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All 40 Exeter Attractions »

Underground Passages

2 Paris Street, EX1 1GA, England
01392 665887
Ranked #7 of 26 attractions in Exeter
4.0 of 5 stars 33 Reviews
Type: Landmarks/ Points of Interest
Owner description: Dating from 14th century, these medieval passages under Exeter High Street are a unique ancient monument: no similar system of passages can be...... more » Owner description: Dating from 14th century, these medieval passages under Exeter High Street are a unique ancient monument: no similar system of passages can be explored by the public elsewhere in Britain. The Passages have long exercised a fascination over local people, with stories of wars and sieges, plague and pestilence! Their purpose was simple: to bring clean drinking water from natural springs in fields lying outside the walled city, through lead pipes into the heart of the city. The pipes sometimes sprang leaks and repairs to buried pipes could only be carried out by digging them up as we do today. To avoid this disruption the passages were vaulted and it is down some of these vaulted passageways that visitors are guided.The Passages are dark and narrow with a fascinating history. Visitors can experience interactive and educational exhibits in the Underground Passages Heritage Centre and watch a short video presentation before their guided tour. « less
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33 reviews from our community

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    6
    1
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Date Rating
Phoenix, Arizona
Senior Contributor
31 reviews 31 reviews
Reviews in 12 cities Reviews in 12 cities
10 helpful votes 10 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 May 2012 NEW

The tour is well worth it and fun to see the original water system underground. The tour guide was excellent. More

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Oldham, United Kingdom
Contributor
16 reviews 16 reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
12 helpful votes 12 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 May 2012
1
person found this review helpful

We decided to go here on a wet Sunday afternoon as there was nothing else to do and were pleasantly surprised. The museum part at the start had lots of interactive stuff but was also very informative. This was then followed by a short video then going into the passages. Be warned: if you are hugely obese or unable to... More

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Dorset
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 29 April 2012
1
person found this review helpful

My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip under Exeter. We thought the people at the desk were extremely helpful (went out of their way to fit us in as we were only on a day trip) and the guide was very clear, knowledgeable and patient. I'm baffled how some people seemed to ignore the warnings about the dark, narrowness... More

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Exeter, United Kingdom
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 April 2012

appreciate the historical value but the whole experience was monotonous More

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Merthyr Tydfil
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
16 helpful votes 16 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 April 2012
1
person found this review helpful

Well worth a visit, very interesting. I suffer from claustrophobia occasionally but found this no problem you are in single file and moving most of the time. The guide was excellent - recommended. More

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Exeter, United Kingdom
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 April 2012

Interesting and an insight into Exeter's past. The museum before is very good with interactive activities. More

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Exeter, United Kingdom
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 11 April 2012

Very interesting, took friends who are New Zealanders there and they were enthralded with the Guides narration. More

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Exmouth, United Kingdom
Senior Contributor
38 reviews 38 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
24 helpful votes 24 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 April 2012
1
person found this review helpful

It was wet and miserable and I had 2 children to entertain (aged 10 and 11) and this is completely underground so very dry. The passages were only a 20 minute tour. Unfortunately we had a visitor in our group who kept stopping to ask questions and the tour was shorter than normal as the next tour was waiting to... More

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Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 March 2012
2
people found this review helpful

I loved it but my friend found it very claustrophobic. Don't wear your best coat as you can't avoid brushing against the walls. More

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Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 March 2012
1
person found this review helpful

A short, but interesting, insight into how underground passages were used to bring clean water into Exeter. The total tour takes about 30-40 minutes, starting with a short video (approximately 7-10 minutes) followed by a ‘hard hat’ tour of some of the underground passages (approximately 20-25 minutes). There is also a small museum to visit either before or after your... More

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