Exe Island
Encyclopedia
Exe Island was the early industrial area of Exeter
, England
, and was an area of marshland between the city walls and the river Exe
, reclaimed by the construction of a series of leat
s, or water courses, possibly from as early as the 10th century. Of these, the Higher Leat still exists. It created Exe Island, which was a separate manor belonging to the Courtenays, Earls of Devon.
The leats were used to drive fulling mills and corn mills. Sometime between 1180 and 1190 Robert Courtenay granted to Nicholas Gervaise all his water which Thomas the fuller holds of him outside the west gate of Exeter, which is between his corn mills and Crickenpette, so that the said Nicholas and his heirs may build a mill on the said water towards Crickenpette as shall appear best and most commodious to them.
Evidence for other medieval industries—tanning and the working of horn, bone, and bronze—has come to light in archaeological excavations. Cloth-finishing was the most important industry in the 16th century. In the late 18th century, the cloth industry declined and in the 19th century the area was occupied by iron foundries, corn mills, and breweries.
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and was an area of marshland between the city walls and the river Exe
River Exe
The River Exe in England rises near the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor in Somerset, near the Bristol Channel coast, but flows more or less directly due south, so that most of its length lies in Devon. It reaches the sea at a substantial ria, the Exe Estuary, on the south coast of Devon...
, reclaimed by the construction of a series of leat
Leat
A leat is the name, common in the south and west of England and in Wales, for an artificial watercourse or aqueduct dug into the ground, especially one supplying water to a watermill or its mill pond...
s, or water courses, possibly from as early as the 10th century. Of these, the Higher Leat still exists. It created Exe Island, which was a separate manor belonging to the Courtenays, Earls of Devon.
The leats were used to drive fulling mills and corn mills. Sometime between 1180 and 1190 Robert Courtenay granted to Nicholas Gervaise all his water which Thomas the fuller holds of him outside the west gate of Exeter, which is between his corn mills and Crickenpette, so that the said Nicholas and his heirs may build a mill on the said water towards Crickenpette as shall appear best and most commodious to them.
Evidence for other medieval industries—tanning and the working of horn, bone, and bronze—has come to light in archaeological excavations. Cloth-finishing was the most important industry in the 16th century. In the late 18th century, the cloth industry declined and in the 19th century the area was occupied by iron foundries, corn mills, and breweries.