The Quay

Originally built for the trasport of goods, the canals now serve primarily as areas for pleasure cruises. You can can't actually see it here, but that light post has a shield bearing three turreted towers. This is the city insignia and served as the city's silver mark until that office shut down in 1883. The mark probably comes from the city's Rougement Castle- a Norman stronghold built by William the Conqueror. This castle- though now in ruins- was long used as impressive fortifications and the city was frequently identified as a bastion of Royalist loyalty. This lead Elizabeth the First to suggest the motto 'Semper Fidelis'. Rougemont Castle, like many important buildings including Exeter Cathedral, is built out of the local red sandstone hence the French for 'red mountain'.