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This graphic appeared on the rear of the official Exeter City Council guidebooks for about 15 years, from the 1920s to 1942.

Photo of the Month

A thirties petrol advert in Cowley Bridge Road. Move the pointer over the photo for a car showroom in Okehampton Street from 1938 - photo from James Portus.

from the Exeter Flying Post - 1837
A Case of Witchcraft
At the Guildhall. Exeter, on Saturday, a girl named Shapland summoned another girl, named Dymond, on a charge of assaulting her. The defendant totally denied the assault, but said that plaintiff had often accused her "being a witch," and used some very personal and violent language towards her, to show her dislike for sorcery!
The plaintiff on being asked by the magistrate if she really thought defendant a witch, said, "Yes: she had been obliged to draw a circle round her door to prevent defendant from coming in. This, however, had not succeeded, for she had taken the shape of a black cat, and had come in and run over the room; she had than changed into the 'Jack of Hearts,' on which plaintiff was so frightened that she fainted away! Several times plaintiff had endeavoured to catch the cat, to put its head on the fire, and had procured a long needle to draw its blood, which would have dissolved the charm; she had also applied to a conjurer named Baker, to charm it, but it was of no use! ! !" The magistrates dismissed the complaint.

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The Exeter 'Comment' from Exeter Memories - 6th August 2008

This site is run by a resident of who loves the city Previous Comment

Brian Greenslade The Beast of Barnstaple

Devon County Council are wasting precious council taxes on producing a propaganda sheet designed to soften up the citizens of Exeter for a takeover. The full colour waste of money pushes their own agenda, rather than giving an impartial view of the two proposals by the Boundary Commission - shame on them. The megalomaniac Beast of Barnstaple is running a political campaign to take over the City, aided and abetted by the Lib Dem City Councillors who were remarkably quiet about their ultimate aim at the last local election - the new Councillors were disingenuous to say the least in their canvassing, never mentioning their real objective.

Exeter has grown enormously over the last 25 years, with more jobs, development and a swathe of new schools. The City has always been independent, and the alternative proposal of a greater Exeter authority which is not favoured by the Beast, would see his empire diminished. Devon County Council have not got a good record in the city judging by the number of potholes and repairs needed to the roads and facilities for the elderly which heavily rely on private, unaccountable companies whose only concern is whether their bill is paid on time. And the latest proposal to sell off the County homes for the elderly will see increased costs and shoddy care for many.

Let Devon run what they are good at - a rural area, with a large road system and the social problems that the country side has to deal with. Let Exeter run what it is good at - an urban area with its own, quite different, social problems, and a prosperous economy planned by the City. Is it really sensible to ask one authority to run two quite different areas, and expect County Hall to cope with both rural and urban problems which require quite different solutions.

And to my regular visitors who maybe upset by my comments I say - Exeter deserves better than Brian Greenslade increasing his fiefdom while a proud City loses its independence after 2000 years.

Semper Fidelis - Keep Exeter Independent.

Exeter City win at Wembley

On Sunday 18 May Exeter City, beat Cambridge United at Wembley and go back into the Football League after 5 years in the Conference. Rob Edwards scored the winning goal after 22 minutes, a goal that was only his second of the season. The second half was a nerve racking time as Cambridge United pressed forward to get an equaliser, while Exeter squandered a couple of great chances to increase their lead.Twenty five thousand rapturous fans celebrated the win by waving scarves and flags to create sea of red at their end of the stadium, as the team lifted the play-off cup, before making their way back to Devon on a fleet of fifty coaches.

The Grecians are back.... be afraid.... very afraid.

Added 25 May 2008 - Exeter City meet the Lord Mayor

Divers find HMS Exeter - 7th May 2008

Exeter Local History Society

Why not join the Exeter Local History Society that puts you in touch with 2000 years of intrigue, plot, disaster and Exeter humanity.

We meet six times a year at the Central Library, Exeter for chat, and a talk from an expert on a historical topic.

Come along to a meeting without obligation - upcoming meetings can be found here

Or phone the Secretary, Geoffrey Harding on 01392 276176 or email to:

ELHS contact

The York Class Cruiser, proudly named HMS Exeter, that was instrumental in the destruction of the German pocket battleship Graf Spee, was sunk in the Battle of the Java Sea on the 1st March 1942.

On the 21st February 2007 the wreck of the famous ship was found in 60 metres of water in the Java Sea. In April 2008, a diving expedition explored the wreck in more detail and flew the White Ensign over her, in a tribute to her crew who perished with her, or were held captive in Japanese prisoner of war camps. After a search that covered five years she was found 60 miles from her estimated sinking position, just outside a search box of 90 square miles that the group had covered in late 2006. Later, on the very same day of her discovery, the expedition found the wreck of one of her two escorts, HMS Encounter. The expedition was led by Vidar Skoglie and his wife Alice, Phil Yeutter US Navy retired and Kevin Denlay an Australian explorer and photojournalist.

For the full story of HMS Exeter and her links with the city, see HMS Exeter.

Parish Council Exeter - no way! 25th April 2008

Devon County Council, under the leader, Cllr Brian Greenslade seem intent upon absorbing the proud City of Exeter into Devon County. Their plans will virtually mean that Cllr Greenslade and his cronies will appoint a quango to decide on how and when services will be applied to the city. We would have the same representation as Woodland, Braunton and Bideford, while Torbay and Plymouth would continue to run their own affairs.

Exeter was the County and City of Exeter from 1537 to 1972, and since, has had a City Council - we are a boom city, and still the Jewel in the West. If Greenslade had his way we would be the Fool in his Jest. And don't think this would make no difference to your life in the city - our roads are repaired by County Hall, and judging by the number of potholes, we could expect a much rockier ride than the bumpy ride they provide at the moment. When I am out and about in the city, I often find things to grouse about, but if Greenslade get his way you can bet they would increase ten fold. The bulk of our Council Taxes are paid to Devon County Council - don't let them get it all to waste on pie in the sky schemes or subsidise other parts of Devon.

Keep Exeter Independent.

That's all for now,

David Cornforth - My Contact E-Mail