Exploring Exeter UK in a day! July 15, 2016

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Another town that we had read some about was Exeter as we knew we could get their easily by bus. After finding out about the Exeter Cathedral and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum that are located there we had another day trip planned. With further research we found that they offer free 90 minute tours by the Red Coat Guides and that on the day we were going there was one being offered about the Tudor period. You didn’t need to make a reservation, just show up. The bus left Dartmouth at 7:55AM, had a short layover in Totnes (long enough to get a coffee) and then arrived in Exeter by 10:30AM. This gave us a little time to wander around a bit before we met the guide at 11:30AM. Fortunately it was a small group with only one other family of 4 so it was easy to hear and ask questions of the guide.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and was able to show us a few things that you would not have seen otherwise as the examples of the Tudor period were located either in restaurants, a private residence and one was even in a jewelry store! The problem was that we covered a lot of material in a short period of time and therefore many of the details of the numerous buildings are not easily recovered (from these senior brains!). We started our tour near the Cathedral, wandered numerous streets in Exeter and ended the tour at the bottom of the hill next to the quay. Fortunately they had arranged it so that we could then catch a bus up the hill and enjoy the rest of the day. With the last bus back to Dartmouth leaving at 5:45PM we didn’t have too much time for the rest of what we wanted to see so the bus trip UP made that a quicker trip. A decision had to be made as we knew after stopping for lunch we would never have enough time for the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and the Exeter Cathedral. It was a hard decision, but the Cathedral won out. We are sorry to have missed out on the museum, but we have to keep remembering we can’t do it all. Also we know that once we travel west from Dartmouth we will have to come back this way again so we still have another chance!

Soon after we entered the Cathedral there was a guided tour so naturally we took advantage of it as you can learn so much more this way. He showed us the highlights of this Cathedral that originally dates from 1114. It was built in the Norman (Romanesque) style and the two towers and the lower part of the nave walls have survived since the beginning. A major rebuild was done between 1270 and 1350 in the very decorative Gothic style. Fortunately the 2 Norman towers were incorporated into this design.

The ceiling (also called vault) is very impressive as you walk in as the length of it from east to west is 315 feet long. It is the longest continuous medieval stone vault in the world. “This style of vaulting is known as “tierceron”. The round stones (called ‘bosses’) of the vault act as keystones locking the vaults of the Cathedral in place.” There are more than 400 of these bosses in the Cathedral. The designs range from plants, animals, heads, figures, coats of arms and a few tell a “story” such as the Becket boss that depicts the murder of St. Thomas Becket of Canterbury. When you look up at the ceiling at these bosses, they do not look very large, but we found out that some of these stones (bosses) can weigh up to 2 ton each!! Just think of what went into the construction of this magnificent structure.

The Bishop’s Throne is quite impressive even if you are not into the ornate design when you learn that it is 59 feet tall, built between 1312-1316 of 4,400 oak pieces and is held together only with wooden pegs. Before the war it was taken apart and stored away in order to try to save it from being destroyed. That was a great idea which worked well; however, it would have been made easier if they could find the plans of how to put it all back together – fortunately they were able to figure it out!

There are numerous tombs with effigies’ of who died. When it was a knight we found that how that effigy was done also tells you about their death. If the hand is displayed holding a sword, the person died in battle; if their hands are pressed together as if in prayer, they died in peace. Even what is carved at their feet tells something about their status. If the feet rest on a lion, they were royalty; a dog showed they were humble, but yet one actually wanted a squirrel at his feet as it was a play on his name! One of the tombs of Bishop Stafford who died in 1419 was covered in graffiti. As the guide mentioned this is not a new phenomenon, and they thought it was interesting as this tomb was located next to the area where the altar boys changed into their robes –just interesting, he said….

As in many other churches and cathedrals that we have visited in Europe, this one had an astronomical clock as well. This one dates from 1484; however, the minute dial was added in 1760. One feature that was added here was a hole at the bottom of the door below the clock. This was added between 1598 and 1621 to provide access for the Bishop’s cat. The cat was important as the mice & rats used to eat away at the leather that connected the clock to its chimes. To this day, the Cathedral still has a cat and all of the cats through the years have had the same name (or at least that is how the story goes).

We had not seen a minstrel gallery like the one here in Exeter before. This one is located very high near the ceiling and were told that this was to give the impression that the music was coming from heaven. Decorating this gallery are 14 carved angels with 12 of them playing medieval musical instruments. Scholars have come here to study these carvings to learn more about the instruments of the day. In fact there was a section of the church that was reserved for memorials to those that died that were in some way related to music; either a composer or musician.

Many of the windows were destroyed as a result of bombing in WWII, but the east window made in the 14^th century was fortunately not destroyed. This was beautiful, but the others that have been replaced added to the beauty of the Cathedral.

One major difference with the Exeter Cathedral is the lack of a steeple and that it is not built with the typical cross design. Instead it consists of one very long, open nave with the two Norman towers at either side. It is hard to see this from the ground therefore we purchased a post card of it & have included a photo of it showing this unusual design.

When we arrived in town we saw a procession of people in period costume carrying a pole with flowers and a white glove on top. We didn’t have any clue of what this was for, but fortunately we found out while on our Red Coat tour of the city. It just so happened to be the annual ceremony of the Proclamation of Lammas Fair which dates back to before the Norman Conquest. The word Lammas derives from one meaning Loaf Mass. This was when the first fruits of the harvest were offered to the Church in the form of a loaf. The Proclamation was made to declare the Fair open as well as state how long the Fair would run which typically was 3 days. Once the proclamation was made, the Lammas Fair White Glove was displayed. This was a sign of Royal protection of the peace. The proclamation that was issued in 1330 under King Edward III’s rule was as follows: “every person and persons coming and resorting to this Fair shall have free coming and going to and from the same as well for themselves in person as for their goods and chattels without any molestation, arrests, attachments or other troubles whatsoever to be laid upon them within the City and suburbs of the same… Except in cases of Treason, Murder, Felony, Routs, Riots, Unlawful assemblies or any act or acts whatsoever against His Majesty’s peace, Crown and dignity”. A “Pie Powder Court” was appointed for each fair to deal with any complaints that occurred within the Fair. This court was held within the Guildhall and for the time of the Fair the Mayor and City Officers did not have authority. Before 1964 the proclamation would be read in various places around the city, but due to the disruption to traffic, they now only read it in the Guildhall. The problem for us was that as a result the Guildhall was closed and we were not able to visit as our Red Coat Guide would have liked. At least we did get to see part of the procession and the carrying of the white glove. Later on we saw that it had already been put in place above the entrance to the Guildhall. Quite the tradition to be carried on. Around the Cathedral there was a market with numerous crafts people working and numerous artists selling their wares. It was in keeping with the idea of having a “Fair”. The quality of the artistry was excellent and we were even tempted to buy now that we have a house back in the US, but our budget thought otherwise and we left with just our memories of the day.

It was a lovely day trip and would recommend a visit to Exeter if you are ever in the area. As we can see having a base in Dartmouth is working out well as we can still visit other local areas of interest.

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Photos

Views from the bus window
as we traveled to Exeter

Between 1500-1800 the Woolen Cloth Trade
was critical - this is one of the mills from that time

The Stone Screen With Detailed Carvings
on the front of the Exeter Cathedral

Notice the Difference Between the 2 Sides of the Front
some destroyed during the Reformation

An Impressive Interior with Its Length
being uninterrupted by walls or screens

The Free Standing Organ Pipes & Open Feeling
of Cathedral

The Minstral Gallery with Its Carved Front
of angels playing instruments

The Vaults of the Exeter Cathedral Ceiling
and a couple of the bosses (keystones)

The Murder of St. Thomas Becket in 1170
represented in this boss in the Cathedral

Most Cathedrals Seem to have an Astronomical Clock
This is the one in the Exeter Cathedral

The Elephant Was a Gift from the King of France
and was carved into this seat at the Cathedral

Graffiti Has Gone On For Centuries
this is only a small section on this tomb