Starting Saturday 9 May, visitors to Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (RAMM) will be treated to a new exhibition featuring historic scenes of Exeter canal and the Exe.

First constructed in the 1560s, Exeter’s canal system has been extended and upgraded over the centuries. Now used primarily by leisure craft, the city waterways were once vital to the regional economy. The decline of the West Country wool trade and the arrival of the railways in the 19th century led to a reduction in use. However, sizeable cargoes were still brought up to the quayside even after the Second World War.

For three centuries, visiting and local artists have been inspired by the combination of water and architecture in and around Exeter. RAMM’s Fine Art Collection is now an invaluable visual record of the city before the major redevelopments of the late 20th century.

Drawn from Exeter’s Fine, Quay Views: Exeter Canal and the Exe can be viewed in gallery 5 from 9 May to 2 August. Entry is free.