Although Towne was closely identified with Exeter by the London art world, the city itself did not supply regular subject matter for his work. Nevertheless, there was an emerging canon of picturesque views around the Exe estuary, which was the site of several sketches in this section. Concerning the city itself, the view from Exwick that Towne had chosen for his large oil exhibited in 1773 (FT019) was overtaken in popularity by the riverside view from the Haven Bank, sketched by Joseph Farington on his visits of 1809 and 1810, and painted by the Exeter-based artist, Francis Stevens (1781–1823), and by Towne’s pupils (FT895).¹