Synopsis: Heritage Open Days visits to St Stephen’s Church, Southernhay United Reformed Church, Custom House, St Michael & All Angels’ Church, Exeter Synagogue and Killerton House (NT).
This blog post describes visits made possible under the Heritage Open Days (HOD) scheme. To see other blog posts which describe Heritage Open Days visits, please see Tag in column to the right.
Friday 7th September: St Stephen’s Church (Just some higgledy piggledy notes without photos)
Little did I know this was to be my Dr Who experience of the Heritage Open Days. I arrived at St Stephen’s Church about fifteen minutes after the advertised opening time of 10am to find there was to be a talk on the church and its history at 10:30am so I gathered a little literature from a table and found myself a seat inside the TARDIS.
The TARDIS from the Dr Who television series
The reason I say ‘TARDIS’, is that I felt it was like that, on entering the ‘medieval’ church. The church has just had a £1.5m makeover and the inside now looks gleaming and new with very little that might reflect its long history, slightly odd for what is ostensibly a medieval building. So, it felt to me like the TARDIS, not in that its exterior dimensions belied the size inside, but in that the outer appearance gives no suggestion of what the interior looks like. The interior feels rather as if it could be any modern hall and conveys little of sense of a long tradition of Christian devotion, which is something of a shame.
The talk gave a history of the church of St Stephen’s within the context of what was happening in the country as a whole. The original church was smaller than the one we see today; the walls were sited roughly where the internal pillars of today’s church are. There is a crypt beneath the church that dates from the very earliest period of the church. It is very unusual for a church to have a crypt, there being only five churches in England that have a crypt, one other being in Devon at Sidmouth, at the church of St Gile’s. The pillars of the crypt were improved through replacement by the Normans. The crypt was not opened up as part of recent renovations as it was though it may have destabilised the church and there wasn’t the money to undertake this in a safe way.
The bow of the church was built in the 13th century, over an old Saxon lane. In the 15th century the top level of the crypt is removed and the two-tiered nave made level (prior to this change the church would, including the chancel over the arch, have been on three levels).
Myles Coverdale, instrumental in the production of the King James Bible and whose translation of the psalms is to be found in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, was made Bishop of Exeter. When Mary Tudor came to the throne with a wish to reinstate Catholicism in the country, Miles fears for his life and flees to the Continent. Mary burned three hundred people in her purge, one of whom was Agnes Proust of Exeter, commemorated by a memorial to be seen in Denmark Road.
If you did not attend an Anglican church because of your Catholic beliefs you were termed a recusant. In Queen Elizabeth I’s reign there were nineteen churches in Exeter. There is a substantial memorial to George Potter in the church in recognition of his having paid for the rebuild of the church after a fire in 1895.
Saturday 8th September: Southernhay United Reformed Church, Custom House & St Michael & All Angels
Southernhay United Reformed Church, Exeter
United Reformed Church, Exeter
Of the original 1860’s building on the site of the Southernhay United Reformed Church only the tower and spire remain, the rest having been destroyed in the blitz of 1942. The destroyed portions of the church were rebuilt in the 1950s. On entering the church I found it to be very much as I would have expected a 1950s church to be, in that it was spacious, light and airy, the lines of the church being clean and simple, and as such, quite elegant. I said to one of the lady stewards in the church that I thought it is possibly quite unique in Exeter, to which she replied, saying that there is one other similar church, and that is St Jame’s Church, but I’m not familiar with that church.
United Reformed Church, Exeter - west gallery
The patrons of the church had gone to quite some effort to explain the the past of the church by posting a brief history along with old photographs around the walls of the nave. Apparently the original plan for the rebuild of the church was to demolish the spire and redevelop the whole site but there was an outcry from the people of Exeter against this, and so the tower and spire were saved. This photo shows the west gallery of the church.
United Reformed Church, Exeter - showing tower, the only surviving part of the 1860s church
Today, much has changed all around the church with the major redevelopment of the city centre which has only recently been completed. I asked if this had affected the church, and the lady in attendance said grooms at marriage ceremonies can no longer rely on future brides arriving on time since they’re likely to be stuck in the queue for the car park which often runs the whole length of Paris Street and onto the roundabout at the bottom of the hill. Not very clever planning. And, rather interestingly, apparently the developers, Sturgess (I think), sought to buy the church offering an alternative (backwater) site elsewhere in the city as replacement. The church board considered this proposal but it was rejected. The site of Southernhay United Reformed Church is obviously high value being so close to the city centre; I feel it would have been a shame to have lost out to yet more shops, business and residential accommodation. Man can’t live by shopping alone (sic.), I think it was once said.
Custom House, The Quay, Exeter
Custom House, Exeter Quay
My next port of call was literally that, Exeter Quay, as I wished to visit the Custom House to be found thereupon. I arrived slightly before the opening time of 11am so I strolled about the quay for a few minutes but it was not long before I could see a crowd gathering at the Custom House, so I made my way across to the entrance. This was obviously going to prove a popular attraction from the number of people crowding into the tiny entranceway of the Custom House. A gentleman (Paul) arrived and ushered us to the front of the building where he began a talk on the building.
Custom House, Exeter Quay
It’s a somewhat strange affair in that the Custom House is now home to Chandni Chowk (Fair trade clothes, ethical home and fashion accessories) which moved in a few months ago from a site elsewhere in the city, currently on a one year lease. The gentleman giving the talk was the ‘tenant’ of the building, apparently obliged to show groups around, which he said he willingly undertook.
The brickwork is laid in English Bond form, but apparently the bricks, produced at a local kiln, were poorly made and many have had to be replaced, bricks being a new invention of the time. The property is believed to be the oldest surviving brick building in the city. Constructed in 1680-81, Exeter's Custom House is the oldest in the land, used by Customs and Excise until 1989.
The canons at the front of the building were an order from Russia, sent back as being either inferior or unsuitable. They’ve no real connection with the building other than that, but have become rather a landmark of the quay.
Custom House, Exeter Quay
It’s impressive to see how much of the building survives in its original state. Much of the brickwork, the roof, the doors and hinges, the staircase, the flagstones, the rear windows, a communication tube between ground and first floor, and of course the ornamental sculptured plasterwork ceilings. The ornamental ceilings are a major attraction of the building, the plasterwork extremely flamboyant and picturesque, being far more three-dimensional than is typical of sculpted ceilings. There are roses, berries, flamingos, and what are believed to be lamprey, all carved in the plaster of the ceiling.
Custom House, Exeter Quay
What becomes readily apparent from standing at one of the first floor windows is what a commanding view a person has over the whole working quay. I suppose if the taxing of goods in and out of the port are to be properly conducted, this is just the sort of lookout that was required. Our guide was able to tell us of some rather shady dealings uncovered when the inspectors arrived. So, no change there; some things remain timeless, such as the fact that everyone’s on the make.
The new use of the Custom House seems to form a happy marriage between an historic building of great significance and the trading of exotic products from India. There’s a real sense of continuity in its current use, and I hope it proves successful for all concerned.
On concluding my visit to the Custom House, I returned to the city centre and entered Rougemont Gardens where I found a place in the sun to eat my picnic lunch.
St Michael and All Angels Church, Dinham Mount, Exeter
West front
St Michael and All Angels is a church I’ve long wished to visit and finally this opportunity has arisen. In part my interest in the church has arisen from the fact that it was built from the proceeds of its benefactor William Gibbs, the owner of Tyntesfield House (NT), who was a guano magnate. Another prime reason for my interest in the church was that it holds such a commanding prospect from the city sitting high on its mount, topped off with a tower and spire which make it the highest church in Exeter. All perhaps rather surprising for what was originally intended to be a chapel to serve the spiritual needs of the poor living in the adjacent Exeter Free Cottage almshouses.
St Michael & All Angels Church, Mount Dinham, Exeter
John Dinham, a local philanthropist responsible for the building of the nearby almshouses, felt a church was required on the site, for the spiritual wellbeing of the inhabitants, and sought a benefactor to bestow the necessary funds. He somehow discovered William Gibbs who was obviously well impressed with John Dinham and his works, and who, conveniently, was extremely wealthy, and able to commission the large and imposing church we see today.
Our guide for the tour, a member of the congregation and choir of the church, and also a historical architect, explained that the building is modelled in the French Gothic style. It is certainly unlike any other church in Exeter, other than perhaps the cathedral.
The reredos
On entering the church one’s eye is immediately drawn the length of the church to the reredos. There is an ambience of dark grandeur in the building, which perhaps evokes an appropriate sense of sombre piety in those attending worship. Because the chancel area is rather a dark space, the stained glass east window seems to shine out bright and vivid. It’s a rather splendid piece of work.
Chest monument with a life size effigy of William Gibbs
In the chancel is a chest monument with a life size effigy of William Gibbs. On the opposite side are three elaborately carved sedilia, rather an unusual sight in an Anglican church.
St Michael & All Angels Church, Mount Dinham, Exeter
On leaving the church I strolled around the almshouses and old Episcopal School, now converted into residential accommodation. I’ve always liked these almshouses on Mount Dinham, as they create such a tranquil and picturesque space on a site that is but a stone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of the modern city centre; a little oasis of calm in a frenzied world.
Sunday 9th September: Exeter Synagogue & Killerton House (NT)
Exeter Synagogue
The Synagogue, Exeter
The Exeter Synagogue requires a little hunting out, as it’s to be found down a little alley behind other buildings. It is perhaps not commonly known that there is a synagogue in Exeter, nor that there is also a mosque in the Exeter Mosque. A talk was being given to a small group of people on my arrival, so I tagged onto the back of this group.
The Synagogue, Exeter
It is not a large building and space is confined to the point whereby its interior is certainly quite intimate. The building is rectangular, with the Torah Ark, a place where the Torah scrolls are kept, on the wall furthest from the door. This theoretically should be on an East facing wall (towards Jerusalem, rather like a Christian church), but apparently is somewhat skewed from this angle. In the centre is a raised enclosed platform with a large sloping desk on which I believe the Torah scrolls would be unrolled. Scrolls are not touched by hands, wooden poles are used to manipulate the scroll.
As the ark was about to be opened, the gentleman giving the talk handed out to the men present little skull caps which I believe are called kippot. There were 4 Torah on display in the Ark, the oldest of which, not used for services, was thought to be about 300-350 years old, written on goat skin. The newer scrolls were on parchment. It takes considerable knowledge of the Torah to be able to navigate around a Torah to the location of any desired text. The text in the Torah is the first five books of the old testament within the Christian bible.
The Synagogue, Exeter
The interior of the synagogue has seating at two levels. Traditional Judaism dictates that only men would be on the lower level, women on the higher balcony level, as spectators to the ceremony. Apparently the Exeter Synagogue does not adhere to that code of practice. The columns supporting the balcony are painted with images of reeds, which are said to represent the reeds in which Moses was found.
Killerton House (NT)
My sister-in-law Christine said she’d be interested in a visit to Killerton House (NT) which was open for free on Sunday as part of Heritage Open Days. With Mum and I, we made a threesome for this visit. The car park was pretty busy on our arrival, so this was obviously proving a popular attraction today.
Killerton House (NT)
The odd thing is that Killerton House is the National Trust property that is closest to where I live in Exeter, and yet I’d never gone into the house. I think this is in part because visits to the property have often been short afternoon hops, often with Mum, leaving us only sufficient time to explore the gardens, and hence we’d never ventured into the house till now.
Killerton House (NT)
The house, its lands, and the entire estate including tenanted cottages and farms, was presented to the National Trust by Richard Acland in 1946. Apparently, by virtue of the extensive holding at Killerton, this is one of the trust’s most profitable properties. There’s obviously a steady rental income coming in from all the various tenants. (“At 2,590 hectares (6,400 acres) it is one of the largest the National Trust has acquired (it includes 20 farms and 200-plus cottages).”)
I was told by one of the stewards that the Aclands acquired their considerable wealth through the good sense of having sons, and then marrying these sons off very fortuitously. That is to say, wives with very substantial dowries were acquired at various junctures in the lineage, and this added considerably to the pot.
Killerton House (NT) - dining room
There is a substantial collection of paintings on display on the ground floor, many are of the Acland family, and make for very interesting viewing. The house is quite cosy, and provides a good sense of what it once was to be well off and living a good life through the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Killerton House (NT) - the staircase
The stair case is quite grand, and is topped by a skylight with decorative chandelier of a rather unusual design. Is that alabaster? I’m unsure, but it looks as if it could be.
Killerton House (NT) - costume display
There is a fine collection of costumes on display, particularly around the rooms of the first floor. Some costumes are early Georgian and quite unlike anything I’d seen previously. There were costumes right up to the 20s and 30s, these being very easy to place in their time, as distinctive as they are.
Killerton House (NT) - the Bear Hut
Mum, Christine and I finished our Killerton visit with a quick circuit through the formal garden, up to the Bear Hut (where apparently a bear was once kept), through the rock garden recently recovered from obscurity, and down a tree-lined path returning to the house. It was by now nearly 5pm and most people had deserted. Unfortunately it was rather overcast and cool so we decided to postpone our picnic till we returned home where we’d have the luxury of a cup of tea. The scones, strawberry jam and clotted cream supplied by Christine were the perfect way to end our Killerton trip.
These few days were something of a cultural overdose; well, almost. It was a very interesting, if rather busy few days. There are things I’d go back to and savour more slowly another time, so, I must make sure I have a date in my calendar for HODs next year.
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