The trail starts at the Guildhall, it was from here that Exeter's affairs have been regulated for over 800 years. It was in this area that many of the wealthy cloth merchants set up their homes, shops and offices. From here the trail leads you to St. Nicholas Priory, which at one time was the home to two of the city's most prominent wool merchants. The Trail then continues to Tucker's Hall from where members of the Cloth Workers Guild would discuss such things as quality standards and apprenticeships.
The Old Exe Bridge was the principal entry point for much of the woollen cloth that was brought to the City to be finished and then exported from the quayside. The heart of the Devon cloth industry was on Exe Island, this area was packed with mills, fulling stocks, drying sheds and racks. It was here where the cloth was finished before export from Exeter's Quayside. The whole area around the Quay thrived at the height of the cloth industry and other industries soon developed in this area as in the case of the warehouses and cellars that sprang up along the quay. The increase in trade to and from Exeter led to the development of Exeter's Canal and Canal Basin. The canal, which is the oldest surviving ship canal in Britain thrived until the arrival of the railway in Exeter in 1844.
The tour is approximately 2 miles long and can be undertaken at any time.
