Exmouth


Exmouth is a port town, civil parish, and seaside resort located on the east bank at the mouth of the River Exe, approximately southeast of Exeter, in the county of Devon, England.
According to the 2021 Census, Exmouth has a population of 35,488, making it the fifth largest settlement in Devon by population.
Historically known as a popular seaside resort, Exmouth is noted for its long sandy beaches, marina, and watersports opportunities, attracting visitors in good weather. It also serves as a commuter town for nearby Exeter.

History

bearing the mark of Anastasius I, dating from around 498–518, were found on the beach in 1970. Evidence of people living at Exmouth Point goes back to the 11th century, when it was called Lydwicnaesse, meaning "the point of the Bretons".
The two ecclesiastical parishes that now make up Exmouth – Littleham and Withycombe Raleigh
– can be traced back to before Saxon times. The name "Exmouth" comes from its position at the mouth of the River Exe estuary. The word "Exe" itself comes from an old Celtic word meaning "fish". For many centuries, the parishes were part of the East Budleigh Hundred.
In 1240, an area known as Pratteshuthe was sold to the mayor and citizens of Exeter. This was the site of the estuary’s ferry dock. Over time, the name changed to Pratteshide, and later became known as Mona Island. Today, the site is marked by a seating area outside the Glenorchy United Reformed Church, near the Magnolia Shopping Centre.
For many years, trade through the port was limited—partly because of shallow waters near the quay, but mostly because the city of Exeter owned the dock and controlled all traffic on the estuary. The roads in and out of the area were in poor condition and only occasionally repaired by the parishes they passed through. A more permanent dock was built in 1825, replacing a series of earlier, likely seasonal, docks first seen on maps from 1576 marked as "The Docke". New docks, designed by Eugenius Birch, opened in 1868, and a short railway line connected them to the goods yard. A lively community of around 125 chalets once stood near the docks along the shoreline, but these were later replaced by the Exmouth Quay residential marina.
In earlier times, people found it difficult to settle in the estuary area because of the harsh, exposed conditions. Instead, settlements were more permanent in the more sheltered rural areas nearby. Exmouth started to grow in the 13th century. The land was owned by Morin Uppehille, who gave part of it to a man called John the Miller. John built a windmill on the exposed headland, where he made a living helped by the strong south-west winds. A small cluster of farms, the ferry dock, and the windmill eventually developed into what we now know as Exmouth.
Sir Walter Raleigh began several of his sea voyages from Exmouth Harbour.
In the mid-17th century, the area was attacked by so-called "Turkish pirates", who raided the coasts of Devon and Cornwall. They targeted ships and attempted to capture sailors and villagers to sell as slaves in North Africa.
The town became more established in the 18th century and is considered the oldest seaside resort in Devon. With travel to mainland Europe disrupted by the troubles in France, visitors came for the sea views and the popular salt waters, believed to have healing properties. Exmouth gained a reputation as a place where wealthy people went to improve their health. Notable visitors included Lady Byron and her daughter Ada Lovelace. Lady Nelson, the estranged wife of Lord Nelson, also lived in Exmouth and is buried in Littleham Churchyard.
For many years, Exmouth attracted high-class tourists. This changed in 1861 when the railway reached the town, making it accessible to many more people and starting a boom in mass tourism. Much of the town’s current layout dates from this "golden age".
The Maer, a large grassed area behind the seafront, became an important part of the town’s leisure history. Exmouth Golf Club was first established there in 1885, initially as a nine-hole course. By 1914 the course had been expanded to 18 holes, though parts were temporarily ploughed for food production during the First World War, before being restored in 1922. The course remained popular through the 1920s and 1930s, but after the Second World War the club declined and finally closed in the early 1950s.
The former golf clubhouse was repurposed in 1957 as the site of Exmouth Zoo, which occupied the building and surrounding land. The zoo closed in 1980, and the site was subsequently redeveloped for amusement facilities on Queen’s Drive. The Maer itself was retained as public open space and later designated a Local Nature Reserve.
During the Second World War, Exmouth’s seafront was heavily militarised, with anti-invasion defences including gun batteries, barbed wire, and concrete obstacles. After the war, sand dunes formed around some of these structures, stabilised in places with marram grass, and became a familiar feature of The Maer and Queen’s Drive. By the early 21st century, however, storms and tidal action had eroded most of the dune system. Following major losses in 2004 and 2014, East Devon District Council and Natural England concluded that restoration was not feasible, and attention shifted to alternative coastal defence measures.
The town’s post-war history also included the closure of older sewage outfalls and the construction of a modern treatment plant, as well as major sea defences and promenade improvements carried out in the late 20th and early 21st centuries in response to ongoing coastal change. Exmouth has continued to grow as a residential, leisure, and commuter town while maintaining its role as a popular seaside destination.

Architecture

Exmouth has a wide range of architecture, ranging from small cob cottages in parts of the town that were once villages, such as Withycombe, to the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian townhouses. The seafront features a traditional promenade, while the Beacon Terrace above the promenade became fashionable in Georgian times.
The majority of buildings in Exmouth were constructed during the Victorian era, particularly after the arrival of the railway in 1861. The area to the west of Exeter Road was reclaimed land, as Exeter Road originally ran along the seafront. Some houses near the station in Littleham were built for railway workers. Victorian architecture in Exmouth is characterised by brick and stone façades, bay windows, slate roofs, and decorative ironwork.
Modern development in the 20th century added residential estates, civic infrastructure, and holiday flats, while conservation policies have protected terraces, villas, and the seafront to maintain the town’s character.

Conservation areas

Several areas of Exmouth have been designated as conservation areas to preserve historic character:
  • Town centre – retains much of the Victorian streetscape, with terraces, shops, and civic buildings.
  • Littleham village – former rural village core, including traditional cob cottages and the Church of St Margaret.
  • Queen’s Drive and the seafront – features terraces, villas, and promenade structures, reflecting Georgian and Victorian seaside architecture.

    Listed buildings

Exmouth contains a number of listed buildings, reflecting its historic and architectural significance:
  • Church of St Margaret, Littleham – Grade II* medieval parish church, constructed in red sandstone and limestone.
  • Church of St John, Withycombe Raleigh – Grade I medieval origins, restored in Victorian times.
  • Beacon Terrace – a series of Georgian townhouses overlooking the promenade, many with stucco façades and wrought-iron balconies.
  • Exmouth Town Hall – Victorian civic building with ornate detailing and symmetrical façade.
  • Exmouth Pavilion – Victorian-era theatre and entertainment venue.
  • Railway workers’ housing in Littleham – typical Victorian brick terraced housing, built for functional industrial accommodation.
  • Seafront terraces and villas – 18th–19th century, stucco,

    Demography and economy

In addition to its substantial summer tourist trade, Exmouth serves as a regional centre for leisure industries, particularly water sports such as sailing, kite sailing, paddleboarding, jet-skiing, and wind-surfing, and outdoor activities such as bird-watching, cycling and walking. The Exe Estuary is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is noted in particular for its wading and migrating birds. A large part of the estuary lies within a nature reserve. Exmouth marks the western end of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, which stretches eastwards along the coast to Poole, in Dorset; the South West Coast Path allows for walking along this coast. The town is also at the western end of the East Devon Way path that leads to Lyme Regis.

Education

Exmouth has eight primary schools, one secondary school, and a school for deaf pupils.

Primary schools

The Deaf Academy is an independent special school run by the Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education, a registered charity. It provides education for deaf pupils aged 5 to 16 years, with further education post-16 and residential places. Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education purchased the former Rolle College site in 2016 and developed it into a state-of-the-art deaf education centre. In 2020, newly rebranded as The Deaf Academy, the school completed the move from Exeter to Exmouth.