walkwalkwalk: Stories from the Exeter Archive

On the nightwalk

2008-06-02T13:25:00.003+01:00

Here are some images from the nightwalk, which launched the project on April 12th 2008 - the sequence of images shows the part of the walk after leaving Marsh Barton (for more images see the website.)

Walking into Brook Road, where it became very dark, with no street lights or ambient light.

on the ground

2008-06-02T13:22:00.000+01:00

Things on the ground en route - broken tree, and explosion of road paint

Salmon Pool Bridge

2008-06-02T13:14:00.003+01:00

Going across Salmon Pool Bridge, over the canal. It was very dark on the other side.

Fork in the road

2008-06-02T10:09:00.001+01:00

On Salmon Pool Lane therre is a fork in the road, either side of a hedge-island. We chose the right hand fork on this occasion

Second Half/impromptu bit of the nightwalk

2008-06-02T10:00:00.002+01:00

The nightwalk route officially ended at the Bus Stop on Topsham Road, near the top of Salmon Pool Lane. However, we continued on back towards Exeter City Centre led by a spontaneous guide who said he knew a good route.

Shortcut through County Hall

2008-06-02T09:51:00.002+01:00

Though it was night, and the workers of County Hall had long since gone home, our 'spontaneous guide' knew that a shortcut through County Hall was still possible. We walked through brightly lit Cloister type corridors, pathways and passages that cut through the buildings and grounds, from front to back.

Protestant Martyrs

2008-06-02T09:48:00.002+01:00

At the Protestant Martyr's Memorial, where Phil told us the history of the Protestant Martyrs in Exeter

Princess Hay

2008-06-02T09:42:00.001+01:00

coming into the new Pricess Hay Shopping Centre

Gandy Street

2008-06-02T09:39:00.001+01:00

Nearly at the end of the second half/impromptu bit of the nightwalk: on Gandy Street, Masonic Hall

2008-06-02T09:35:00.002+01:00

2008-06-02T09:31:00.001+01:00

The Nightwalk route

2008-04-26T10:48:00.005+01:00

Nightwalk Marsh Barton route

Start at Exeter Central Station
Left into Queen Street
Right into High Street, becoming Fore Street
Left into King Street
Right into Preston Street
Right into Western Way
Cross Western Way at first pedestrian crossing
Continue towards Western Way roundabout
Use pedestrian underpass marked towards Marsh Barton or (as we did) use cycle path in direction of Marsh Barton
Go over bridge over River Exe (Exe Bridge South)
Left into Haven Road, becoming Foundrey Court
Leading into Water Lane
Pass ‘The Range’
Pass the Social Club
Continue on Water Lane, Leading into Tan Lane
Under railway bridge
Pass Recycling and Reclamation Works
Continue on Tan Lane, leading into Exton Road
Leading into Marsh Green Road (East)
Turn right into Marsh Green Road
Past/pause Den’s Delights
Left into Trusham Road
Left into Alphin Brook Road
Straight ahead into Brook Road (small dark road)
Past the Incinerator
Over Salmon Pool Bridge (across canal)
Follow road; and continue when it becomes a track/path
Pass pylon
Cross bridge over river Exe
Continue on path straight through Playing Fields (do not turn off right)
Cross bridge over St James’s Wier (aka – mistakenly – Countess Wier)
Continue into Salmon pool Lane (when the road forks take the right/wrong fork, if desired)
Turn right into Topsham Road
Pause at the first Bus stop
This is the official end of the nightwalk – you can now take a bus back into Exeter
On the night, however, we were then invited to continue our walk back into town by one of the walkers who said he knew a good route. So he led the way on a spontaneous second half, which turned out to create a completely circular walk.
From the Bus Stop retrace your steps along Topsham Road, past the top of Salmon pool Lane, and continue along Topsham Road.
Turn right into the grounds of Devon County Hall, walk up the steps to what looks like a main entrance and turn sharp right,
Walk through an illuminated cloister
Turn left at the end of the cloister and then right, emerging at the end by a car park
Pass a skip, head straight on, following a path with bushes and trees on either side until you reach another building.
Turn right and follow along the side of the building to another car park.
Cross the car park diagonally heading towards an exit drive.
Follow the drive down to Matford Lane.
Turn right and follow the road until you reach Wonford Road, turn left.
When you reach St Leonard’s Road turn right, follow the road up to Magdalen Road and turn left, turn right into Denmark Road and then left down Barnfield Road, pausing on the corner to look at the Protestant Martyr’s Memorial.
Follow Barnfield Road up the hill towards town, crossing the Western Way and Southernhay.
Enter the new Shopping Precinct, follow it up to the High Street.
Turn left then almost immediately right into Gandy Street passing the Exeter Phoenix on your right. Turn left down Upper Paul Street, and right into Queen Street, Exeter Central is on the right – walk complete – we suggest a drink in the bar of the Thistle Hotel opposite the station.

St.Leonard's

2008-04-10T15:55:00.005+01:00

We all went off in separate directions to disseminate the flyers, I started to walk to St.Leneords. This was a part of Exeter I had stayed in and remembered fondly. I liked the small parade of shops along Magdalen Rd which all appear to be independently run, a rare delight in our globalised market of faceless conglomerates and franchises. From the gallery I turned left on to the Western Way and walked straight, I put a sticker on the green bridge near the round about and then got distracted from my intended route and wandered towards the end of South Street.

I got a warm welcome in the Big Issue shop and was allowed to put up several stories in their window, Then I was attracted to the large imposing building on the opposite side of the road. I walked up the stone steps and through the open doors to a small entrance hall with glass cases holding posters. Then I peered through the secure door in to the actual entrance hall, it was much larger with statues, flags and an over abundance of notice boards. I excitedly pressed the buzzer, there was no response but the door had been unlocked. I walked through the hall and into an amazing workingmen’s club, filled with heraldry and insignia. Near the stage there was an enormous union jack flag on a mast. The barmen took the posters and said he would consult with the management and might be allowed to put them up.

Then I continued along to Magdalen Street, I put some flyers under windscreen wipers in the car park and then proceeded along to St Leonard’s. On the way I put a poster on what looked like an abandoned building opposite Hotel Barcelona. It appeared to be some kind of addiction centre (there was an addaction sign to the right of the door) but I was certain it had been abandoned so I hovered near the notice board outside. As I was selecting a poster to put on it someone opened the front door. Startled by this unexpected inhabitant I moved on up the road swiftly, I continued up Magdalen Rd towards the small parade of independent shops. I stopped in the Laundrette and stuck a poster on a very prominent notice board whilst leaving some flyers on the windowsill. I spoke to a very nice lady who took one of the posters and also a leaflet about Spacex. I then proceeded to go in to every shop along the parade paying to put up cards in the shop windows. Most of the shops charged but one or two were happy to put them up for free. One shop owner said “ We only charge people if they are selling things, if your not making any money from it then it really doesn’t matter!”

High Street Hitchcock

2008-04-03T17:52:00.001+01:00

Cemetary on the hill

2008-04-03T17:25:00.004+01:00

The cemetary on the hill was on the route of one of the first walks we did in Exeter - recommended by George the storyteller. Small fragments of blue and white pottery were laid out on the wall on the way down the hill, a little display, selected from what looked like a lot of pieces in the earth just around the corner.

Friernhay - railings

2008-04-02T22:10:00.000+01:00

Stokes Plastic Bag

2008-04-02T16:47:00.006+01:00

See earlier blog post: St Thomas Shopping Centre

Waterstones Walking Section

2008-04-02T16:23:00.003+01:00

19/03/08
Flyers were tucked into a selection of books in the Walking Section of Exeter Waterstones (by the old Debenhams building). Did you purchase a book from this section?

Chosen books include:
Navigation For Walkers: Start Finding Your Way to Freedom in the Countryside, by Julian Tippett
Walker's Pocket Companion, by Malcolm Tait
AA 50 Walks: History Walks in Briatin

walkwalkwalk posters at Exeter Central Train Station

2008-04-02T11:38:00.004+01:00

Sainsbury's Alphington

2008-04-02T09:31:00.004+01:00

20/03/08

Leaflet rack in the atrium of Sainsbury's at Alphington - our flyers were added to the selection of Sainsbury's leaflets (their leaflets were predominantly about healthy eating, with some recipe cards. You could also purchase a miniature ringbinder [displayed in the leaflet rack] to store the recipes in - however, as it was in the rack with the recipes and leaflets, it appeared to be a freebie, especially as it was in the atrium and outside the /purchasing area' - so it seemed likely that the ringbinders would be accidentally stolen.)

This is an enormous shop, with a large section for newspapers and magazines. Flyers were tucked inside the pages of newspapers and magazines. There is also a cafe, with another leaflet rack, where more flyers were put. There are many many products in the store, but we were unsure whether this meant more choice, or more of the same- but- similar products. It's hard to say, but we each bought a very satisfactory picnic lunch. Some flyers were tucked into products on the shelves. Flyers were placed into the shopping trolleys of other customers, and also into the packed plastic shopping bags of customers at the check-out. Flyers were added to the small leaflet racks at the check-out counters.

The first time we came to Alphington Sainsbury's we had been on a walk through Marsh Barton - the continuation of our journey into Alphington made an interesting juncture with the earlier part of our walk through the industrial estate of Marsh Barton...

The Juncture of Marsh Barton and Alphington
The road makes a severe curve and then straightens; Marsh Barton continues ahead, but on our right we see a change of architecture. A footpath leads out of the area, cutting into the grass verge and subtly connecting with the pavement on the Marsh Barton side. We walk into this inlet. Ahead is a row of low, neat, closely and evenly spaced houses of soft light red brick, in a 1970s modern and minimal terrace. They have a repeated pattern of curved ‘mini-porches’ above the lintel of the front door. Opposite is a row of low-rise white painted flats. It is a drastic change of scale and purpose; there is no transition or demarcating boundary between the housing estate and the Industrial Estate. They are simply placed at an oblique angle to one another; the row of houses ending as all cul-de-sacs do, the grass verge of the pavement on the Marsh Barton side sweeping around the corner. It is an abrupt abuttal that makes it clear the two areas are mutually disinterested.

…And on to Alphington/in search of Tea
Each side of the street has a continuous line of pristine front gardens, with bright and beautiful flowers. The road leads on to a T-junction with a busy main road and the village of Alphington. At the junction is an old fashioned house, slightly worn out, with a plaque telling that This was the home of Charles Dickens’ Parents until 1870.

We really want a cup of tea, we have been longing for one, planning one for the last hour and a half of our walk. We search the village of Alphington – Serena asks in the Post Office ‘Where can we get a cup of tea?’ Clare and I wait outside, hopefully. Serena returns ‘There is nowhere to get tea in Alphington except Sainsbury’s. But an old lady said she might start doing it at her cottage. I asked her where her cottage is, but she said “I’m not starting today though" ’. We walk along the busy road realising again that life in villages is incomplete. The road leads into an even larger and busier road, via a large roundabout. It is far to Sainsbury’s. An intricate circuit of roads, entranceways and hedge ways encircles the Supermarket, which is hidden from view. Concessions have been made for pedestrians, however, with pavements and walkways, which run alongside the main road and then edge through the Supermarket complex. We do not pass any other people on foot. There are hedges marking out the vast car park, as if fields had been replaced by a concrete rural. A gap is neatly cut in the hedge for the footpath to pass through. A solitary old lady emerges from the hedge and walks towards us, across the road. She looks worn and grey in the face, is stringy looking and carrying one bag of Sainsbury’s shopping. She is the only other person visible in this car-orientated complex.

We arrive at the Supermarket. It is huge. There is a large café restaurant at the front, but the tables are empty and the counters have no food. Notices are blu tak-ed to the back of two chairs, which form a barrier to the restaurant: ‘We regret to inform you that due to technical problems with the tills our customer restaurant is currently closed. Sorry for any inconvenience caused. Sainsbury’s’. We sit down on the chairs, tea-less, despondently, after our long walk.

The supermarket is so vast we want to know how many square feet it is, it’s impressive. Serena goes to find the manager to ask.

Foot/cycle path railing

2008-04-02T09:18:00.007+01:00

19/03/08
This laminated flyer is tied to the railings at the entrance to a pedestrian/cyclist underpass. The railings are quite special, in that they demarcate the boundary between the footpath and the cycle-path. The structure is painted white, and also encorporates a tall post on which is mounted the mini-sign in blue, familiar for all foot/cycle paths, but here appearing like a flag atop the railing structure.

Arm rest on Bus Stop Seat

2008-04-02T09:14:00.001+01:00

19/03/08
Laminated Flyer tied to the arm rest of a bus stop seat. This bus stop was very new looking, and in excellent condition, with no broken glass and clean seats.

Railings of Block of Flats

2008-04-02T09:04:00.003+01:00

19/03/08
These railings are on the steps that lead to a block of flats. The building looks like it might be an Old People's Home, or Homes For Old People, as they are now called.

Railings of Pedestrian Underpass

2008-04-02T09:01:00.001+01:00

19/03/08

Abandoned Petrol Station

2008-04-02T08:57:00.001+01:00

19/03/08
Laminated flyer tied to railings around abandoned petrol station

Leaflet Rack in Saint David's

2008-03-31T21:11:00.002+01:00

Exeter Saint David's

2008-03-31T20:57:00.002+01:00

Howell Road Railway Bridge

2008-03-31T20:54:00.002+01:00

Peep Lane

2008-03-31T20:42:00.003+01:00

Howell Road

2008-03-31T20:29:00.003+01:00

on the Exeter walking circuit

South Street, newsagents window

2008-03-31T20:24:00.002+01:00

Coombe Street

2008-03-31T20:17:00.001+01:00

An empty street sign fastening, crying out for a new sign to be attached

Fly Posting (on top of earlier fly posting) Fore Street

2008-03-31T20:09:00.002+01:00

Pine Tree - Laminated Flyer

2008-03-30T12:06:00.001+01:00

19/03/08

More of the Western Way

2008-03-30T11:05:00.002+01:00

Leaving St Thomas by the Western Way

Phone Boxes, St Thomas Shopping Centre

2008-03-28T12:56:00.005Z

19/03/08
These four phone boxes are in a line, near the pub at the end of the parade of shops at St Thomas Shopping Centre. They were pretty clean inside.

Bus Stop and Cigarette Bin

2008-03-28T12:48:00.004Z

19/03/08
Bus Stop at St Thomas Shopping Centre

Cigarette bin, beside Bus Stop
One of our It Looks Like Something From Marsh Barton stickers looked at home on this bin, next to another sticker (a Union Jack apple label)

St Thomas Shopping Centre

2008-03-28T10:28:00.005Z

19/03/08

St Thomas Shopping Centre

The shopping centre is designed in a horse-shoe shape, with a parade of small shops along three sides of the car-park. The fourth side of the car-park fronts on to the main road and the bus stop. The parade is covered by a white roof structure, attached to the shops like a porch, but is open to the elements apart from this, like a regular paved area. Most of the shops are independant. There are a few recognizeable brands - a Natwest and HSBC bank, and a Somerfield Supermarket. Because the shops are small there are actually quite a lot of them, and a wide variety of types of shops.

I walked around the parade starting at the side where the Natwest bank is.
On the first side of the parade I handed out flyers to shoppers. It was quite busy, though not at all crowded. I walked past an Optometrist, Newsagents, Pet Shop, amongst others on this side. At the first corner there was a cafe, with two tables outside. I gave flyers to a large group of women having coffee together, and to another table of customers.

I continued around the second side of the parade. I passed an HSBC, a Coral Bookmakers, Exeter Hair and Beauty salon, and stopped at Stokes Green Grocers. At Stokes I bought some fruit - there were boxes outside you could help yourself from, and inside the shop it was also self service. There was a very wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. I bought a Chinese Pear, a mandarin and one other fruit (I forget what). The lady at the counter packed them in a plastic bag for me. The bag is unique to Stokes - on one side it has a big strawberry, with
STOKES
written across it, on a pink circle. Around the strawberry it says
FRESH FOR LIFE
Helping to promote lifelong healthy eating habits
and at the bottom of the bag it says
Environmentally Friendly Bag 100% Degradable
On the other side of the bag it says
STOKES FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
COMPARE OUR QUALITY! COMPARE OUR PRICES!
and also gives the website address
www.stokesplc.co.uk
The lettering on this side for 'Stokes' is green with a red apple forming the 'O'. It's a very nice bag.
I saw that there is a notice board in the shop, but the lady serving me said she was not allowed to put any posters on it. She agreed, however, to put a poster on the staff notice board, and seemed very happy to do this.
Stokes has a green and white striped canopy over the shop front, which makes it distinctive from a distance.

Next door is Martin’s Newsagents. Martin’s has two ‘customer ads’ notice boards. They are not really notice boards, more of a card holder, where you can slot in a postcard. Most ads were handwritten, advertising items for sale. There were also ads for guitar lessons and Karate, and a printed ad for a Man & Van Service. I paid to advertise two cards for two weeks. The cards would be put up the following day (20th March).

The third side of the parade consists mainly of Somerfield Supermarket, a café and on the corner there is a pub. Beyond the pub, at the corner of the carpark, is a large brick-built flower bed, large enough to sit on the wall of. On the outside edge of the flower bed is a row of Phone Boxes. I sat on the wall to have my lunch – it was sunny and just warm enough today. A few other people also sat on the low wall - one young woman had been eating her lunch and then talked on her mobile for a long time (all the time I was there she talked to her boyfriend – I saw them meet up later near the bus stop), another woman sat and ate lunch then left, and another woman came looking for a light.

Opposite the bus stop, on the other side of the road, is the St Thomas Post Office. I inquired whether they would display a poster in the window, as they already had a display of various posters on show there. The man I spoke to told me that he was happy to take the poster, though he could not be sure if it would be displayed as they had to have an audit of the posters in the next few days and then decide which could go back in the window - it was out of his hands. It sounded a very complicated, thought-out process. Did the poster get put up? Perhaps you saw it, if it did.

Toilet Roll in the Ladies

2008-03-28T10:12:00.002Z

19/03/08
Sticker attached to large toilet roll in the women's toilet, St Thomas.
(click on the image to view it larger - the text is legible)

Ladies Toilet Cubicle

2008-03-28T09:57:00.001Z

These toilets appear like a 'gateway' to Saint Thomas, as they are housed inside the railway bridge, which crosses the main road leading into St Thomas. The entrance is on the St Thomas side for the women's, and on the Exeter side for the men's. The women's toilets were clean and well stocked with a large roll of toilet paper. There were miniature wash basins in the communal area, with automatic soap and hot-air dispensers.

Exe Bridge Cafe

2008-03-28T09:52:00.003Z

19/03/08
Flyers were left on the counter at Exe Bridge Cafe, for customers to take away.
It was approaching lunch time when I visited, and customers were already tucking into substantial dinner-type lunches with food like mashed potato, meat stews and vegetables.
An A4 poster will be displayed in the window (hopefully)

Car Park Near Western Way

2008-03-28T09:48:00.001Z

A flyer dissemination location en route to Saint Thomas'
Car Park with TK Max, Boots Chemist and Pizza Hut

TK Max Car Park

2008-03-26T10:32:00.002Z

Flyers and stickers were given to three schoolgirls in the carpark, who were sitting on a wall working on clip boards.
Flyers also deposited on car windscreens, and on discarded Fruit Shoot package on the tarmac.

Steak Pasty Sticker

2008-03-26T10:21:00.003Z

19/03/08
Steak Pasty package, discarded on the pavement of the bridge that is part of the Western Way roundabout complex, taking you from Exeter town centre in the direction of St Thomas.

Other items were disseminated at this location - 'it's like something from Marsh Barton' stickers were given to two teenage boys, which they stuck to their jumpers; flyers were also handed out to passing pedestrians. Notably, there were many Mums and babies with prams, also a woman in a mobility vehicle, though she was going too fast to give a flyer to.

The Western Way Roundabout – Gateway to Marsh Barton

2008-03-26T09:25:00.001Z

We entered Marsh Barton from the north. It is positioned about a mile south of Exeter town centre, below Exeter St. David’s. The Western Way bypass road bisects Exeter from the river and Marsh Barton, with a massive roundabout forming a broad zone of no-man’s land cutting off Marsh Barton from the scenic historical centre. Portions of the city’s ancient city wall and other archaeological excavations are isolated and encircled within the concrete structures of the zone, and are accessible only through a network of eerily empty pathways and footbridges. The sense of a dividing zone or separation chamber is articulated for the pedestrian through the underpasses and overhead footbridge that span the sweep of the roundabout junction. The lonely arcs of concrete outline this boundary of social and geographical history. We are channelled through a route designed to accommodate pedestrians in close proximity to the slew of traffic. It feels anachronistic, like inhabiting someone’s futuristic dream; as if the developers thought we might come down here to view the beautifully moving stream of cars, and that our desire to reach Marsh Barton would be incidental. The exhilaration of the Western Way roundabout itself is enough. We are made aware of our tiny scale in this inhospitable environment. Yet it is a haven from the commerce of the city, and stands in contrast to that other encircled zone, the Cathedral Close. We must enter this Stalker-esque zone of transition and uncertainty if we are to reach Marsh Barton.

Note: The Western Way Roundabout is also a grand gesture. It was built by Devon County Council as an act of revenge against Exeter City Council, with who they were continually in conflict.

Flyering on the Western Way

2008-03-25T16:16:00.003Z

19/03/08

I crossed the island of Archaeological remains - walking across the top of the ancient Exeter Bridge, now encircled within a grassed area, within a roundabout - and reached a mid point in the Western Way roundabout/pedestrian subway complex. I chose this point to distribute flyers to passing pedestrians. Despite the location being in the midst of an expansive and complicated traffic system, there were quite a few walkers navigating the subways and pavements.

The Guildhall Notice Board

2008-03-25T16:11:00.003Z

Stained Glass window inside the Guildhall, with many names in its design.

Outside the Guildhall there is a beautiful noticeboard (not pictured here) - it is a wooden board behind glass, and as it did not have many notices on it at the time it was possible to see the hundreds of tiny drawing-pin holes that had accrued over the years.

One of our posters may have appeared on the notice board over Easter - did you see it?

Multi Storey Car Park, 18/03/08

2008-03-25T15:57:00.000Z

Red Car windscreen

2008-03-25T15:52:00.000Z

Exeter Multi Storey Car Park

18/03/08

Window sill, Wonford

2008-03-18T18:31:00.001Z

Wonford Community Centre

2008-03-18T18:27:00.000Z

Leaflet Rack

2008-03-18T18:26:00.000Z

Parking Meter

2008-03-18T18:25:00.000Z

Lamp Post, Wonford

2008-03-18T18:23:00.000Z

Phonebox, Heavitree

2008-03-18T18:21:00.000Z

Newsagents window, Heavitree

2008-03-18T18:20:00.000Z

Noticeboard, Heavitree

2008-03-18T18:19:00.000Z

Phonebox, Heavitree

2008-03-18T18:18:00.000Z

Church, Heavitree

2008-03-18T18:15:00.002Z

PhoneBox Wonford

2008-03-18T18:15:00.001Z

2008-03-18T18:12:00.000Z

Wonford CostCutter Noticeboard

2008-03-18T18:09:00.000Z