# Exeter Catacombs & St Bartholomew's Cemetary.



## Foxylady

St Bartholomew's cemetary was built in 1835 after a cholera epidemic caused the existing graveyards to be full. The catacombs were designed by Thomas Whitaker and were built between 1835-37. They were the first cemetary buildings in Britain to be built in the style of Ancient Egypt, emulating Egyptian tombs.







The cemetary is now mostly a park. Built on two levels, the catacombs are built beneath part of the upper level, the lower level still having gravestones and tomb markers, notably in the style of obelisks. The entrance to the catacombes themselves is kept locked with metal gates, but the inside can be accessed during free tours by the Exeter Red Coats between April & October.






My other black & white photos of the outside of the catacombs & the lower cemetary can be seen in the Gallery.

Cheers
Foxylady.


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## TuningHouse

Can you direct me to this - looks really good. Used to live in Exe but never went to the Catacombs  

Lovely pics


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## Foxylady

TuningHouse said:


> Can you direct me to this - looks really good...



Cheers, TH. I'll give it a go. I'll post a map up a bit later once I've got a bit of time to sort it out.
We used to have a gallery on the forum but not any more, so I'll post a few more pics too. 
Btw, did you ever go in the Underground Passages? I had some video footage from back along, but no pics unfortunately. I've been meaning to go and take some. It's a fascinating tour. 

EDIT: I just realised...that was my very first report on DP.


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## Foxylady

*Map & More Photos*

Couldn't provide a link as I've never got the hang of it with FE or GE...... but here's a screen shot of the map.  The crosshair is approximately at the point where there are steps leading down onto the terraces where the catacombs are...it can't be seen as it is, but just click on the top bar to enlarge. 

Oddly enough, I'm going to be in Exeter tomorrow, so I'll nip along and get some colour pics. Might even go to the Underground Passages. 






And some more pics. The first one is overlooking the terraced graveyard from the road above the catacombs.





















Cheers.


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## TuningHouse

Excellent, thanks very much. Im hoping to get to the catacombs this weekend  So will check out the cemetry too. Thanks for the info


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## Seahorse

Here's a LINKY


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## Foxylady

Cheers, Seahorse.  I really will have to learn how to do that!


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## Seahorse

In Google maps, once you are where you want to be, click on "link", and copy the URL from the top box that appears.

You can then paste that in to your post.


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## TuningHouse

Thanks very much chap


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## Foxylady

After a visit to Poltimore today with Badoosh, Graybags and TheTerrorWheel, the guys kindly dropped me off at the cemetary where I took some colour pics.

Starting at the top. The cemetary is laid out in layers, with grassy paths running along each terrace.
























































Some gravestones have been removed and laid out against the wall at the bottom end.











Cheers.


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## TuningHouse

Great place, im assuming you cant get into the Catacombs without a guided tour ? I cant find out much about the tours  and wether its worth it


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## Foxylady

TuningHouse said:


> Great place, im assuming you cant get into the Catacombs without a guided tour ? I cant find out much about the tours  and wether its worth it



Cheers, TH. No, they're all metal-grille gated and padlocked, but I think they are opened occasionally. Some of them are just small rooms but I think the larger, central one has passages leading off it. I happened to walk past the red-coat tour meeting place outside the cathedral and I saw on the notice board that there are tours of the catacombs, but I'm not sure if that includes the inside. I'll let you know if I find out any more.


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## Badoosh

Nice pics Foxy, we would have loved to have joined you but that damn traffic was a nightmare. Graybags has spotted something in Exeter that need's closer inspection, so we'll have to organise another meet to take in the catacombs too.


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## Black Shuck

Hy Foxy! thats a very nice looking Graveyard, especially the Egyptian style tombs. Did you get a bit of Vertigo looking down onto the grassed area!?


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## Foxylady

Badoosh said:


> Nice pics Foxy, we would have loved to have joined you but that damn traffic was a nightmare. Graybags has spotted something in Exeter that need's closer inspection, so we'll have to organise another meet to take in the catacombs too.



Cheers, Badoosh.  Oh, excellent. I'm not sure but I think I may have spotted something too...very briefly, just before we saw the Ghost-Ad...but I didn't have time to wander back up that way. I've never really been around that area and I think it needs some looking at. 



Black Shuck said:


> Hy Foxy! thats a very nice looking Graveyard, especially the Egyptian style tombs. Did you get a bit of Vertigo looking down onto the grassed area!?



I did indeed!  There were random steps down from the top terrace but they were so steep and wet from the rain that I took the longer, gentler meander down.


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## Black Shuck

Foxylady said:


> Cheers, Badoosh.  Oh, excellent. I'm not sure but I think I may have spotted something too...very briefly, just before we saw the Ghost-Ad...but I didn't have time to wander back up that way. I've never really been around that area and I think it needs some looking at.
> 
> 
> 
> I did indeed!  There were random steps down from the top terrace but they were so steep and wet from the rain that I took the longer, gentler meander down.



I would have done exactly the same. I would not care how long it took!


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## Badoosh

Foxylady said:


> Cheers, Badoosh.  Oh, excellent. I'm not sure but I think I may have spotted something too...very briefly, just before we saw the Ghost-Ad...but I didn't have time to wander back up that way. I've never really been around that area and I think it needs some looking at.



Aye, there seems to be a few bits of interest dotted about around that area. We'll have to make another day of it


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