The railway was brought to Exeter in May 1844 by the Bristol and Exeter Railway Company, connecting the city to Bristol and London after several earlier plans had failed. Its arrival caused the standardisation of time across the country; an extra minute hand was added to a clock in Fore Street to show both railway time and Exeter time.

Queen Street	The new Post Office in Queen Street	The Albert Memorial Museum and Free Library	Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery
The first proposal for the Museum and Library	The railway at St David's	The railway at St David's	Parliamentary Act for making the railway between Exeter and Exmouth, 1846
A length of broad gauge from the Great Western Railway	The Theatre Royal fire	Theatre fire condolence card	Proposed designs for the Freemasons' Hall
Improvements in drinking water	Opposition to paying for improvements	Mental health in the city: the Wonford Mental Hospital	St Sidwell's Board School: a model Victorian School

See a map of the Victorian period

Read an overview of Public Buildings & Works for all time periods


Search Time Trail

Send us your comments

Explore the website through Timeperiods:	Prehistory • Roman Fortress • Roman Town • Dark Ages • Saxon • Norman • Middle Ages • Tudor & Early Stuart • Civil War • Golden Age • Late Georgian • Victorian City • 20th Century
Explore the website through Themes:	The Form & Growth of the City • Defence & Warfare • Public Buildings & Works • Church & Religion • House & Household • Crafts & Industries • Regional & Foreign Trade • Dress & Display • Medicine & Health • Children & Education
Common Pages:	Home • Other Websites • eCards • About the Site