Exeter Red Coat Guided Tours

About

Operating throughout the year except Christmas Day and Boxing Day, our free guided walking tours are the perfect way to explore Exeter.

Please see our Summer 2023 timetable*

*Please note Wednesday's Historic Quayside Tours at 6.30pm are cancelled until further notice

All tours (apart from the Historic Quayside tour) depart from the Hooker Statue on Cathedral Green.

Regrettably, dogs (except Guide dogs) are not permitted on the tours and children must be accompanied by an adult. The tours may contain steps, slopes and steep or rough ground, however the Red Coat Guides will do all they can to make tours accessible to all so please speak to your guide before the tour about the suitability for your individual needs.

For more information Please call us on 01392 265203 or send an email to guidedtours@exeter.gov.uk

 

Additional tour information

Please note guided tours may be subject to cancellation or alteration without notice.

Please note tours will only go ahead with a minimum of two people on the tour.

Some tours contain steps, slopes, and steep or rough ground.

Only assistance dogs are permitted to accompany owners on the tours.

Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Adults remain in charge of the children and are responsible for their care and control.

All tours except Cathedral Close and the Bishop’s Palace Garden, Churches cemeteries and the Catacomb, The City Wall and Forgotten Exeter are accessible by wheelchair and mobility scooter, or have an alternative route.

 

Group bookings

If you wish to make a group booking please contact redcoat.admin@exeter.gov.uk.

 

Summer 2023 tour programme - 1 April 2023 to 31 October 2023

Discover one of the oldest and most beautiful cities in England with Exeter’s Red Coat Guides.

These FREE guided walking tours operate daily throughout the year, offering a wide range from which to choose.

Meet your Red Coat Guide at the starting point and discover historic Exeter for yourself.

Tours will only go ahead with a minimum of two people on the tour and may be subject to cancellation without notice, there is a limit to the number of people that can join each tour.

Our walking tours depart from the Hooker Statue on Cathedral Green (*apart from the Historic Quayside and Canal Trip tours) and last approximately 90 minutes. All tours start promptly at the time advertised.

Only assistance dogs are permitted on tours, and children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

There is no need to book in advance

 

Group bookings

Please note that there is a restriction of 5 spaces per booking and only one booking per tour.

If you wish to make a group booking please contact guidedtours@exeter.gov.uk.

 

Our tours

Online booking is no longer required for our tours.

 

Forgotten Exeter - Monday 11.00am & Thursday 11.00am

Be intrigued by hidden corners and curios of the city, long since gone from memory. The tour is mainly focused on the North West corner of the city within the city walls. Monday's tour finishes outside St. Nicholas Priory and Thursday’s tour finishes outside Tuckers Hall on Fore Street.

Please note that this tour is not accessible to wheelchairs & mobility scooters

 

Cathedral to Quay – Monday 11.30am, Thursday 2.00pm & Sunday 2.00pm

Starting in the picturesque Cathedral Close, proceed into elegant Southernhay before viewing the impressive city wall. The tour then continues to the river Exe and finishes on Exeter’s Historic Quayside.

 

Medieval Exeter - Monday 2.00pm, Wednesday 11.00am & Friday 2.00pm

This tour celebrates the time when Exeter grew rich from the woollen cloth trade. See many of the surviving medieval buildings, including ‘the house that moved’, then walk across the Medieval Exe Bridge to view the restored Cricklepit Mill. The tour finishes on Exeter’s Historic Quayside.

 

Tudor Exeter - Tuesday 11.00am & Friday 11.30am

This tour looks at buildings which survive from the Tudor period and gives an idea of what life was like for the citizens of Exeter during this turbulent period. Finishes on the Historic Quayside.

Exeter’s Historic Quayside - Tuesday 11.30am & Saturday 2.00pm*

Starting at the Custom House, discover the port of Exeter, once one of Britain's busiest, and hear about its fascinating history. Stroll out and back along the river and canal and finish at the Custom House.

*Please note Wednesday's Historic Quayside Tours at 6.30pm as shown on the porgramme are cancelled until further notice

Churches, Cemeteries and the Catacomb -  Tuesday 2.00pm & Thursday 11.30am

Visit some of the city’s medieval churches and burial grounds, and, if the bats allow, discover the cathedralesque Victorian Catacomb

 

Exeter Old & New – Tuesday 2.30pm, Thursday 2.30pm & Saturday 11.30am

Learn about Exeter’s history from pre-Roman times to the present day. Visit the 11th century Castle Gatehouse – probably Britain’s oldest Norman building – and Northernhay Gardens, the first public gardens in the country.

 

Ghosts & Legends - Tuesday 7.00pm & Thursday 7.00pm

Find out why Exeter is reputed to be one of the most haunted cities in the country. Visit many of Exeter’s historic buildings and listen to chilling tales about their ghostly history. Suitable for all ages.

 

Canal Trip

Wednesday 11.00am (July-August, 1 hour, subject to a fee)

A brief description of the historic Quayside, followed by a 20-minute, one-way trip along the canal as far as Double Locks pub. You may wish to buy a return fare on the boat. This tour starts at the Custom House Visitor Centre from where you can purchase tickets.

Due to unforeseen circumstances the Canal Boat tour with the Red Coats will not be taking place in June

 

Introducing Exeter – Wednesday 11.30am & Saturday 11.00am (1 hour)

This circular taster tour does exactly what it says in the title; glimpses of over 2,000 years of history, and introducing visitors to Exeter of its rich and varied past.

 

Heart of Exeter & the Devon & Exeter Institution - Wednesday 2.00pm

From the quiet and tranquillity of the Cathedral Close to the hustle and bustle of the High Street, follow the development of Exeter from Roman times to the present day. This circular tour ends outside the Devon and Exeter Institution which occupies one of Exeter’s historic buildings and houses some of the city’s most important books and literature, and will be open to the public.

 

Cathedral Close & Bishop's Palace Garden - Wednesday 2.30pm

See how the buildings in Cathedral Close have evolved through time before exploring a section of the City Wall and entering the Bishop's Palace Garden itself, enjoying unique views of the Cathedral and learning of the development of the Palace and its uses over 800 years. This tour finishes on Cathedral Close

Please note that this tour is not accessible to wheelchairs & mobility scooters

 

Exeter's City Wall - Friday 11am & Sunday 11am (2 hours)

Discover the fabulous history of the Roman's City Wall, of which 70% still remain. Some uneven surfaces and steep slopes.

 

Markets, Merchants & Mariners

Friday 2.30pm

Exeter's commercial prosperity, past and present, will be highlighted by this walk through some of its lesser-known areas. It will also introduce you to some truly fascinating characters whose lives contributed to the story of this ancient city.A new tour for this year.

 

Georgian Exeter – Saturday 2.30pm

Hear how Exeter’s transformation came about, from industrial hub into an elegant Georgian city. Discover how trade was replaced with commerce. Explore the architectural splendours of Southernhay and find out about some of the colourful characters that resided in Exeter at the time. This tour finishes in Princesshay.

 

Please note that online booking is no longer required.

If you wish to make a group booking, please contact guidedtours@exeter.gov.uk 

 

Special tours

Online booking essential in advance

All special tours start at the Hooker Statue on Cathedral Green unless otherwise stated. All special tours need to be booked in advance at  https://www.exetercornexchange.co.uk/book-tickets/exeters-red-coat-guided-tours/

Royalty in Exeter

Sunday 23 April, Monday 8 May & Saturday 17 June

A new tour that highlights visits to the city by Royalty, from Alfred the Great in the 9th century to Queen Elizabeth II, and they weren't all gracious visits!

 

Exeter Blitz (finishes in Northernhay Gardens)

Thursday 4 May @11.15am & 3pm

Discover how Exeter was affected by the air raids of 4 May 1942 and how this event shaped the city we see today.

 

Heritage Harbour Tour (starts outside the Custom House Visitor Centre)

Sunday 28 May @11am

Celebrate the history of Exeter's Quay, during the inaugural Heritage Harbour Festival.

 

Halloween Tours

Tuesday 31 October

First tour @6.15pm, last tour @ 7pm

Discover more tales explaining why Exeter is said to be one of the most haunted cities in England. Explore its spooky sites and come in your scariest costumes.

 

Booking essential

https://www.exetercornexchange.co.uk/book-tickets/exeters-red-coat-guided-tours/