Exeter Quay, also known as Exeter Quayside, is a part of the city of Exeter next to the

River Exe The River Exe ( ) in England rises at Exe Head, near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, from the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It flows for 60 mile ...

and the

Exeter Ship Canal The Exeter Ship Canal, also known as the Exeter Canal is a canal leading from (and beside) the River Exe to Exeter Quay in the city of Exeter, Devon, England. It was first constructed in the 1560s predating the "canal mania" period and is one o ...

. It was first used as a port in prehistoric times when a sandstone ledge was used to unload the ships of overseas traders.* However, by 1381 the Countess Weir had blocked the river to shipping. In 1566 a canal was completed to provide access for ships. Over time the number of ships using the quayside increased and so the quay was expanded in the late 17th century. Further expansion occurred in 1830 when a new canal basin was dug. However, in 1840 the railways reached Exeter and the shipping began to decline. No longer used for shipping, the quayside is now mostly used for leisure included in the links below. A manually operated

cable ferry A cable ferry (including the terms chain ferry, swing ferry, floating bridge, or punt) is a ferry that is guided (and in many cases propelled) across a river or large body of water by cables connected to both shores. Early cable ferries often ...

known as the

Butts Ferry The Butts Ferry is a hand-operated pedestrian cable ferry that crosses the River Exe in the city of Exeter in the English county of Devon. The crossing has been in use since at least 1641, but the name is more recent. The ferry is named after Mr ...

crosses the Exe at Exeter Quayside.

Events

The following is a list of events that Quay hosts every year: Dragon Boat Racing, Canoe shows and races, Exeter Street Food Night Markets, Quayside Red Coat Guided Tours, Inside Outside Summer Craft Fair, and the Exe Descent.

External links

Exeter Canal & Quay Trust website

Exeter Quayside website

References

Exeter Ports and harbours of Devon Tourist attractions in Exeter Industrial archaeological sites in Devon {{devon-stub