kept pace with the growth of the city, and in the reign of Elizabeth the
wool merchants of the county and the woolstaplers of its capital had
risen to fame and opulence. In the year 1560 Queen Elizabeth granted the
traders of Exeter a charter of privileges, and letters patent were
issued forming them into a company under the name of a "Socitie of
Marchante Adventurers of the citie of Exeter". The possession of the
charter induced the citizens to commence the spirited undertaking of
cutting a canal to Topsham, a work that was begun in 1564, and which
constitutes one of the earliest examples of canal navigation in the
country. "But why", it may be asked, "did the need for cutting a canal
arise when the river flowed up to the heart of the city?" The need arose
in consequence of the obstruction of the natural waterway near Topsham,
by Isabella de Fortibus, Countess of Devon, with the result that no
ships could proceed beyond Countess Weir, at Topsham, 4 miles below
Exeter. The first obstruction was placed in the river by Isabella de
Fortibus, about the year 1284, owing to a dispute she had with the
merchants of the city concerning various dues. The merchants appealed to
Henry III, who ordered the obstruction to be removed, but so powerful
were the Earls of Devon in those days that no steps were taken to
restore the navigation of the waterway. In 1312 the river was still
further obstructed by Hugh Courtenay, Earl of Devon, the first member of
the Courtenay family to hold the earldom. Tradition states that the
motive for the earl's action was the displeasure he felt towards the
mayor and citizens of Exeter on the following occasion. His steward was
sent into the city to buy fish, and the bishop's steward having been
sent for the same purpose, the two servants met in the market on a day
when there were only three kettles of fish for sale. Each of the
stewards wanted the whole of the supply, and after a quarrel the mayor
was sent for to decide the issue, which he did by giving each of the
stewards one basket and retaining the third for the use of the citizens.
The mayor was in the service of the earl, who, hearing of the decision,
visited the city and sent for the mayor. The latter summoned the
citizens to meet him at the Guildhall, where he explained to them the
cause of the earl's displeasure and requested them to accompany him.
According to Tyacke, the Exeter historian, "being come to the Earl's
house, the mayor was conducted to his lodging chamber and the door
closed on him; and finding that none of his speeches would satisfy the
Earl, who stormed at him, he took off an outer coat he then wore (it
being the Earl's livery), and delivered it to him again; at which the
Earl fell into a greater passion. The commons attending at the door,
doubting the mayor's safety, knocked, and demanded their mayor. Being
several times denied they attempted to break open the door, which the
Earl apprehending and fearful of what might ensue, entreated the mayor
to pacify the people, which was soon done, and they all peaceably
returned. And though the Earl then, to avoid the fury of the people,
seemed pacified, he could never afterwards show a good countenance to
the city."
[Illustration: COUNTESS WEIR]
In order to revenge himself on the citizens he built a quay at Topsham,
and compelled all merchants and captains of ships to unload their
cargoes and convey them by wagon to the city, to the inconvenience of
the merchants and his own profit. He also took from the citizens their
rights of fishing in the river, and oppressed them in various ways. Some
years later Edward Courtenay, nephew of Hugh, still further blocked the
waterway by erecting two other weirs, under the pretext of building some
mills. Many complaints were made to the king, and various writs were
issued against the earls, but no one dared to enforce them. For four
hundred years the feud continued over what was apparently the
destination of a kettle of fish, although in later days there is no
doubt that the earls' motives were to increase the income of their own
port of Topsham at the expense of Exeter. On the receipt of Queen
Elizabeth's charter in 1560 the citizens at length decided to construct
a canal to Topsham. This was begun in 1564 and completed in 1697, and it
is one of the earliest examples of canal navigation in the country.
Topsham is now a little port, whose shipping trade is confined to small
coasting schooners and fishing smacks. The Church of St. Margaret is
very large, and, with the exception of the tower, has been almost
entirely rebuilt. Near Topsham the Exe is joined by the little River
Clyst, and just below the confluence the Exe expands until it is more
than a mile in width. From the Clyst many villages take name, as Clyst
St. Lawrence, Broad Clyst, Honiton Clyst, Clyst St. Mary, and Clyst St.
George. The last two are near Topsham and were the scene of a struggle
during the Prayer Book Riots. In Devon the insurrection started on
Whit-Monday, 1549, at Sampford Courtenay, the day following that on
which the Act altering the Church service came into force. The people of
the village insisted on the priest saying the usual mass instead of the
prayers given in the appointed Book of Common Prayer. The rebellion
spread rapidly, and ten thousand men marched on Exeter, with a good
sprinkling of old Devon families in their ranks; but they were
undisciplined and were quickly dispersed by Lords Grey and Russell.
Although demoralized, the rebels assembled at Clyst St. Mary, which they
fortified. From here they sent word to the king demanding the
continuance of their former Church services, but the king's reply was an
army under the command of Lord Russell, and after a brief resistance
Clyst St. Mary was burned to the ground and the rebels scattered, to be
again beaten and their leaders taken on Clyst Heath. The vicar of St.
Thomas's Church, Exeter--at that time situated outside the walls--one of
the leaders, was hanged from his own church tower.
On the west bank of the Exe, almost opposite Topsham, are Powderham Park
and Castle, the latter supposed to have been built originally by
Isabella de Fortibus. It has been conjectured, and is indeed highly
probable, that a fortified building or earthwork of some kind occupied
the site at a much earlier date, possibly as early as the Danish
invasions. In later times the manor belonged to the Bohuns, and it came
into possession of the Earls of Devon through the marriage of Margaret
de Bohun with Hugh Courtenay, the third earl. In 1645 the castle was
besieged, unsuccessfully, by Fairfax, but in the following year it was
taken by Colonel Hammond. Until about the middle of the eighteenth
century it remained strongly fortified, but at that time it was
subjected to many alterations. The oldest part of the present castle
dates from the time of Richard II, but the whole fabric has undergone so
many restorations that it presents a great variety of architectural
styles. The fine modern hall contains a fireplace which is a replica of
the one at the Palace, Exeter. The park is a delightful stretch of
greensward, studded with ancient oaks, and it extends for many miles
around the building. In one corner of the park is the little church of
St. Clement, a Perpendicular building of red sandstone, and within which
are several memorials of the Courtenays. These include a recumbent
effigy popularly supposed to represent the renowned Isabella, although
this lady is known to have been buried at Bromnor Priory, Wilts. It is
the opinion of some authorities that this monument is a cenotaph to
Elizabeth, daughter of Edward I, and wife of Humphrey de Bohun, whose
daughter, Margaret, married Hugh Courtenay. On the highest ground of the
park is the Belvidere, erected in 1773, a triangular tower with a small
hexagonal turret at each corner. It is 60 feet high, and from the summit
the view comprises the city of Exeter, the broad estuary of the Exe,
the village of Lympstone, and the little town of Topsham, where the
spars of the ships appear to mingle with the trees on the river's banks.
Looking inland we may see the well-wooded country stretching away in a
succession of hills and combes, until the view is bounded by the
stone-capped heights of Dartmoor in the far distance.
The parish of Woodbury, on the east bank of the river, contains several
small villages and a large stretch of common. Woodbury Castle is a
well-known earthwork on the top of a high hill; it is probably
prehistoric in origin, although afterwards occupied by the Romans. The
church of St. Swithin at Woodbury has a chancel in the Decorated and a
tower in the Perpendicular styles. The beautiful screen has been
modernized and consequently spoiled, but some good monuments may still
be seen. Nutwell Court, overlooking the estuary, is a modern mansion on
the site of a castle which had been converted into a dwelling house so
early as the reign of Edward IV. It is now the home of the Drakes, of
the same family as the famous sailor of Elizabethan days. Among the
relics preserved here are the cups given to Sir Francis Drake by Queen
Elizabeth on his return from the memorable voyage round the world in the
_Pelican_. Here also is a portrait of Sir Francis by Zucchero.
Exmouth, although a modern watering-place, has a few points of interest,
being one of the oldest seaside resorts on the south-west coast.
In the time of King John it was an important port, and it supplied ten
ships and one hundred and ninety-three seamen for Edward III's
expedition to Calais. The principal part of the present town is very
modern, but it is very pleasantly situated. The greater part of the town
is included in the parish of Littleham, whose church, dedicated to St.
Margaret and St. Andrew, is of Early English and Perpendicular
architecture. The Spratshayes aisle was probably built by the Drakes of
Spratshayes. The screen, dating from about 1400, has richly undercut
cornice bands, the Stafford and Wake knots being freely introduced among
the carvings. There are many delightful walks around Exmouth, both along
the coast and inland, the view from Beacon Hill being very fine and
including a large strip of the eastern and the western coastlines that
border the blue waters of the English Channel.
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
_At the Villafield Press, Glasgow, Scotland_
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