Family-History Pilgrimage: Day 15

Tuesday, June 20, 2023, 6:30 a.m.

Yesterday’s visits included a few family-related stops (one accidentally), a visit to a stunning cathedral, and some gift-shop browsing along the Exeter quayside.

Above: The Turks Head Pub, where we stayed, adjacent to the
historic Guildhall. Below: The Guildhall's ceremonial doors. 

Our lodging in Exeter – a room over the Turks Head Pub, apparently one of Dickens' favorite watering holes – abuts the historic Guildhall, claimed to be England’s municipal building with the longest continuous use. A guildhall has been located on this site since 1160, and the present structure dates from about 1470, with exterior stonework from about 1590. Along with the age, the stone exterior and the beautiful oak roof and paneling inside would be impressive enough. But in the great chamber, where the Exeter City Council still meets, there are shields circling the room, honoring trade guilds and noteworthy individuals across the city’s history. One of those shields remembers a John Spicer, who served five years as mayor of Exeter in the 1350s. He was one of four Spicer mayors but apparently the only one to earn a spot on the wall. I haven’t been able to trace direct descent from these mayors, but my family genealogy asserts that my ancestor Peter Spicer, who came to Connecticut around 1660, was part of this line.

The western doors of Exeter Cathedral.

Just around the corner from the Guildhall is Exeter’s inspiring cathedral. A great example of Gothic architecture, the building – inside and out – lifts your eyes and your heart to heaven. The conquering Normans began building a church on this site in 1144. In the late 1300s, the cathedral’s leadership took most of that church down and replaced it with this Gothic wonder — as a priest here said, it must have been a tremendous change from “the way it had always been” for those first 150 years. The building features the longest continuous medieval stone vaulted ceiling in the world. But unfortunately, another change — the addition of giant ranks of Darth Vader-esque organ pipes in the early 1700s — now disrupts the view, so you have to use your imagination to appreciate the length of the vaulted ceiling. But with the pipes facing the congregation, the sound must be incredible. 

Organ pipes dominating the space.

(Sorry about the construction noise in the video.)

A jaunty knight enjoying the 
sunshine on the cathedral square.

You also have to use your imagination when looking at the cathedral’s exterior and its scores of statues. Unlike many British churches, whose statues were demolished in the Reformation, Exeter Cathedral’s company of saints is largely intact today. Many have quite a bit of character, sitting there cross-legged and taking in the beauty of the morning along with the folks having a coffee on the square. Apparently, the statues were even more lifelike hundreds of years ago, when they were painted in living color.

Monument to Thomas Spicer
in St. Martin's Church in Exeter. 

In addition, we stopped into St. Martin’s Church across the square from Exeter Cathedral and found monuments honoring alderman Thomas Spicer and his widowed daughter, Judith Wakeman. St. Martin’s is tucked somewhat awkwardly into a tight corner leading onto the square, up against a Tudor-era pub. Given that the church dates to 1065, the pub was the late-arriving neighbor.

A beautiful afternoon at the quayside.

In the afternoon, we relaxed at the quayside along the Exe River, checking out the local gift shops. This area was Exeter’s commercial center back in the day, with about a quarter of all English woolen goods going through Exeter’s customs house, as well as coal, tobacco, tea, wine, and spirits. Today, the pace is much more laid back, with tourists and locals enjoying a coffee or a pint and watching the ducks on the river.

Finally, looking for an EV charging station, I found myself passing by Spicer Road, so I took the obligatory selfie at the sign. Back home, Ann and I have a shot of Kathryn, Dan, and me standing by the same sign from our trip in 2008. That earlier photo is better, with cute kids and less gray hair.

This morning, we’ll be leaving Exeter and heading east to Salisbury – our last stop on this pilgrim journey.