The City of Exeter was established on the east side of the River Exe on a ridge of land backed by a steep hill. It is at this point that the Exe, having just been joined by the River Creedy opens onto a wide flood plain and estuary. Historically this was the lowest bridging point of the river Exe, and was tidal and navigable up to the city until the construction of weirs later in its history. This combined with the easily defensible higher ground of the ridge made the current location of the city a natural choice for settlement and trade.

The city provides strong industries and services to a sizable area. The Met Office, the main weather forecasting organisation for the United Kingdom and one of the most significant in the world, relocated from Bracknell in Berkshire to Exeter in early 2004. It is one of the three largest employers in the area (the others being the University of Exeter and Devon County Council), providing a welcome boost to the local economy.

Northernhay Gardens located just outside the castle, is the oldest public open space in the whole of England, being originally laid out in 1612 as a pleasure walk for Exeter residents. Much of Northernhay gardens now represent Victorian design, with a beautiful display of trees, mature shrubs and bushes and plenty of flower beds.

The cathedral was founded in 1050 when the bishop's seat was moved from the nearby town of Crediton (birthplace of Saint Boniface) because Exeter's Roman walls offered better protection against "pirates", presumably Vikings. A statue of Richard Hooker, the sixteenth centuryAnglicantheologian, who was born in Exeter, has a prominent place in the Cathedral Close.

"The House That Moved", a 14th century Tudor building, earned its name in 1961 when it was moved from its original location on the corner of Edmund Street in order for a new road to be built in its place. Weighing more than twenty-one tonnes, it was strapped together and slowly moved a few inches at a time to its present day home.

Parliament Street in the city centre is believed to be the narrowest street in the world.

Key Stats

• There has been significant population growth since 1991 in the area growing just a little bit higher than the county average. The population of Exeter is c.117,600.
• The number of 16 - 24 year olds within the city reflects the influence of the university with the wards of Duryard (58% of the population), St James (34%) and Newtown (27%).
• Claim rates for Income Support are quite high in the profile area, above the county average and five of the 15 Middle Super Output Areas (MSOAs) in Exeter are above the national average.
• The number of households with an annual income of less than £20,000 is higher than the district and county averages at 46%.
• Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance claim rates are just below the County average but there are four MSOAs within Exeter that exceed the national average.
• Select here for more statistics about Exeter and surrounding area. (2.61MB - pdf help)