▁of ▁Is ca ▁D umn on ior um ▁and ▁being ▁continu ously ▁inhab ited ▁since ▁that ▁time . ▁Among ▁the ▁finds ▁were ▁over ▁a ▁ton ▁of ▁Roman ▁tile ▁fragments , ▁rare ▁early ▁ 1 5 th ▁century ▁pot tery ▁and ▁ 1 4 4 ▁co ins , ▁one ▁of ▁which , ▁dated ▁to ▁around ▁ 1 2 0 0 , ▁was ▁mint ed ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁ ▁The ▁post - war ▁buildings ▁have ▁been ▁replaced ▁with ▁a ▁modern ▁sho pping ▁centre , ▁opened ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁considerable ▁discussion ▁with ▁strong ▁views ▁for ▁and ▁against ; ▁in ev itable ▁because ▁of ▁its ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁the ▁C athedral ▁Close ▁and ▁Southern h ay ▁and ▁the ▁design ▁which ▁integrated ▁mixed ▁housing ▁into ▁the ▁Ex eter ▁ret ail ▁zone , ▁and ▁resist ed ▁the ▁late ▁tw enti eth ▁century ▁drive ▁towards ▁bland ▁m alls . ▁ ▁Despite ▁criticism , ▁the ▁site ▁was ▁developed ▁by ▁Land ▁Sec ur ities ▁in ▁partners hip ▁with ▁The ▁Crown ▁Est ate ▁into ▁ 5 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁sq ▁ft ▁of ▁ret ail ▁space ▁accommod ating ▁over ▁ 6 0 ▁stores . ▁It ▁won ▁the ▁British ▁Council ▁of ▁Sho pping ▁Cent res ▁" S up reme ▁Gold ▁Award " ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Ret ail ▁Week ' s ▁" S ho pping ▁location ▁of ▁the ▁year " ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁and ▁the ▁International ▁Council ▁of ▁Sho pping ▁Cent ers ▁" Best