not exceeding £1,500, and pay the same to certain trustees therein named, for the purpose of erecting a building for a school and school-house, in the -city of Exeter, for the education of boys. Hence has arisen the present school, which was opened in January. 1850, for the instruction of boys belonging to the city of Exeter, in a good com- mercial education. The above-mentioned warrant further dii-ects that the Commissioners, by and out of moneys which shall from time to time be vested in them, make the following appropria- tions:— £100 for maintaining two exhibitions for boys attending the above school ; £1,000 for the purpose of erecting a building, to be devoted to the education of persons destined to the pro- fession of schoolmasters, to be called the Exeter Model School ; £400 for the purpose of an Infant School in Exeter ; and =£400 for the purchase and erection of a bviilding for a girls' school in the city of Exeter, to be called MaynardJs School. The terms at Hele's School are four guineas annually for boys under twelve years of age and £5 for boys above twelve years of age ; an entrance fee of 10s. is also required. For boys educated in this school, there are exhibitions to the Grammar School, and those who have obtained this advantage have taken high places there. Under the present head-master, Mr. Long, the school has greatly increased in numbers. After enumerating these princely bequests, calculated to confer such lasting benefits on our native city, we cannot refrain from departing a little from our usual course to state a few particulars of the life and history of the noble benefactor to whose munificence Exeter is so mvich indebted. Elizeus, or Elize Hele, was (according to Prince) born at Winston, in the parish of Brixton, in this county. Having EXETER. 67 studied for the law, he became very eminent in that prof e§sion ; and in the third of King James I. he jvtis chosen autumn reader to the Inner Terft^le, London ; and in the twelfth of that king's reign he was treasurer ; and again, in the second of King Charles I. he was chosen Lent reader. He was a good lawyer, a justice of the peace for the county, and a person of great reputation. His principal residence was at Fardel, in the parish of Cornwood. Through his profession and other means, he became possessed of great estates, which he bequeathed to be disposed of in piovis uses ; hence he obtained the name of the pious Elize llele. He died in this city on the 11th of January, 1635, and was buried in the Cathedral. From Hele's School, we are not far from the Nursery Grounds of Messrs. Robert Veitch & Son, situated in the New North Road, which will amply repay the trouble of a visit. Strangers are admitted on application. We shall return to the High-street, through Queen-street, passing the handsome block of buildings forming that street, and here the stranger will not fail to notice the antiquated gables and curious fronts of some of the old houses. One of these is shewn in our illustra- tion—that of Mr. Ross, a fine old 17th century house, recently restored with careful attention to its peculiar characteristics in form and colour. In a published report of the restoration of this house, we are told that " John and Henry Weymouth are the last of the old city woollen merchants who inhabited these premises." During the time they resided there the property, which then belonged to John Heath, was sold together with the house at the corner of Gandy- street — now the Civet Cat — to the Chamber, for the mayor's residence and judges' lodgings. Indications of the importance of the house for 68 EXETER, this purpose may be recognised in fragments of ceilings in one of the show-rooms. ANCIENT HOUSE— HIGH STREET. Exeter is unique in Old Houses, and the- High-street and Foi-e-street will present interest- ing examples of both ancient and modern structures. In fact, the streets of Exeter will shew to an architectural student, when carefully looked for, specimens of the great variety of changes which have taken place in house facades, chiefly in the upper stories, and especially those in the High -street and Fore- street, where he will find in them bow windows, canted windows, three-light windows, two-light windows, windows with heavy frames and small glazing, and so forth, and in the fronts them- EXETER. 69 selves he will recognise stone fronts, brick fronts, plastered fronts, rustic fronts, Georgian and Queen,, Anne in juxtaposition, as well as medievaHjnes with their overhanging stories. "Where houses, shelving houses meet, And vault with Beetle-brow a shelving street." — Mobiad. Also will be noticed tall houses and low ones, and Church towers dominating over all, affording together that pleasing variety which the eye delights in, in preference to the dull uniformity of a row of dwellings all of one pattern. Another feattire to be noticed is that here and there through the street the sight is refreshed with greenness; in peeps of the country and also some fine old trees and luxuriant foliage appear, as in the Cathedral- yard, Southernhay, Bury Meadow, the Bonhay and other localities. As a street subject, we here notice an illus- tration of an ancient conduit which originally stood across the High-street, a little way above the intersection of North-street and South- street, leaving but little roadway on either side of the building ; but even at that time — 1770 — - public convenience required its demolition. At the Restoration, in 16G0, when the proclamation was made through the city, this conduit, with others, " ran with wine." We now reach Gandy-street, on the left, formerly named St. Lucie's Lane, but named Gandy-street from the wealthy family of Gandy, who resided here. On the right hand, on enter- ing the street, notice an incised stone at the angle, and a little beyond there are some offices, which contain good examples of carving and moulded ceilings. Towards the end of this street, on the right, are situated the premises, converted into a 70 EXETER. ^-^^ ■v^ -- TRJij5^5<-» --»-»" ANCIENT CONDUIT, CARFOIX. MASONIC HALL. The premises in themselves are interesting as having been the residence of well-known local families, such as the Fortescues, Grangers, Brakes, Snows, and others. There are architec- tural features in the building indicating work of late Tudor, Elizabethan, and Jacobean periods. The old front of the house set back (after the manner of those days in an enclosed courtyard) from the Gandy-street frontage was pretentious, and had the usual massive moulded oak con- struction, with heavy mullioned windows, and projecting upper stories on handsomely- carved EXETEE. 71 brackets and beams, with quaint dormer gables, and the spaces between the moulded and framed woodwork j)argetted on lathwork. The accom- modation^is as follows : — Spacious entrance halls and covered ways for access from the street where the brethren may be marshalled for pro- cessions, several convenient and well-lighted rooms for the use of the three Exeter Craft Lodges, used for robing, reading, library, and committee rooms. The Lodge room, approached by a wide and bold staircase, is on the first floor, and has been fitted up and decorated to suit the purposes of Masonic meetings. The room is of ample size for all local meetings of the Craft, and has been carefully arranged as regards ventilation and gaslights. The walls are sten- cilled, and the ceiling is adorned with golden stars radiating round a blazing star enclosing the sacred symbol Round the room are placed benches on a raised floor, and sufiicient accom- modation for 70 Masons at a Lodge. Over the fire-place, in one of the upper rooms, is a portrait of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, Grand Master of the Order, which has been presented to the Craft, and the large poitrait, in oil, of Dr. Carwithen, on the grand staircase. The oi'gan is by the well-known firm of Walker, of London, considerably enlarged by Mr. Hawker, of Exeter. Besides the above rooms, there are others for meetings connected with the higher degi'ees of Freemasonry and the orders of chivah-y. There is also a residence for the care-taker, besides all necessary offices, and a spacious garden behind. Returning into High-street on the left is the chaste elevation of the WEST OF ENGLAND INSURANCE OFFICE. This building, erected in the year 1833, forms a striking ornament to this part of High-street. 72 EXETER. WEST OF ENGLAND INSURANCE OFFICE. The fa9ade is of Portland stone, about 50 feet wide and 26 in height, having in the centre a portico surmounted by a pedestal, on which is placed a figure of King Alfred, the emblem of the company. This institution was founded in Exeter in the year 1807, and now ranks among the principal insurance companies of this country, having a large establishment in London and agencies in Edinburgh, Dublin, and almost every town in the United Kingdom. A few paces above the Insui-ance Office, on the opposite side of the way, a new street has recently been opened, which leads to Bedford Circus, in which is THE DEVON AND EXETER SAYINGS BANK. This institution was established in 1815, and by judicious management it has progressively increased, being now of great extent. The statue in bronze facing High-street is, like those on Northernhay, the work of the late E. B. Stephens, smd is a faithful likeness of William Reginald, 11th Earl of Devon (the present Earl). It was erected in 1880 as a EXETER. 73 tribute of respect and affection from many friends. ^ Adjoining the Savings Bank is THE ATHEN^UM, Erected by a company of shareholders for the purpose of holding lectures, A:c. The principal part of the building comprises a small theatre, with seats arranged in a semi- circular form, and capable of containing between three and four hundred persons. A short distance from the Savings Bank, leading into High-street, is Bampfylde-street, in which stands Bampfylde House, once the city residence of the Bampfylde family, with its quaint court, entrance porch, old tank and fine room overhead, lined throughout with rich panelling and carvings and highly-decorated chimney-piece surmounted with the arms of the Bampfylde family described in eight quarterings. The plaster ceiling of the room is also very fine. In the basement are the offices of the Exeter School Board. In this street also is the Odd Fellows' Hall and the entrance to St. John's Orphanage. Opposite Bampfylde-street is Castle-street, leading to the Castle-yard, and the remains of ROUGEMONT CASTLE. The origin of a fortress on this site is shrouded in remote antiquity We have before alluded to its reported erection in the time of Julius Csesar ; but if not clearly traced to that age, there can be no doubt that a fortress stood here long anterior to the Conquest. The remains of the ancient gateway, now standing in the grounds of Mrs. Gard, and laid open to view on the left of the entrance of the present Castle-yard are evidently Saxon. The Oastle itself, from its commanding position, was a place 74 EXETER. of considerable strength in those days, and even to a later period. When in a defensive state it consisted of an inner and outer gate, flanked by strong curtains, supported by buttresses. The whole of the gateway projected from the wall like a tower, and flanked the ditch. After the surrender of Exeter to Fairfax, the Castle with its towers and battlements was dismantled. In his play of King Richard III, act 4, scene 2, Shakespeare mentions Rougemont Castle — " Richmond ! — When last I was at Exeter, The Mayor in courtesy showed me the Castle, And call'd it — Rouge-mont ; at which name I started ; Because a bard of Ireland told me once, That I should not live long after I saw Richmond." evidently alluding to the incident which occurred to King Richard when visiting the Castle in 1483. This incident has been well illustrated in a staircase window of the Rougemont Hotel, Queen-street (p. 63). On the south-eastern side was an ancient prebendal Chapel of our Lady. The late Rev. Dr. Oliver gives the names of Hayes, Carswell, Cutton, and Asseclyst, as those of its four prebends, and states that the Chapel was existing in the reign of Stephen. In the year 1792 the old prebendal Chapel was taken down under the sanction of an Act of Parliament. The venerable relic, the ancient gateway of the Castle, with its mantle of " ivy green," looks exceedingly picturesque when seen from any situation ; but when viewed from the beautiful grounds of the lady before mentioned, stands up in striking and bold contrast to the modern display of evanescent flowers and shrubs beside it. To have this gratification, and obtain a walk through the garden and grounds, laid out and planted with great taste, the stranger is kindly allowed on presenting his card and asking permission. With the views from the EXETER. 75 walks, and the summit of the city walls within this domain, he will be greatly charmed. Our illustratiga- shows the " ivy-mantled tower " ROUGEMONT CASTLE. rising from within Mrs, Gard's entrance ; and through the modern entrance to the Castle-yard is seen the elevation of 76 EXETEK. THE DEVON ASSIZE HALL & SESSIONS HOUSE. It was erected in 1773, but has undergone frequent alterations and some enlargements to make it sutitable for the business of the county. In the crown bar court is a large painting, presented by the artist, Mr. Brockedon, to the county, representing " The Judgment of Daniel." This picture illustrates the story of Susannah and the Elders, as given in the Apocrypha. The inscription beneath the picture has the words " Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour." In front of the Assize Hall is a white marble statue, executed by the late E. B. Stephens, erected in honour of the late Earl Foi-tescue, who is represented in his robes as a Knight of the Garter. On the eastern side of the Session House, the visitor will ascend to a veiy pleasant walk on the city walls. Here he will get a view of a large poition of the city, the Cathedral and parochial towers, the course of the Exe, and a view of the British Channel. Descending and crossing in front of the Sessions House, a door in the north corner of the yard opens to that admired public walk, NORTH ERNHAY. It is with much pride and pleasure we direct the stranger to this locality. Although he may not have heard of the expression made use of by a distinguished foreigner who visited it in its former glory, that *' there is only one Northernhay in England," he will be disposed to admit that few English towns possess a finer promenade. The pleasant walks, shaded by many fine elms and other young trees, and with numerous seats conveniently situated, make it a place of unrivalled beauty, which the citizens may justly feel proud of maintaining. EXETEE. 77 During tke summer months local Flower Shows are held here, and the frequent performances of the 1st R^Y- and City Band add greatly to the attractiveness of this pretty spot. Before leaving N^rthernhay we must invite the visitor's attention to the two white marble statues executed by the late E. B. Stephens, the well- known sculptor, a native of Exeter. Both are situated at the western end of the gi-ounds. The first, erected in 1861, in honour of one of the then living worthies of Devon, Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, Bart., is the size of Kfe. The secon'd, placed in the centre of a gi-ass plot near the Queen-street entrance and facing Mount Dinham, was inaugurated in 1866, and is to the memoiy of the late John Dinham, the distinguished philanthropist, who is represented seated in an arm-chair, bare-headed, with an open Bible on his knees. At the eastern end facing High-street stands the "Deerstalker" — a study in bronze by the before men- tioned E. B. Stephens, con- sidered to be the talented sculptor's masterpiece, and which was presented to the city of Exeter in 1878, by ''** ^Sg»aggi'. ' -^'V(^^ a number of friends and THE DEERSTALKER. admlrcrs of the sculptor. A statue of the Earl of Iddesleigh will also in due time be added to these. Pursuing his onwai'd course, the stranger can descend either of the paths on the north-eastern side of Northernhay. Opposite the lodge gate is a road passing over the London and South Western Railway, to H.M. PRISON, standing upon a commanding site, with its grim entrance gates flanked on either side by 78 EXETER. residences for the Governor and Chaplain. In a field behind the Prison, towards which a path on the eastern side will conduct him, is thfr Exeter RESERVOIR. This Reservoir is at an elevation of 180 feet,. and consists of two large receiving basins and two filtering basins, with wells for storing water. The quantity of water held in store is about 6,000,000 gallons. The water is pro- pelled to the basins from Pynes leat, a part of the Exe, about two miles distant, by means of engines worked daily by water and also by steam power, as an auxiliary in case of drought or repairs of the leat and works. There are also two steam pumping engines for lifting the water to the reservoir at Marypole Head, an elevation of 260 feet above the ordinary level, and capable of containing 1,500,000 gallons. It is to be regretted, that in enlarging the Reservoir, some years since, it was found necessary to destroy the ancient movmd, commonly known as Dane's Castle, which existed in the same field. W. T. P. Shortt, Esq., in his " Collectanea Curiosa Antiqua Dunmonia," pronounces this little earth-work to have been an outpost to the Roman Garrison of Exeter, similar to one erected by Julius. Csesar in Gaul, during his campaign against the Belgae. In corroboration of this opinion he evidences the number of ancient memorials of burials, consisting of broken urns, Samian ware, coins, &c , found, not many years since, in forming the road not far from it, which the Stranger crossed at the foot of Northernhay. The Visitor, retracing his steps along the road between the Reservoir and the Prison, passing the Town Barracks and the railway bridge, wUI soon arrive at the bottom of Longbrook -street. Turning to the left, he will continue his walk EXETER. 79- to Pennsylvania. Pursuing the main road, a short distance up the hill, on the left, is a way ta-^ome pleasant path fields leading to Hoopern, &c., and he will also notice the St. German^' Estate, a delightfully salubrious and picturesque site many acres in extent, laid out for mansions and villa residences. Continuing the ascent to Mary Pole Head, about a mile from the city, he will be much gratified by the extensive prospect afforded ; the whole of the city and a portion of the rich vale of the Exe lie at his feet, with the bold hills of Haldon and Dartmoor in the distance ; and on the left the open estuary of the river, the town of Exmouth, and the sea for many miles on the coast. '1 his road, if pursued a mile farther, gives other extensive views of rich scenery looking over the Exe, towards Tiverton, &c. There are many walks and rides diverging from this road : one on the brow of the hill turning to the right, down Rosebarn Lane, will bring the Visitor into a road that branches from the head of Sidwell- street on the eastern side of the city ; the other a short distance farther on the left, will bring him by a charming walk through the Duryard Estate into the Cowley Bridge road on the northern side. Let us now return to the head of High-street. The building on the right is the EASTGATE ARCADE, with the Eastgate Coffee Tavern at the angle. This Arcade was built in 1880 by a limited liability company and contains 24 shops connecting the High street with Southernhay. The building is covei'ed Avith a glazed I'oof supported upon circular shaped iron principals, with a clock on its High-street front. The work was cariied out by Messrs. Stephens & Son, from the designs of Mr. James Crocker, f.r.i.b.a. Next we notice the 80 EXETER. GENERAL POST OFFICE, recently removed from Queen-street. The stone frontage is of semi-gothic style, from the designs of Mr. Rivers, of Her Majesty's Board of Works, and the internal fittings are in accordance with modern requirements, com- prising a large central office and waiting rooms for clei'ks, messengers, letter carriers &c., and in the basement the battery rooms for the telegi'aphic department which is carried on in the second floor of the building. It was opened to the public in the Autumn of 1885 and stands in the place of tlie Chapel and Hospital of St. John and the old Grammar School of Exeter. We quote the following pertinent remarks from an interesting lecture on St. John's Hospital by the Head Master of the removed Grammar School. He says in 1880, in anticipation of the New Post Office — " When soon will rise another edifice, with no formal consecration, truly, but yet in the providential order of the modern world most instrumental in foi-warding the best interests of mankind ; the difiiision of knowledge, the development of commerce, the promotion of friendly intercourse and the union in spirit of those who by distance are separated from one another." In preparing the foundations for the bviildings an interesting portion of the basement of the southern tower t)f the ancient East Gate was exposed, and here we would call attention to the house of Mr. Rowe, opposite the Post Office, on whose front is placed the statue of King Henry VII., which formei'ly stood over the exterior face of the gateway. Our illustration shows the internal face of the East Gate with a portion of the Chapel of the Old Gx-ammar School. A little below the Post Office is the entrance to EXETER. 81 OLD EASTGATE. ST. JOHN'S HOSPITAL SCHOOL. The hospital of St. John, for poor men and women, was established as early as 1225, by- two wealthy citizens, Gilbert and John Long. With this charity was incorporated, in the reign of Henry III., a hospital that previously existed behind St. Nicholas Priory, in the parish of St. Olave, founded in honour of Saint Alexius,* The mayor and citizens of Exeter were the original patrons of the foundation of the vmited hospitals; but in the year 1244, they exchanged it with Bishop Brewer for that of the Leper's Hospital, on the south side of the city. The bishops of Exeter held the patronage until it was suppressed in the latter end of the reign of Henry VIII. The present * Dr. Oliver's Monasticon Diocesis Exoniensis. 82 EXETER. hospital of St. John was founded in 1620, by- Joan Crossing, the widow of Hugh Crossing, on the site of the late dissolved hospital of St. John within the east gate of the city, and a charter was obtained in 1637, from King Charles I., for making it a hospital for aged and impotent poor people, a Grammar School and an English School. There are twenty-five boys on the foundation. They are admitted up to nine years of age and are allowed to remain until the age of foui'teen and are maintained, clothed and educated. There are also about 100 day boys who are charged a moderate fee for education. On entering Sidwell-street, we come to an open space, in which stands the London Inn and THE ROYAL PUBLIC ROOMS, built in 1820. The ball-room, 92ft. by 41ft. in breadth, and 40ft. in height, with a capacious orchestra, is tastefully fitted up, and lighted by a handsome skylight. There are tea-rooms and other suitable accommodation for balls, concerts, exhibitions, &c. The way parallel to the front X)f the Royal Public Rooms conducts to Northei-nhay. We are now close to THE NEW THEATRE, conveniently situated at the junction of Longbrook-street and the New North Road and within easy reach of every part of the city. The building itself has been raised by the enterprise of a Joint Stock Company which was formed immediately upon the destruction by fire of the old Theatre in Bedford Circus in 1885. Having regard to the substantial character of the structure and the modern impi'ovements introduced with a view to the public safety, we earnestly hope that it may be spared the fate of its predecessors. " Did you EXETER. 83 I* see in the paper this morning that the Exeter Theatre is burned down?" (1820) asked a friend of ^Xheodore Hook. " Oh ! yes, quite dramatic — enter a fire, exit a (Exeter) Theatre " was his -v^itty reply. From this point tram cars run at frequent intervals to Heavitree, Polsloe Road and St. David's. Continuing up the main or principal street, called Sidwell-street, on the right is Upper Southernhay-street, leading to Southernhay, Dix's Field, Barnfield, and the road to Mount Radford, &c. The next street on the same side is Paris-street, conducting to Heavitree ; a shoi-t distance down this street, on the left hand side, is a building used for the purpose of unsectarian education. Many illustrious Exonians have received instrviction in this school. At the bottom of Paris-street, in the Clifton Road, are the Neu-town Board Schools, compi-ising Girls' School for one hundred and fifty, and Infant's School for two hundred children. Continuing the Heavitree Road, on the right is Sclater's NuESERY, an eligible site of ground tastefully laid out with flowers and shrubs, the beauty of which will amply repay the trouble of a visit. A short distance beyond, on the same side, stands the Exeter DIOCESAN TRAINING COLLEGE for National Schoolmasters. A substantial and well executed structure in the middle pointed style, erected in 1854, from the design and under the direction of Mr. John Hayward, architect. The building is about 198 feet in length, and stands on an area of three acres. In the eastern wing is the school or lecture room, 35 feet by 23 feet, and beyond are a lavatory, bath rooms, &c. The western wing contains the dining hall, committee room, the 84 EXETER. principal's residence and domestic offices. The cloisters extend to nearly 60 feet in length, affording a place for exercise in wet weather and giving access to the chapel, situated at the east end of the college, where Divine service is cele- brated. A boys' commercial school is carried on here, under the superintendence of a head- master and competent assistants. Nearly oppo- site the College is the Workhouse, for the poor of the county of the city of Exeter. About half-a-mile on this road is the pleasant village of Heavitree. From this point numerous walks and rides diverge, both right and left, which will bring the stranger back, on one side, by Mount Radford and the Magdalen road to the southern part of Exeter ; and on the other, by the Polsloe-road or Whipton, to the St. Sidwell or eastern part. Resuming our walk up Sidwell-street, at the upper end of which, between the two diverging roads, is the ancient little CHAPEL OF ST. ANN and eight small alms-houses. There was formerly a hermitage attached to the chapel ; but the date of the foundation of both is now lost. The chapel itself is not more than 15 feet in length by somewhat less in width. A perpendicular window of three lights, a piscina, and a hand- some canopied niche on both sides of the window attest its antiquity. Taking the left-hand road from the chapel, called the Old Tiverton Road, a short distance down the first turning on the left are St. James' Church and one of the Schools, erected by the Exeter School Board, for the accommodation of one hundred and fifty children. The Old Tiverton Road leads by very pleasant walks to Pennsylvania, as before men- tioned, Stoke-hill, &c., and other roads and lanes branching right and left. The Blackboy-road, EXETER. 85 on the right of St. Ann's Chapel, is the main Bristol and Bath-road. At the upper end of this road is ths-^evon and Exeter FEM^L^ EEFORMATORY SCHOOL and Refuge for Discharged Prisoners. This building', erected in 1857, contains accommoda- tion for sixty inmates. It is divided into two compartments, one side giving space for twenty beds, and appropriated as a Refuge for Dis- charged Prisoners • the other affording the same amount of accommodation as a Reformatoiy for children after sentence. This is also the work of Mr. J. Hay^vard, architect. Continuing the Blackboy-road and descending the hill, the stranger will arrive at the Cemetery on his right hand — a lai-ge piece of ground laid out for interments and furnished with two Gothic chapels. This Cemetery was opened in 1866. Upon leaving the Cemetery and follo"\ving the road to the foot of tlie hill, after passing under the railway arch, a sharp turn to the left brings us to a footway close to a cottage beyond, and through a field and under another railway arch, where we reach the remains of POLSLOE PRIORY, anciently a Benedictine nunnery, founded in honour of St. Catherine. The chapel was demolished in the civil wars. There are still some remains of the ancient building, particu- larly the west end, which, though patched up with modern repairs, retain strong vestiges of its former state. The crumbling remnants of walls and buttresses, with an arch here and there, now form an indifferent farm house, out- houses, (fee. The Blackboy road for two or three miles is crossed with roads and lanes, some leading to o 86 EXETER. OLD BROADQATE. through the hills on the left, and others on the right joining the Heavitree road. Let us return again to the opening from the Cathedral-yard into High-street, opposite the western front of the Cathedral. We may here fitly refer to Old Broadgate, which used to span this street, but was removed in 1825, and its site is now marked by dwarf pillars inserted in the houses on either side. The first open- ing on the left, down the High-street, is South-street. We shall continue our walk this street towards the southern suburbs of the city. A short distance on the left brings vis to an old building of the Vicars' Choral, called the COLLEGE HALL, now used as the place of meeting of the Architectural and other Societies. This old edifice is of the fourteenth century, and contains some tolerable specimens of wooden carved work. There are some very old portraits, said to be of early Bishops of Exeter ; and the hall is hung round with drawings, models of fonts, and other designs, principally ecclesiastical subjects, by some of the members of the Architectural Society. At the rear of the Hall, forming a small street toward the Cathedral- yard, are the remains of the dwellings formerly the residences of the College of Vicars, now occupied as small tenancies. The streets on the right-hand side of South- street lead to a number of minor streets in the western quarter of the city. In one of these, called E.ack-street, stand the EXETER. 87 DEVON AND EXETER CENTRAL SCHOOLS. They consfet of spacious schoolrooms and play- grounds,— rfor the boys on one side and the girls on the other. For the removal of these schools from the southern side of the city and their completion on the present eligible site, quite in the heart of the most crowded and poorest population of Exeter, the thanks of the citizens are due to the praiseworthy exertions of the Committee of Management, their honorary oificers, and the munificent gift of our late excellent fellow townsman, Mr. John Dinham. A little below, in the same street, are the BATHS AND WASH-HOUSES, opened for public vise on the 9th of August, 1852. The baths on one side of the house consist of six first-class (including a vapour bath) and eight second class, appropriated to men ; on the other side are eight (including a vapour bath) for women. The wash-house contains nineteen separate compartments, which will accommodate a single washer in each, having taps supplied with the necessary boiling and cold water. A hot air chamber for drying, and other conveniences are in the wash-house. The small charge only of one penny per hour for washing, and from a penny to sixpence for a cold or warm bath, is made. A little below stands the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, a neat but small structure, erected for the accommodation of the poor of this part of the thickly populated parish of St. Mary Major. Consecrated 24th September, 1861. The funds for the building wei-e gathered by the praiseworthy exertions of the late Rev. C. C. Turner, then Rector of the parish, himself largely contributing. The late Bishop Phillpotts 88 EXETER, giving the munificent svim of £1,000 towards its endowment. Nearly opposite, a large building has been generously appropriated and endowed by the late Mr. John Dinham, to an Infant School. The lower part of the building is used as a Lecture and Reading Room for the Work- ing Men's Mutual Improvement Society. Returning to South-street, on the left, is Palace-street, leading to THE BISHOP'S PALACE, and facing the spectator as he passes up the short street is the gateway to the beautiful grounds in which the Palace is situate. Dr. Oliver writes : " The original entrance into the Palace itself was by the noble archway, which everyone must admire. Near this Porta Forensica was the Hall, where 100 poor were occasionally fed. The whole was embattled by the license of Kings Edward the First and Second. The visitor will notice the two oUets or arrow-slits over the gateway — a remnant of lawless times, when all great houses needed an outward defence. Between the years 1845 and 1848, this episcopal residence underwent great enlargement and renovation, and again in 1869, further enlargement and alteration took place. In carrying out the first mentioned alterations, much taste and erudition was displayed. A beavitiful old Gothic oriel window, which once adorned a dwelling-house at the back of the High-street, when taken down, a few years since, though much decayed and mutilated, was purchased and presented to Bishop Phillpotts. It now forms an appropriate window for the library. The window is enriched with stained glass repi^esenting the various bearings and crests of late bishops and dignitaries of the cathedral. The fine old Norman freestone arch on the south, with clustered columns and foliated EXETER. 89 caps, was- restored. The noble stone mantel- piece, erected by Bishop Peter Courtenay, who held the See in 1479, was placed in the entrance hall. This, fine old piece of workmanship, so rich in "Beraldic history, now restored to its original beauty, is deserving of minute inspec- tion. The wainscot oak staircase, leading to the suite of bedrooms and the family chapel, of exceedingly bold design, was then added. The chapel was fitted up with cedar seating stalls. An ancient specimen of a three-light Early English window gives light to this chapel. The drawing-room adjoining the library is a well proportioned and lofty apartment. In this room was an admirably carved chimney-piece, in wood, of considerable antiquity ; but, from its heavy appearance and style, was not much in character with the other fittings, and during the alterations in 1869, it was removed and a chimney-piece of different coloured marbles was substituted. The Palace, during the common- wealth, was in the possession of a sugar baker ; and in making the alterations, in 1845-48, many vestiges of the sugar refinery were brought to light. Some fine old carvings of oak bosses, &c., were also discovered. On two sides of the building there is a terrace, which tends to give height and effect. Of the gardens and grounds around the Palace, terminated by a portion of the ancient wall of the city, we are disposed to let the stranger judge for himself. We shall be greatly mistaken if he is not highly pleased with the spot, not only from its retired and luxuriant beauty, but as being associated with the cathedral, whose angles, buttresses, and pinna- cles, are seen between the trees, giving it a double charm. Connected with an old round tower in the wall is a tradition of its having been used as a prison for refractory persons under ancient episcopal surveillance. Prom these grounds is a 90 EXETER. favourable position for observing the south-east views of the chapter house, the lady chapel, and the south tower of the cathedral. Continuing South -street, we soon arrive at an open space, where Magdalen-street diverges a little to the left, and Holloway-street to the right. A short distance down Magdalen street is the Eye Infirmary ; and nearly opposite ai-e the alms-houses and Chapel of St. Wynard, founded in the year 1436, for twelve poor old people. The chapel will repay a visit to all lovers of church architectui-e. Beyond Wynard's are the St. Petrock's Alms-houses, removed here a few years ago from an unsuitable site in Paul-street. On the hill, above Magdalen Bridge, stands the Magdalen Alms-houses, a neat block of buildings, in the Cothie style. The original Charity was founded for the reception of persons afflicted with the leprosy, and the Lepers' Hospital, as it was called, formerly stood in the valley under the bridge. Near the alms-houses, and built in the same style, is Palmer's Alms- house, the original of which formerly stood in Magdalen-street, nearly opposite the Eye Infir- mary. The road from Magdalen-street leads to the populous suburb of Mount Radford, and joins the London road at Heavitree, from which many agreeable walks branch off in numerous directions. Continuing the Magdalen-road as far as Manston-terrace, and turning to the right, we THE GPAMMAR SCHOOL, founded by the citizens of Exeter in 1628-9; being the successor to two other schools, founded in 1332 and 1 343 by Bishop Grandisson and Dean de Brayleigh lespectively. From the report of the Endowed Schools Commission, the school is EXETER. 9 1 styled '' classical " and " first grade," and stands second of similar schools in the south western division inj^he per centage of its pupils destined for the universities. Chiefly through the instru- mentalitj*' of Bishop Temple, the old grammar school at the top of High-street was re-organized in 1877, and removed to these more salubrious and capacious premises, where, under a com- petent head-master and an eiiicient educational staff, the Exeter Grammar School maintains its ancient reputation. Valuable exhibitions and scholarships are available here for eai-nest and conscientious workers. The Sti-anger, in pursuing Holloway-street, will, after a few yards, arrive at the opening on the right to Colleton Crescent and THE FRIARS' WALK, an ancient public walk. This was once the site of a convent of Grey Friars, which was founded about 1298, and existed for nearly two centuries afterwards ; but the scythe of time has swept away every vestige of its remains. Here is situated a large building, formerly the Friends' Meeting House ; but now converted into a Salvation Temple, used by the Army for public woiship. The prospect from the Friars' Walk is much intercepted by houses ; but the stranger, by walking a few paces to the front of Colleton Crescent, will be interested with the view there presented to him, — the liver and canal, the «hipping, tlie rich foliage of the surrounding country, and the elevated and distant hills, com- bine in producing a most pleasing landscape. There are paths from the Fiiars and the Cres- cent down to the liver Exe, which may be continued tln'ough fields, not far fi'om its banks, to the village of Wear, about a mile-and half from Exeter ; and from thence to Topsham, 92 EXETER. about two miles further. From Wear the stranger may cross the bridges over the Exe and canal, and return along the banks of the latter. The walks in this direction abound in most delightful prospects, in which the waters of the river and canal mingle and contribute their pleasing effects. Returning to Hollo-vvay-street, on the left is an opening leading to the Female Penitentiary. Descending this street, we pass, on the left, some school buildings of the Exeter School Board, and a short distance beyond is Larkbear (formerly Larochbear), once the residence of the Baring family. On attaining the summit of the hill, on the Topsham-road, on the left is Mount Eadford House ; opposite stands a large mansion, purchased by the county authorities for the use of Her Majesty's Judges on Circuit. LARKBEARE is, perhaps, the largest and most handsome mansion within so short a distance of the city's centre. It stands within an extensive circle of well ari-anged gi'ounds, rising from the foot of Holloway Sti-eet, and commands fine views of the cathedral and the city, the Haldon range of hills, and the Exe river and valley. Solidly built of limestone, and with all the modern conveniences for luxury and comfort, no more desirable dwelling could have been chosen for the purpose to which it has been devoted. In the dining-room, which will accommodate about thirty gviests, is placed Mr. Kent Kingdon's generous gift to the county — the splendid side board manufactured by him for the Paris Exhibition. The drawing-room, on the same floor, has a portico in the centre, so that it can be divided, and is lighted by two bow windows, from which a tine view of the Haldon Kills can be seen. EXETER. 93. Close by is St. Leonard's Church, a gothio structure, having a fine spire, the munificent gift of Mfs. Miles, which forms a pleasing feature in^ the views of the neighbourhood. The ChuVch occupies the site of an ancient and picturesque chapel, which was removed to make way for it. A holy woman once dwelt in a cave hewn out of the bank opposite the entrance to the belfry of the old chapel. After passing under a bridge across the road, on the right is THE DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTION. This is a school, established in 1826, for deaf and dumb children of the four western counties. The children are instructed in the usual acquirements taught by establishments of a similar nature in this country, and there is a fvand out of which small sums are granted to the pupils in aid of the expense of their being bound as apprentices upon leaving the institution. The Visitor will be pleased with an inspection of this interesting establishment^ which is open on Tuesdays and Fridays, between twelve and one o'clock, for that purpose. Opposite the Deaf and Dumb In- stitution is a road leading to Mount Radford, and a little further on the left is another in the same direction, called Matford Lane, leading to many walks through green lanes and field.s in every part of the neighbourhood. About half a mile further on the Topsham road, on the left, are the Topsham Barracks,. and a road leading to Heavitree and THE WONFORD LUNATIC HOSPITAL. This large and handsome structure was commenced in 1866, and finished in 1869. It is in the Elizabethan style of architecture, having Bath stone di-essings to windows and 94 EXETER, ■doors, and walls of Warleigh stone backed with Heavitree stone. The architect was the late Mr. Cross, of Exeter, the estimated cost •exceeding .£30,000. There are about sixteen acres of ground attached, which are laid out «,s pleasure grounds and gardens. f" I'om the Topsham Barracks there is a foot- path all the way to Topsham, which is much frequented in the winter season in consequence of its mild and southern aspect. This is also the road to the pleasant watering places Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton. Returning again to the High-street, below the coi'ner of North-street, in Fore-street, we notice the fine elevation of Messrs. W. Brock and Co.'s premises, erected in 1884, as shewn in •our illustration. The frontage is of brick with free-stone window frames. The brick-work is highly decorated with ornamental string-courses, pilasters, garlands and heraldic devices in bold relief. The two capacious shops in the base- ment and their contiguous showrooms contain -all that is desirable for the exercise of taste and discrimination in the customers. Proceeding down Fore-street, a short distance on the left stands THE WESTERN MARKET, built 1835-6. This market though open for all •commodities, is principally used for the sale of butchers' meat. On the western side of this hall is a range of shops, and on the eastei-n side an arcade 14 feet wide. The inclination of the ground affords a lofty basement on the southern and western sides, where the seed, wool, and leather markets are held, but does not sensibly affect the appioaches on the northern and ■eastern. In 8t. Mary Arches Street, opposite, are situated Board Schools for the accommoda- tion of girls and infants. In this street is the EXETER. 95 H LU 111 tc H in UJ cc O in ui en S UJ cc a. o o o o cc CQ Jews' Synagogue — the old Norman church of St. Mary Arches — and some specimens of ancient street architecture. The Stranger, pursuing his route down Fore- street, at a short distance on his right, is THE TUCKERS' HALL; originally a chapel. This building, for a long series of years, belonged exclusively to the incorporated trades of Weavers, Fullers, and 96 EXETER. Shearmen, who wei'e first chartered in the year 1490. Several charities belonging to the corporation are now administered by its officers. The hall has been restored and embellished with much taste. A little below the Tuckers' Hall, on the left, is a street leading to the western quarter of the city. To the antiquarian, this portion of Exeter, where formerly resided the most opulent of her woollen manufacturers, and now retaining many old vestiges and antiquated structures, will be found interesting. Some arches of the old Exe Bridge, by the removal of several dilapidated dwellings in Edmund-street in this neighboui-- hood, were recently brought to light. In the Exe Island are Board Schools for the accom- modation of young children and infants. Continuing down through Bridge-street, and crossing the bridge over the Exe, the Visitor will come to three streets, branching in different directions. We shall first take the most southerly or Alphington-street, and return to this point again. A short distance on the left, in Alphington-street, is an opening to a path leading to the banks of the river, and THE CANAL AND BASIN. A Canal from Exeter to Topsham was first made at a period as early as the year 1544. About a hundred and fifty years afterwards, this Canal not being found large enough for the trade and commerce of the city, was enlarged, and continued in use until abovit the year 1825. At this period the late Chamber or Corporation of Exeter, deeming a further improvement necessary, considerably deepened the channel of the old Canal, and extended it by making a new cutting four miles in length further towards the mouth of the Exe, and constructed the Basin adjoining the Quay, since which the Basin has I EXETER. 97 been connected by a siding to the Great Western Railway. The Canal is now about six miles in length, and-capable of admitting vessels of about three or four hundred tons burthen. There is a very delightful walk along the banks of the Canal to its tex-mination, at a spot called Turf. There are also many walks branching off from it ; one at. Countess Weir bridge, across the Exe to the To|:)sham side, about a mile-and-half below, as before spoken of ; another about half a mile below the Quay, across the line of the Great Western Railway, and through some pleasant path fields to Alphington. The Stranger, in continuing his roixte from Alphing- ton-street, gets into the Alphington road, passing under a viaduct of the Great Western Railway, immediately contiguous to which a large suburb has been erected under the auspices of the Freehold Land Society ; and a short distance beyond is THE EXETER NURSERY, which was founded as far back as 1720 by Mr. William Lucombe, the raiser of the Lucombe oak, since which time it has enjoyed the highest reputation as one of the foremost establishments of its kind. The business is conducted with more than ordinary interest by the present proprietor, Mr. Samuel Eliott (Fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society), under the familiar title of Lucombe, Pince, and Co., a title than which there is none more widely known and respected through the whole nursery trade, both at home and abroad. At the principal entrance to the Nursery is the original specimen of the Lucombe oak, having a massive trunk about eleven feet in circumference, which i.s clear to a height of about fourteen feet, whei-e it branches off into an ample head of deep glossy foliage — even in Winter this is a noble 9P EXETER. tree. In general character it is intermediate between the Holm and Turkey oaks, but the bark is more cork-like than either of these kinds. To the left is a remarkably fine cork oak in vigorous health, and between the two stands a handsome purple-leaved beech, the dark purple — almost black — foliage of which con- trasts well with the varied greys and greens afforded by that of the oaks. The rich beauty of these three choice specimens must make all who see them long for a place in which to plant such trees, seeing that they always grow iu beauty as they advance in age. The horticultural erections are extensive ; indeed, there is a little town of glass which begins almost at the entrance gates and extends in all directions, covering a considerable area. The conservatory or show house is fully 150 feet in length by about 14 feet in width ; this structure is embellished in the inside with very choice stove and greenhouse climbing plants. The specimens comprise rare and useful palms, tropical foliage and flowering plants and ferns, and the diffex-ent kinds are certainly dis- posed to the best advantage. In this hou.se plants may be said not only to be grown, but also exhibited, so carefully are the different flowers and foliage brought into contact with each other, and so good is the effect. The (vAMELLiA House is an immense struc- ture, 200 feet in length by 24 feet in width, having large bushy trees quite 20 feet high and nearly as much through, of the finest varieties of camellias in cultivation planted out in the centre border, and the walls draped with free growing kinds. The flowering extends over a' period of several months through the winter and spring, and the effect produced by so many gigantic specimens in flower of different colours may be more easily imagined than described. EXETER. 99 Here also, are some of the largest plants known of the Luculia Gratissima and Luciilia Pinceana trained as^wall creepers, and they, too, are remarkable examples of plant-growing. From the CamedEk House a number of other glass structures are reached. The Orchid Houses are well stocked with choice species, many of them being represented in both large and small plants. The New Holland House, 130 feet long by 20 feet wide, considered to be one of the best con- structed houses of the kind in the country, filled from end to end with choice exotic plants for conservatory decoration. Further on, in the same enclosure, stands a house, 170 feet long, appropriated to the growth of choice kinds of stove and greenhouse plants. Four or five large houses are devoted to the culture of grape vines in pots, both for planting and fruiting. Other houses are set aside for Camellias in pots, Indian Azaleas, Anthuriums, Ixoras, Dipladenias, Pelar- goniums, Daphnes, Crotons, Gardenias, Cycla- men persicvim,