Exeter-born Chris Martin of Coldplay performing in Las Vegas earlier this year(Image: Getty)

Inside tiny Devon village that Coldplay's Chris Martin is from where homes cost £650k

Chris Martin may have made a new life in Malibu, but his West Country roots helped to shape his career

by · DevonLive

Global superstar and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin may be responsible for some of the most iconic songs of the 2000s and beyond, but being an international rock star is a far cry from his idyllic childhood in a tiny Devon hamlet.

Chris was born in Exeter in 1977 to Alison Martin, a music teacher, and John Martin, a chartered accountant. The family had a well-known motor home sales business, Martin's of Exeter, founded by Chris’s grandfather, John Besley Martin, who was the Mayor of Exeter in 1968 and a former High Sheriff.

One of five children, the family lived in the picturesque but tiny village of Whitestone, situated just four miles from Exeter city centre.

The historic city of Exter is just four miles from the village where Chris Martin grew up(Image: Getty)

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As a boy, Chris attended Exeter Cathedral School, where at age 12 he composed a three-minute track called Electric Thunder and featured on the keyboard. He is also rumoured to have been part of two bands whilst a pupil at the school called Crises and the Rockin' Honkies.

Several years later his band Coldplay is one of the biggest on the planet, playing sold-out stadium tours across the globe. Their debut album Parachutes was released in 2000, and their breakthrough hit "Yellow" entered the charts at Number 4, propelling them to lasting fame.

A long way from Whitestone, Coldplay headlined the Glastonbury Festival for the fifth time in June 2024(Image: Getty)

Since then they have released eight studio albums, winning numerous awards, including Grammys, BRITs, Billboard, and MTV Video Music Awards. Chris also went on to marry American actress Gwyneth Paltrow in 2003. They have two children, Apple and Moses, but the couple separated in 2014 in what they called "a conscious uncoupling"

Back in Whitestone, however, things have remained pretty much the same as before. At the heart of the hamlet, The Travellers Rest is a former 16th-century coaching inn, a country pub, and an eating house with a beer garden just off the A30 on the outskirts of Exeter. Renowned for its Sunday roast menu, it also offers a great selection of wines, beers, real ales, and spirits.

The Travellers Rest in Whitestone(Image: The Travellers Rest)

The bustling Parish Hall is the heart of the community, hosting a variety of clubs, groups, and societies as well as the Parish Council meetings. Whitestone even has its own charity, providing small grants for education and training to residents of the parish.

Just outside the village, the beautiful Barley Valley Park offers 11 hectares of pretty rolling hills and tranquil walks in the setting of a local nature reserve.

Barley Valley Park Nature Reserve is close to the village(Image: Devon Wildlife Trust)

Being a small village just on the edge of the city, house prices are similar to those you would expect to pay in Exeter. According to Rightmove, properties in Whitestone had an overall average price of £650,000 over the last year.

As of July 2024, the average house price in Exeter was £315,000. According to the Office For National Statistics, the average price for detached properties is £557,000, while semi-detached properties are valued at £358,000. Terraced properties are priced at £298,000, and flats and maisonettes have an average price of £184,000.

House prices in Exeter are above the national average(Image: Getty)

The Martin's family home, however, went up for sale in 2010 with an asking price well above the regional average. With an asking price of £1.35 million, the detached Georgian pile is an attractive six-bedroom, cream-coloured house set in large gardens with extensive views across the countryside - perfect for a fledgling global rock star.

Other homes in Whitestone range from charming country cottages to detached bungalows on spacious plots, making the small hamlet a popular choice for buyers with deep pockets.

Located just to the west of the ancient city on the River Exe, residents of the village tend to take the short journey into the city for business and pleasure.

Coldplay on stage at the iconic Exeter Cavern Club back in 2010(Image: Exeter Cavern)

Exeter is still very much a city driven by music. Venues such as the Exeter Phoenix, the Exeter Corn Exchange, The Lemon Grove and the Exeter Cavern regularly host local, national and global acts, while Exeter Cathedral and The Great Hall are famed for their classical recitals.

The city offers a wealth of attractions, from exploring the stunning Gothic Cathedral and relaxing on the Cathedral Green, to visiting the award-winning Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery. Visitors can also enjoy guided tours of the city's unique Underground Passages and stroll along the picturesque Historic Quayside.

Exeter Cathedral is one of the most famous landmarks in the ancient city(Image: Getty)

Since his early years in the pretty village of Whitestone, the Coldplay singer has toured the world, married and divorced a Hollywood actress, won numerous prestigious music awards and played a role in significant events in both musical and cultural history.

These days, Chris spends most of his time in Malibu, California, sharing his life with actress Dakota Johnson.