Theatre Fire Memorial

The Theatre Royal fire of 1887 tore through Exeter's cultural heart, killing around sixty people in a tragedy that's easy to overlook if you're just passing through. The memorial marks where it happened, a sobering reminder in a city that's otherwise all Tudor beams and cathedral spires.

You won't spend long here - it's a modest stone or plaque rather than a full visitor experience - but that's rather the point. Standing there, you get a proper sense of how quickly disaster struck in Victorian theatres, packed tight with people and lit by gas lamps. It forces you to pause and think, which is exactly what a memorial should do.

History buffs will want to find it, especially if you're already exploring Exeter's centre. The walk from the High Street takes minutes. Families with older kids interested in local history might detour here between the Cathedral and the quay, though younger children won't find much to engage them.

If you're staying at Devon Heaven Hideaways near Exeter, the memorial fits neatly into a morning exploring the city before heading back for a soak in your hot tub. Allow five minutes to pay your respects, perhaps twenty if you want to sit with the story. Free to visit, naturally, with no opening hours to worry about since it's an outdoor memorial.

It won't be the highlight of your park holiday. But it's the kind of thing that makes a place feel real rather than just picture-postcard pretty.