EXETER, the Ise.t of Ptolemy, a city of England in Devonshire, in the hundred of Wonford. The town is delightfully situated on the slope of a rising ground, on the eastern bank of the river Exe, which winds round the south-west side of the city. It is sur rounded with walls, which inclose a space four fur longs long, and three broad, nearly in the form of a parallelogram. This space is intersected by four prin cipal streets, nearly at right angles, which have lately been well paved and flagged, and which meet at a point where a magnificent conduit, called Carfoix, for merly stood, from the Norman words quatre voix, sig nifying four ways. The whole extent of ground occu pied by buildings, is about 14 of a mile long, and one mile In'oad. All the gates have been taken down ex cepting the south-west gate. The remains of Rouge mom castle, which derives its name from the red co lou• of the soil on which it stands, are situated on the north-east, and highest part of the city. It was erected by the West Saxons, and was very strong, both by nature and art. Its exterior wall, inclosing a pen tagonal space, is now all that remains of it.
There arc no fewer than 15 palish churches within the walls of the city, and four in the suburbs, besides several chapels, and a Jewish synagogue.
The cathedral is a large and magnificent building, dedicated to St Peter. It was begun in the reign of Athelstan, in 932, and though carried on under various bishops for 400 years, it was completed with the same uniformity is if it had been done by a single individual. The north tower, which contains a bell weighing 17,472, or 12,500 lbs. according to another statement, was finished in 1484. The cathedral was repaired and new paved in 1763 ; and a most beautiful modern painted glass window was put up over the west door in 1766 The cathedral consists of a nave, with two side aisles, two short transepts, formed out of two ponderous Norman towers, in 1286, and a chapter-house, in the form of a parallelogram, built in 1430 ; a choir, with side aisles, which was finished in 1318, and ten chapels or oratories, with a room denominated the eonsistory court. On en tering the cathedral from the west door, the nave has a striking and magnificent appearance. It is 76 feet wide within the walls, and 175 feet long, from the or gan screen to the western door. The roof is sustain ed by 14 huge clustered columns, supporting 16 point ed arches, above which are two tiers of small open arches. The choir is of the same width as the nave, and is 128 feet long. St Mary's chaperis 51 feet long, and there is a space of 25 feet between it and the al tar screen. The whole length of the cathedral, front east to west, is 408 feet, including the walls. The roof is 69 feet high, and the Norman towers ISO feet to the top of the battlements. These towers have the same shape and character ; they have a massive and grand appearance, but are inferior, in point of architec ture, to the ornamented parts of the cathedral. The
windows of the cathedral are very large, and are adorned with tracery and painted glass. The east and west windows are particularly line ; the western one is 37 feet high by 27 broad. The lower part is divided into nine compartments, seven of which are occupied with full length figures of saints. In the north tower there is a curious clock, presented to the cathedral by Bishop Courtenay. The organ is very large, and is reckoned one of the finest instruments of the kind in • England. The other principal buildings are the bi shop's palace, session house, the new gaol, the bar racks, the circus, the theatre, the guild-hall, the luna tic asylum, and the county hospital. The bishop's palace stands near the south-east side of the cathedral, and is a venerable fabric, built or enlarged by Bishop Courtenay. The session house was some time ago erect ed in the area inclosed by the walls on the north-west side ; it is an elegant building of Portland stone, and the assizes, quarter-sessions, and county-courts, are held in it. The new gaol for the county is situated on the north side of the city, below the castle hill. It is built of brick, from the designs of Blackburn, and is elegant without and well arranged within. The barracks, which are erect ed near the gaol, are capable of accommodating 200 ca valry. The circus is built on the scite of old Bedford house, on ground belonging to the Duke of Bedford ; and near it is situated a small theatre. The site of the birthplace of Henrietta, sister to Charles II. lies more to the south-east part of the city. The buildings erected upon it are very handsome, and are intended to form Henrietta Place. Her portrait, by Vandyck, is now in the Guild-Hall, and was presented to the city by Charles 11. The Guild-Hall, which is commodious, was repair ed in 1720. The lunatic asylum is a large and elegant building, containing 48 apartments, and is furnished with hot, cold, shower, and vapour baths. The patients are classed according to their various degrees of insanity, and the fine extensive airing grounds, allotted for their use, are separated by lofty brick walls. The Devon and Exeter hospital for the sick and indigent poor, was found ed in 1740, by Dr Aimed Clark, Dean of Exeter, aided by public subscriptions. It was opened on Jan. 1st, 1747. There is also, in Exeter, an infirmary for diseases of the eye. Besides various Sunday schools, there are eight regular schools for educating and clothing, and two in stitutions for maintaining poor children. There arc also various almshouses for the aged and infirm, the princi pal of which is called Wynard's or God's Ifouse. Each person has a neat habitation, with a small garden, and a weekly and an annual pension. An elegant stone bridge, which cost between 18,000/. and 20,0001., is built over the Exe. It was begun in 1770. On both sides of it are houses, with a church over the greater part of it.