| Show exeter cathedral Is years old 01 site was once occupied by saxon churches washington exeter ancient capital of 0 En glands southwest and county town of devon Is celebrating the eight hundredth anniversary of the consecration of her famous cathedral even older than the cathedral Is the bishopric of devon find and cornwall which was transferred to exeter by edward I 1 in 10 1050 10 11 says a bulletin from the national geographic society the building of the cathedral was begun sixty years later under Willi milliant ant the conqueror the site chosen hail had already been twice occupied by saxon churches the alie first built by athelstan the second by canute all that remains today of the original norman structure are two low massive towers at either end of the transept the rest of the cathedral was completely rebuilt during the fourteenth century in the rich style of decorated gothic walter de eldon bishop of exeter and one of the foremost patrons of english art and letters during the early fourteenth century had a large share in this transformation it was eldon also who in 1314 foun founded d ed exeter 7 college oxford lend and in 1332 exeter grammar school impressive edifice upon entering the cathedral one receives an impression of great length and remarkable symmetry of design each part Is balanced and the long low effect increased by an unbroken extending through nave dave and choir on the wall of the north transept Is a great clock which has ticked since the days of edward 11 II in the fourteenth century it has two dials one showing the hours and the moons phases the other recording the minutes in the library Is the ancient codex a ninth century collection of anglo saxon poetry which has been in the possession of the cathedral since the eleventh century all the history and loyal independent spirit of the west country is con cent rated in exeter queen r elizabeths Ilza beths ever faithful city As a roman town isca it Is a little younger than parts paris and as old as london when the romans left it in the fifth century it became the caer ise of the britons and the Exance of the saxons during succeeding centuries it endured countless sieges saxons crit brit 11 ons danes and normans fought to enter the walls later the loyal townsmen staunchly upheld their king in many a revolt exeter still remembers the time that edward the confessor spent christmas there and the day when william of orange entered the gates in state modern exeter occupies a broad ridge of land on the left bank of the river exe ese at the head of 0 this ridge hidden by ivy and set in a wide shaded park are the ruins of rougemont castle built by william the alie conqueror mols molls coffee house narrow stone paved streets wind between ancient timbered hous houses es crumbling chapels and fine old churches exeter Is a veritable city of churches in the time of william the conqueror she possessed no loss less than twenty ninel nine I 1 across the square from the cathedral stands mols coffee house favorite meeting place of those gay adventurers of devon drake gilbert and raleigh the Guild guildhall liall with its overhanging facade Is said to be the oldest municipal building in great britain alere the wealthy merchants of 0 the city transacted their business in the urn time of queen elizabeth when exeter was noted for the manufacture of woolens it was RISO also during elizabeths reign that the exeter ship canal was built the first canal in england to permit seagoing sea going gling vessels to reach an inland port exeter today has a population of over and Is in an important center of agricultural trade it its various industries include brewing paper making and iron founding tourist traffic during the summer season Is very heavy especially since it Is 1 well located as a base for tours of the west country dally daily motor busses leave the huge city terminal for all parts of devon and cornwall |
