The Western Way Roundabout – Gateway to Marsh Barton

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.