Northernhay Gardens is an interesting place as it runs alongside the Central train station and is also next to the castle, which are both very busy places but it still manages to remain peaceful and calm. It is a very well maintained set of grounds and there are different paths you can take which offers a bit of variety. Quite often during the sunny days the nearby students and workers will take a quick break and rest on the grass by the row of Sweetgum. There are ways to get into the gardens and there are plenty of bins and benches. The two highlights of this place are the Handkerchief tree and the Paperbark maple.
Photo of information board
Aerial view of the area, courtesy of Google
I have yet to complete a full survey on the grounds. But from memory there are:
Common yew x
Corkscrew hazel x 1
Copper Beech x
Downy birch x
Horse chestnut x
Indian Horse chestnut x 1
Paperbark Maple x 1
Sweetgum x 10+
There are three entrances. The two main entrances are from the back of the High street and also Queen street
There are 14 bins and 16 benches the last time I checked
There is a small pond which is centrally placed
They are the oldest public open space in England, being originally laid out in 1612 as a pleasure walk for Exeter residents
Northernhay Gardens was quarried in Roman times for stone from which to build the adjacent city walls
In the Norman period it formed part of the defences of the castle
Northernhay Gardens are of outstanding historic significance.
They were laid out by the City Chamber for the public recreation at an unusually early date of 1612
This early park was destroyed in the Civil War
In 1642 large new defensive ditches were dug outside the walls for the city's defence
Soon after the restoration, in 1664, the city set about restoring the park, planting hundreds of young elms
Only a minute's walk off the High Street, the main access is off Northernhay Place (behind Boots) and Queen Street
The opening times are 7.30am until dusk - but these may change so please be mindful of this
In the mid 1900s the mature avenue of elms lining the central walk succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease and were felled
The Volunteer Memorial (1895), designed by S. K. Greenslade, commemorates the formation of the 1st Rifle Volunteers in 1852
The Exeter War Memorial by local sculptor John Angel was constructed in 1923
Events are sometimes held on the grounds. The Tourist and information centre is your best for details
The Handkerchief tree is very pretty and blossoms in May
If there is anything out of place or wrong please contact me. Equally if there is anything you wish to add please let me know. The more information we have about the Northernhay Gardens the better. Many thanks!
