Exmouth: a resort town at the mouth of the Exe
Exmouth is a port town and seaside resort in Devon. It sits on the east bank at the mouth of the River Exe. The 2021 census counted 35,500 people in its built-up area, making it the fifth largest settlement in Devon. It also serves as a commuter town for nearby Exeter.
The town grew in the 18th century and counts as the oldest seaside resort in Devon. Wealthy visitors came for the sea views and the salt water, which people believed had healing properties. Then the railway arrived in 1861, and mass tourism followed. As a result, much of the town’s current layout dates from that period.
Exmouth sits within the East Devon district. It has its own town council, based at Exmouth Town Hall, with a mayor elected each year.
Homes from several eras
Exmouth has a wide range of architecture. For example, small cob cottages survive in former villages such as Withycombe, which the town has since absorbed. Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian town houses stand closer to the centre. High above the promenade, the Beacon terrace first became fashionable in Georgian times.
However, most buildings in Exmouth date from the Victorian era, after the railway came. The railway reclaimed the land west of Exeter Road, which once formed part of the seafront. Some houses near the station in Littleham went up for railway workers.
What a coastal position means for installation
Homes near the seafront face salt-laden air. This can be harder on unprotected metal fittings over time. Therefore, siting an outdoor unit away from direct sea spray is worth raising with the installer. Our guide to whether it is worth installing weighs up the benefits for a UK home more generally.
Older walls need care too. A cob cottage or a thick Georgian wall is a different job from a modern cavity wall. Meanwhile, some buildings on reclaimed land use pumps to clear water from basements at high tide. That is worth mentioning if a unit or its pipework would go near a basement.
A long beach and a protected estuary
The town’s sandy beach runs for about two miles along the sea front. At its eastern end, the cliffs of Orcombe Point rise on National Trust land. Exmouth also marks the western end of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.
The Exe Estuary is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, noted for wading and migrating birds. Across the mouth of the river lies Dawlish Warren, a natural sand spit. In addition, the 16-sided house A La Ronde stands on the town’s northern outskirts. During the summer months, a passenger ferry also crosses the estuary to Starcross.
Coverage from Exeter
Exmouth is about 16 miles by road from Exeter, around 25 minutes’ drive. The Avocet Line links the two by rail, and a cycleway runs alongside it. Along the coast to the east, Budleigh Salterton is covered by air conditioning in Budleigh Salterton. Across the estuary, air conditioning installation in Dawlish and our Teignmouth installation page cover the next towns.
Getting matched in Exmouth
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Get in touch through the contact form with your address and the work you need. You can also read about installation first for more background. A breakdown of installation prices is covered separately.