10 September 2017 - Cycle: East Budleigh, Budleigh Salterton and Exmouth (29.4 Miles)

Synopsis: A chance to see the Salem Chapel, East Budleigh on Heritage Open Days. Cycle route over Woodbury Common involves small amount of off-road riding. Popped in on Farringdon Church for lunch.

Photo Set – Flickr -:- (Map)

GPS Tracklog Download (.gpx) Microsoft OneDrive -:- Google Drive

 

Tracklog and Photos - Google My Map

Tracklog overlay - OSM – ViewRanger -:- OS – WheresThePath

 

Activity Route & Statistics – Runtastic

 

(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)

‘Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble.’ And other such conjuring by the Weird Sisters. But let’s leave that aside for the moment. This blog post describes a visit to Salem Chapel, East Budleigh, made possible under the Heritage Open Days (HOD) scheme. This scheme ran 7-10 September 2017. It is an annual event that makes places normally closed to public viewing, and those that involve subscribed entry, open for free to the public. To view blog posts that describe other Heritage Open Days visits of mine, please see Tag in column to the right.

My primary objective today was to revisit the church, Salem Church including Boundary Walls and Assembly Room (Listed Grade II*), East Budleigh, a place I’d previously only seen from the outside. I first came across this chapel whilst out cycling in 2014 (see blog post: 16 August 2014 - Cycle: Exeter to Budleigh Salterton via Farringdon (33.1 Miles)). On that occasion the chapel was not open. I was intrigued to see and know more, and therefore made a mental note then and there to return. Today, three years later, was the day for doing that. There were rain showers about, but I decided to chance it. I made use of the route I had cycled in 2014, loading that to my GPS for navigation. I opted for my road bike, as it is generally quicker than my mountain bike, although the route I was to take did involve a couple of short sections of off-road riding (see marked on associated Google My Map, link above).

Farringdon - Church of St Petrock and St Barnabus (Listed Grade II*)

My first objective was to reach Farringdon Church, the Church of St Petrock and St Barnabus (Listed Grade II*),  where I intended to break my journey and have a picnic lunch. First off, let me say, I very much like this church. It is not at all typical of a Devon church, having a very distinctive style of its own. In fact Pevsner makes reference to the ‘un-Devonian broach-spire’ (Devon – Pevsner) [Amazon].

 

Farringdon - Church of St Petrock and St Barnabus (Listed Grade II*) - The chancel, choir and altar

 

 

But, as mentioned in my previous blog post, there is something that makes me smile. Apparently the Exeter born historian William George Hoskins opinion of this church, was to describe it as “hideous”. I think that a bit harsh. This opinion has always been quite the opposite to my reaction. I do believe the people of Farringdon have taken this on the chin, and now wear this as a sort of rather perverse badge of honour. It’s said, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

 

Woodbury Common - short off-road section through the woods

I didn’t stay too long at Farringdon Church, nor did I take many photos. If you wish to see more of this church, I recommend you visit my previous blog of 2014 (link above). I took a quick stroll around the church to savour its atmosphere, and then found a wall on which to perch as I ate my lunch. I then set off cycling on the next leg of my journey to East Budleigh.

The cycling this far had been relatively easy along country lanes with gentle inclines. Now my way started to climb a little more steeply as I approached Woodbury Common. A short section of this route over the common was along a rough track, which did slow my progress. It wasn’t long however before I began the descent along a country lane into East Budleigh.

Inscription: 'Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618) Unveiled by HRH The Duke of Kent K.G. - 9 February 2006'

East Budleigh in a nutshell: Without doubt East Budleigh’s biggest claim to fame has to be that Sir Walter Raleigh (1554-1618) was born just down the road at Hayes Barton. Apparently, ‘East Budleigh was an important settlement until the Otter ceased to be navigable.’ At the crossroads is a pillar (photo), ‘Of brick, with a rectangular stone cap bearing religious inscriptions and a cross, erected in 1580 by the Sheriff of Devon who had to order the burning of a witch at the crossroads.’ – (Devon – Pevsner) [Amazon]

Quotation: ‘To put these [Exeter] executions into context, the last case in Scotland was as late as 1727 when a witch was executed by burning. There were also the notorious witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts, which resulted in the execution of 19 alleged witches in the course of 1692-3. Across Britain the overwhelming majority (around 80%) of those accused of witchcraft during the 16th-17th centuries were female, which is borne out by the statistics for the West Country.’ (Devon Witches) [Exeter Civic Society]

See: Forensic artist reconstructs face of Scottish 'witch' (BBC News – 31/10/2017)

Witches aside, I made straight for Salem Chapel (Listed Grade II*). But, before continuing here, let me briefly mention a place brought to mind when first I saw Salem Chapel. That place is Loughwood Meeting House (NT), which I’d visited in 2014 (see blog post: 15 March 2014 - Walk: Loughwood Meeting House (8.5 Miles)). The austerity of these two places is stark. Stripped of all the usual ornamentation typically found in a church, these places seem to represent the elemental quality of devotion. And, as much as I take pleasure in the ostentatious decoration of traditional churches, I am equally charmed by the rawness of dissenters’ chapels such as these. The desire of the people to pare back the pomp and dross and re-vitalise from core belief must surely evoke sympathy. So, what is the history of Salem Chapel?

Roger Conant (colonist) [Wikipedia] - Transcription of plaque: 'Roger Conant Born 1592 - Died 1679 The first settler of Salem, 1626 -:- "I was a means through grace assisting me, to stop the flight of those few that then were here with me, and that by my utter denial to go away with the, who would have gone either for England, or mostly for Virginia"'

The name, Salem Chapel, when first I came upon it intrigued me, as I was aware of the name Salem from the play The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, about the Salem witch trials, which I’d studied many, many years ago, and once seen in London. And, yes, there is a connection between the Salem, Massachusetts, USA, and this Salem Chapel, East Budleigh, as unlikely at that might seem. The explanation is given in a caption on a noticeboard to be found in the Assembly Room: ‘Roger Conant lived in the Mill House [East Budleigh] that stood near this car park. He and his brother Christopher sailed for America in 1623 and with his followers founded the town of Salem, Massachusetts, where a statue of his stands. His descendants still keep in touch with East Budleigh.’ Roger Conant, however, had no direct connection with this chapel, since it was built later (1719).

What I did find interesting, upon further research, was the connection of witches between East Budleigh and Salem, Massachusetts. Much of Salem town’s cultural identity reflects its role as the location of the infamous Salem witch trials. To discover upon subsequent reading (see mention above) that a witch was burnt at the stake in the centre of East Budleigh, makes for a strong historical theme connecting these two places. Exeter, my home town, is also significant in this respect, in that it notoriously, was the last place in England in which a group of witches were condemned to death, by the infamous Judge Jefferies, for practising witchcraft.

Salem Church including Boundary Walls and Assembly Room (Listed Grade II*)

Viewed from the outside, Salem Chapel and its Assembly Room could easily be passed without a moment’s notice. Perhaps taken to be a couple of farm outbuildings. The pillared gateway to the chapel with iron trellis arch and the yew hedging  perhaps being the only visual clues that here is something more than a couple of utility buildings, although Pevsner says ‘eye-catching’ of the outward appearance (eye of the beholder perhaps?).

 

[Salem Church including Boundary Walls and Assembly Room (Listed Grade II*)]: The ground floor pews facing the altar

The interior is striking, in that it is a large open space, with the roof supported on a central iron pillar. It is airy, simple and elegant. The balcony, along three walls, is supported on slender iron pillars. The first floor box pews are possibly original, the ground floor pews a later addition. The central clock on the rear gallery is placed just as it is at Loughwood Meeting House. The total seating capacity is quite large. The solitary cross above the altar is about the only other decoration in the chapel. It is beautifully unpretentious.

[Salem Church including Boundary Walls and Assembly Room (Listed Grade II*)]: The first floor balcony with box pews

 

 

 

I mentioned my curiosity regarding the derivation of the name Salem to the the lady serving tea in the Assembly Rooms. I asked if it was Biblical, as it seemed possibly so to me. The name Salem is Arabic. The Biblical Salem ‘is traditionally identified with Jerusalem’ [Wikipedia]. There are numerous places named Salem all over the globe. There is even a Salem in Cornwall.

[Budleigh Salterton]: Shingle beach and diaphanous clouds

On leaving Salem Chapel, I returned to the centre of the pretty village of East Budleigh. From there I picked up a track rising above the village. The track was rough and rutted and a little muddy, so progress was slow once again. It wasn’t long before I joined a lane and the going became easy. I then made quick time down to Budleigh Salterton on the coast. The sun was making its best efforts to put in an appearance.

[Budleigh Salterton]: At this point a signed Permissive Path connects the road out of Budleigh Salterton with the disused railway cycle track that leads to Exmouth

 

Another shower of rain threatened, and therefore I wished to find a short route to the disused railway between Budleigh Salterton and Exmouth, which is now a cycle track, so as to be quickly on my way. There appeared to be a connecting path at the top end of Budleigh Salterton. My first choice [OS on DCC] was marked as ‘Path closed’ [OS on Bing Maps], but continuing up the hill a little further, I found this Permissive Path that led down to the cycle trail.

On approaching Exmouth, time had run on, so I didn’t linger. I picked up the Exe Estuary Trail and began my return journey in the direction of Exeter.

[Topsham]: A short break near the Goat Walk on the ride home from Exmouth to Exeter

As I reached Topsham, the rain showers had cleared, and a lovely sun shone across the waters of the estuary. I paused for a quick snack and photo before embarking on the last leg of my journey home.

It’s not every day that a person out on a bicycle ride gets to see two very interesting Grade II* listed churches. It’s important to recognise the significance of that all-important ‘*’ (star) in the listing. A Grade II* listed building is very nearly Grade I, and there aren’t that many of them, therefore they can be regarded as nearly as noteworthy as Grade I buildings. It is my view, that they are always worth a visit.

Physically, it had been quite a demanding day, and come the end of my tour I was quite exhausted. The choice of my road bike had been a good decision, as I had travelled quite quickly and with relative ease.

The Witch, occasionally seen flying about my garden

And, so, finally, the last word goes to the witches and their witchcraft, a recurrent theme of my story today. Oddly, as much as witchcraft is despised, it seems to me, rather perversely to arise from an intrinsic human need for magic in our lives. The sense that the prosaic is not nearly enough for us, and that we need to fill our lives with greater mystery and meaning. I am reminded of the seemingly hysterical words uttered by Blanche DuBois from the play A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, when towards the end of that play she says, “I don't want realism. I want magic!” The question we have to ponder is, is that a streetcar that is en route to “Elysian Fields”. Sadly there was a malign and pernicious nature to the witch trials. Let’s spare a thought for the witches (past and present) this Halloween.

Walk Statistics:

Total Distance: 47.4 km / 29.4 miles
Moving Time: 4hrs 11min
Stopped Time: 52min
Total Ascent: 667 metres
Maximum Elevation: 164 metres

Buses: (none)

10 September 2016 – Devon Historic Churches Day around Exeter

Synopsis: Devon Historic Churches Day visits to St Leonard’s Church, and St Clare’s Chapel, which is attached to the Livery Dole Almshouses. My parents married in St Leonard’s Church in 1955.

Photo Set – Flickr -:- (Map)

 

(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)

This blog post describes visits made possible under the Devon Historic Churches Day scheme. This scheme is run in conjunction with 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.

Saturday 10th September: A visit to St Leonard’s Church in the morning, followed by a visit to St Clare’s Chapel mid-afternoon.

Photo Sub-Set – Flickr

St Leonard’s Church, Exeter

[Exeter: Church of St Leonard (Listed Grade II)]: Altar table, lectern, pulpit and organ

The primary driver for my choosing to visit the Church of St Leonard is that this is the church in which my parents married in 1955. I’d not previously seen inside this church, since it is often kept locked. My mother has a photo album of her wedding. My father passed away in 2002. The photos in their wedding album are my only previous knowledge of the interior of this church.

This first photo shows the position at which the altar rail was once positioned, where the curtain extends across the chancel. The image is not at all what I had expected, as everything had been chopped and changed so much since the time of my parents’ wedding.

[Exeter: Church of St Leonard (Listed Grade II)]: View down the nave from the communion steps

When my parents knelt at the altar rail in this church, they would have seen the conventional altar and reredos that today is hidden (along with a lot of other junk) behind the curtain shown above. However, as my parents turned and looked down the church after the marriage ceremony, the view they would have had would have been much like this photo.

The door to exit the church at that time is visible on the left-hand-side, beneath the west window. The only other significant difference today is the fact that the choir stalls are stored beneath this window partly obscuring the monument to the Baring family.

[Exeter: Church of St Leonard (Listed Grade II)]: The view of the church on approaching along the driveway

As my mother and father approached St Leonard’s Church along the drive on their wedding day, this is pretty much the view that would have greeted them. The only significant difference today is that a modern annexe has been appended to the left of the church, just visible in this photo.

The church commands a high position above the River Exe, which means the steeple is visible from far afield along the River Exe. The grand houses of Larkbeare and Mount Radford stood close by at one time, both the onetime home of the Baring family. Mount Radford has been demolished, but a little of the original Larkbeare House exists in the dip of Holloway Street.

Wedding of Frederick John (Jack) Slack and Jean Maureen Rockett, 19th February 1955

 

Here we see my parents on the day of their marriage at St Leonard’s Church. There was a little snow on the ground on this day in February 1955.

My parents are standing in front of the old entrance to the church, which is, rather obscurely I admit, around the back of the church, facing Larkbeare Road. As you’ll note, the winter sun shone for them, if a little obliquely.

Their wedding reception was held above the Hill, Palmer and Edwards bakery shop, South Street, Exeter, long gone. My parents spent some time in London on their honeymoon. It does make one wonder, if the truth be known, whether one isn’t in fact a Cockney. I think we’ll say no more on that subject. And, anyway, I don’t recall hearing any bells.

 

What are my thoughts on the changes that have taken place at St Leonard’s Church? Well, I do know this is not 1955, and quite a different time to the previous 2,000 years. In 1955 things such as disability access were not on the agenda. It is without doubt a good thing that today we’re more enlightened about such things, although in general churches, because of their historic nature, make only the smallest of nods to accommodate this change in emphasis. I do feel however, the complete loss of the original altar and reredos quite jarring, as it is the fabric of the original design concept of the church. And what sprang to my mind was something I once heard said by a church historian, and that is, ‘It is easy to conceive that an altar is created for a church, when in fact, it should be viewed that the church is created for the altar.’ That, I interpret to mean, the altar is the focus of worship, the church (aside from any architectural merit) merely a creature comfort. Since churches didn’t originally exist, this is obviously an accurate perspective. In that light, the screening off of the altar as done here seems particularly adverse to purpose. Although, I admit, the unprepossessing simplicity of the current altar table, could be deemed an incremental step towards getting back to the basics of worship. As is so often the case in life, one pays one’s money, and one takes one’s choice on the subject.

I had a picnic lunch in Northernhay Park and then spent a little time in the library. There was an indication that St Clare’s Chapel would be open from about mid-afternoon. I walked that way in the hope that I might get to see it. Many a time have I walked past this little chapel over the years, and yet never had I seen the inside of the chapel. On approaching the chapel I found it locked, but a lady sat on a bench in the gardens of the almshouses asked if I would like to look inside. She kindly opened the chapel for me to take a look around, and this is what I saw.

Photo Sub-Set – Flickr

St Clare's Chapel, Exeter

[Exeter: Chapel of St Clare (Listed Grade II)]: Looking through the entrance doorway in the west wall down the nave to the altar and stained glass windows in the east wall of the chapel

The Chapel of St Clare, attached to the Livery Dole Almshouses, is quite tiny. It is pigeonholed into a small triangle of land between two very busy roads, Heavitree Road and Magdalen Road. The traffic hurtles by all around the chapel. And yet step inside the chapel and one is immediately transported into another world that is tranquil and serene.

Chapels such as this were often attached to old almshouses and hospitals such that the spiritual, as well as physical, wellbeing of the inhabitants might be administered to. And even to this day, a service takes place in this chapel each Thursday morning. Recently the almshouses have been added to, so, at least potentially, there is opportunity for a larger congregation than ever before to fill this tiny chapel.

 

[Exeter: Chapel of St Clare (Listed Grade II)]:Window in the north wall of the chapel. The stained glass is derived from a church tower in Bicton that had been demolished

 

 

 

A bomb exploded nearby during the Second World War. Possibly the same bomb that de-capped the tower of the nearby Roman Catholic church. The explosion blew out all the original medieval glass of the chapel. The medieval stained glass that we see in the chapel today has been derived from a church tower in Bicton that had been demolished.

[Exeter: Chapel of St Clare (Listed Grade II)]: This tree (centre) is said to stand where Thomas Benet, the martyr, was burnt at the stake

The single most interesting, if somewhat gruesome, story associated with Livery Dole almshouses is it having been the site of the martyrdom of Thomas Benet.

Thomas Benet would pin placards to the Cathedral door making such proclamations as the Pope being the Anti-Christ. He had been avoiding trouble for quite some time when, unfortunate for him, it is said he laughed during a Cathedral service. Upon which, he was denounced a heretic and sentenced to death by burning at the stake. A sobering thought for anyone who might feel a chortle coming upon them during a church service.

[Exeter: Chapel of St Clare (Listed Grade II) - [Historic England List]]: Old picture of the chapel

This final image is, I believe, an old postcard. It is to be found hanging on one of the interior walls of the chapel. The General Gordon Lamp can be seen on the right of this picture. And, even today, just as in this picture, there are a couple of benches to be found at this location, although today’s traffic makes this a less than ideal place to spend a quiet few minutes.

Further information: St Clare’s Chapel, Livery Dole [Exeter Memories]

 

And that concludes the little historic church excursion I undertook today. I find that there’s still much of interest to seek out in Exeter, even after a lifetime spent in the city.

12 September 2015 – 13 September 2015 – Heritage Open Days around Exeter

Synopsis: Heritage Open Days visits to Southernhay United Reformed Church, St Anne’s Church, Sidwell Street Methodist Church, 21 The Mint (St Nicholas Priory) and St Mary Steps Church.

Photo Set – Flickr -:- (Map)

 

(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)

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.

Saturday 12th September: Southernhay United Reformed Church, St Anne's Church, Sidwell Street Methodist Church & 21 The Mint (St Nicholas Priory)

On this first day of two doing the rounds on Heritage Open Days (HOD) for 2015, I was joined by my sister-in-law Christine. We agreed to meet up at the Southernhay United Reformed Church, and that is where our story starts.

Photo Sub-Set – Flickr

Southernhay United Reformed Church, Exeter

[Southernhay United Reformed Church]: West gallery - cinema-style sloped seating

Firstly, let me say this is my second visit to this church under the HOD scheme. Please see my earlier post for a description and photos from my previous visit. In this post my writings concentrate on aspects not referred to in my previous post.

Today, for the first time, I was given the opportunity to ascend to, what I think one would describe as, the west gallery. This is quite unlike anything I’ve seen before. It slopes quite acutely and has cinema-style seating.

[Southernhay United Reformed Church]: West gallery - 'Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free'

 

From up in the gallery I was able to gain a close-up view of the stained glass windows. These, like the majority of this church, are modern, dating from the 1950s. One window is rather colonial in content, and the steward showing me around made the comment that it was not the church’s favourite window, as it’s rather out of keeping with the times. This window, ‘Ye shall know the truth’ window, is just one example of the fine stained glass to be found in this church.

The gallery also offers an excellent view of the chancel and altar. It’s well worth the climb should you get the opportunity.

 

[Southernhay United Reformed Church]: Danger area - 'Please do not use this pew'

 

 

 

And, to finish on a lighter note: there is a children’s area at the back of the church. I did like the ‘Please do not use this pew’ notice on the adjacent seating. This is obviously considered a highly hazardous area for it to contain this health warning.

 

Photo Sub-Set – Flickr

St Anne's Church, Exeter

[St Anne's Church]: (Grade II* Listed) - as viewed from Old Tiverton Road

We next headed up town to visit Chapel at St Anne's Almshouses (Grade II* Listed). I don’t care to think how many times I would have walked past this church and its almshouses. Finally, today, I got the chance to take a look inside. Situated on a busy roundabout, it is a little oasis of calm in a busy and frenetic world.

The church is on the left, the St Anne's Almhouses (Grade II Listed) on the right, both of which are reached via the lychgate in the foreground.

[St Anne's Church]: (Grade II* Listed) - The chapel with the back of the almshouses to the right

 

 

There is a small enclosed garden area between the church and the almshouses. This area had been recently rejuvenated and must make for a charming and tranquil place in which to sit in peace whilst the bustle of the world continues unabated all around.

[St Anne's Church]: (Grade II* Listed) - The screen heavily decorated with icons

 

 

I wasn’t prepared for what I would find inside St Anne’s Church. The church is in the orthodox tradition. Apparently this is one of only two such churches in Devon, the other being the Church of St Simeon and the Prophetess Anna, Combe Martin, north Devon.

As soon as we entered into the church we were transported into an eastern world. There was a lot of iconographic artwork all around, in a style I’d come across in Byzantine churches on the Continent. It gives the church a warmly exotic quality. Deep vibrant colours are everywhere you look. It is a very tiny intimate church. A resident from one of the almshouses came and sat for a time in quiet contemplation.

I am far from clear how this orthodox church has come to be here. The two orthodox churches of Devon have a web site for further information.

Photo Sub-Set – Flickr

Sidwell Street Methodist Church, Exeter

[Sidwell Street Methodist Church]: (Grade II* Listed)

We popped our heads into Sidwell Street Methodist Church (Grade II* Listed) for a quick look around, not that it isn’t deserving of more time. The reason we made this a short visit, was that Christine and I had seen the church before. I’d written up notes and taken photos on a previous HOD visit of mine (see my blog post: 12 September 2010 – Trip: Sidwell Street Methodist Chapel, Exeter).

What caught our eye on this visit was this plaque which lists the ministers of Mount Pleasant Methodist Church, which no longer exists.

Photo Sub-Set – Flickr

21 The Mint (St Nicholas Priory), Exeter

21 The Mint, Refectory, St Nicholas Priory 003

21, The Mint (Grade II* Listed) struck me as odd. What was I about to see? Well, it’s not straight forward. Firstly, there is the fact that what this was once part of the Benedictine St Nicholas' Priory. This, at the time of dissolution, became a Tudor home. And since then, what remains has in part been reinstated to its priory appearance, in part reinstated to its Tudor appearance, and in part is living accommodation, of a Georgian period, currently tenanted. Add to this the fact that a lane, The Mint, now cuts through what was once the old priory, it is all rather confusing, to me at least.

[St Nicholas Priory]: (Scheduled ancient monument) - The kitchen

 

What is visible in the photo above, is the Tudor parlour, as it has been recreated, with authentic wall decoration, and the original Tudor ceiling. What can be seen in the photo left, is the old priory kitchen. This is a tall ceilinged room with a huge fireplace and chimney. At one time the refectory would have been attached to it, but what remains of the refectory building is now 21 The Mint, and is to be found the other side of The Mint lane.

[21 The Mint (originally the priory refectory)]: (Grade II* Listed) – what was once the cloisters of the St Nicholas Priory complex

 

The property now referred to as 21 The Mint is approached via a courtyard that at one time would have been the cloisters of the old priory. Something of the serene and tranquil nature of the onetime cloisters seems to remain in this space to this day. The entrance doorway to 21 The Mint is behind the large plant on the left of this photo.

[21 The Mint (originally the priory refectory)]: (Grade II* Listed) – Part of what was once the St Nicholas Priory complex, now a living room

 

 

This room, now the living room of 21 The Mint, highlights just how removed certain parts of the building now are from its priory origins. This is thought to have once been the refectory of the priory. I don’t think there would have been any easy chairs at that time. A little difficult to reimagine the days of monks around their table. But, a charming room all the same, and good to see that it remains in use to this day.

Sunday 13th September: St Mary Steps Church

Photo Sub-Set – Flickr

St Mary Steps Church, Exeter

Exeter, St Mary Steps Church And Westgate 1912 © Francis Frith

An inauspicious start to this visit: I forgot my camera. I had my mobile phone and tablet PC with me, so not a serious problem. Then I forgot to take a photo of the exterior of the church, so instead, here’s an old photo of Church of St Mary Steps (Grade I Listed) from the Francis Frith collection. As it happens, the clock in the tower is currently being repaired and there is scaffolding obscuring the church, so this is probably a better deal anyway (my photo of church in snow).

[St Mary Steps Church]: View of nave, chancel and the south aisle

 

 

It has been a long standing wish of mine to see the interior of this church, which is rarely open, other than for church services. It is not large. The south aisle, seen on the right in this photo, was added when the preaching of sermons was introduced, when seating was added to the church. Prior to that the congregation would have stood for the duration of each service.

[St Mary Steps Church]: The Norman font with a hood by Harry Hems

The singularly most important and valuable item in the church is the Norman font. I was very keen to see this. It has the classic chevron patterning around its midriff. It is a symmetrically patterned font without figurative art. It is a great survivor. The font hood is by that renowned Exeter sculptor Harry Hems, originally created for St Mary Major Church. The basin of the font is lead lined.

 

 

[St Mary Steps Church]: Front panel of altar (detail)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harry Hems also produced the sculptures on the front facing panel of the altar, of which this image is a detail. This sculpture of Mary and infant Jesus is fittingly very prominent in the centre panel of the altar. The church is said to be ‘high’, and in doctrine, functioning close to Roman Catholic in its style of service, complete with incense, of which burners were to be seen about the church. The original use of incense was to disinfect the putrid smell from the slightly less than clean worshippers.

 

[St Mary Steps Church]: Images on the rood screen in the south aisle

The rood screen is in two sections, both medieval. The first separates the nave from the chancel; the second is in the south aisle, where the St Peter Minor chantry chapel is to be found. They have different histories. That in the south aisle was saved from the demolition of St Mary Major church, which stood in the Cathedral Close. The screen in nave/chancel area was assembled from various medieval parts of unknown origin, that had been collected by Harry Hems. Therefore, it is the screen to be found in the south aisle which is the more authentic. But the screen in the nave/chancel area has been very well constructed, and is a highly creditable example of the talents of Harry Hems.

[St Mary Steps Church]: The east window, stained glass by John Harris, erected 1966

 

 

 

 

 

 

The east window is interesting in that is very modern, having been designed and erected in 1966. The design was produced by John Haywood, whose signature can be found in a corner of the window. Although the style is definitely very modern and angular, it is not garish or overwhelming in form as so many modern stained glass windows seem to be. It has a quiet understated quality, whilst at the same time radiating a certain powerful aurora. The colour mix is quite unusual; a palette of clashing colours.

 

[St Mary Steps Church]: The 'baldacchino', as can be found in St Peter's Basilica, Rome.

The tester, or 'baldacchino', as can be found in St Peter's Basilica, Rome. These are often, as in St Peter's, held aloft on four pillars. Hanging the baldacchino from the ceiling, as is done here, avoids obscuring the altar from the congregation.

The tester bears upon it a Tetramgrammaton, that is to say four letters, the four letters which spell in Hebrew the name of God, which is usually translated in our Bibles as 'the Lord'.

I can’t leave off without mentioning the clock, not to be seen today, but normally a major item of interest. It was made in 1619; the clock, the Matthew Miller Clock, has been stopped because of pigeons; 30 sacks full of pigeon dropping to be precise. Pigeons had got into the clock chamber; the clock has had to stopped as it is now swathed in plastic sheets until works can be completed.

I’ll end my discourse on this church on a note regarding a question I had in my mind on arriving for this talk. My father grew up in the neighbourhood, the old West Quarter of Exeter, and yet all ceremonial aspects of the family seem to have been conducted at St Mary Major. I’d wondered for some time, why the closer church, St Mary Steps, wasn’t their parish. It was explained, during today’s talk, that although the church has always been situated inside the city walls, the parish of this church was down towards the river. This was the old working, or industrial area of the city. The situation has now changed, and it appears that, probably since the time of the demise of St Mary Major, the parish boundaries have been redrawn, and I think, where my father’s family resided (Rack Street), would now fall within the parish of St Mary Steps.

These had been a fascinating couple of days. I must make sure I have a date in my calendar for HODs next year.

Notes taken on visit to St Mary Steps Church – speaker Chegwyn Harris (church warden)

Norman font: most valuable item in church. Lead lined in 15th c.

Stepcote Hill - oldest street in Exeter; stepped street, not steps; stepped to allow horses to climb the hill

West Street: 2,000 years old; this was the industrial part of Exeter;

Originally, the parish was outside the city wall; the church is inside city wall.

The ceiling and bosses are 15th c. One of the reasons for incense was to disinfect the church, as people didn't wash very often.

As the service would have been said in Latin; this would not have been understood by the congregation; the main reason for going was to see the transubstantiation.

After the reformation, services were given in English.

When sermons were given, seats (benches) had to be introduced.

To the right of the chancel is St Peter Minor's Chapel, a chantry chapel.

The walls would not have originally been plastered.

The original rood screen was made of stone; stone steps exist, buried in the wall; these steps allowed the choir a means of reaching the top of the screen, where they sat.

The medieval church of St Mary Major, when demolished by the Victorians; Harry Hems had stored parts of medieval screens, and these he made into a screen, and this is situated near the chancel; the part of medieval screen saved from St Mary Major is situated at the chantry chapel.

A substantial sum of money was acquired, and this was used to restore the levels within the church to its medieval levels; the Victorians had messed with this.

The East Window was made in the 1950s; the window used very unusual glass; the maker of the window gave a talk (John Haywood) - alive today.

The floating panel installed at time of window; contains the name of God in Hebrew; to the Jews, this is so sacred, it must not be said; the panel represents the same as can be seen in St Peter's, in Rome.

The font cover came from St Mary Major, and was carved by Harry Hems; the front facing panels of altar and chapel are also by Harry Hems.

The parclose screen (between chancel and chapel) was added in the 1920s (date on screen).

The clock was made in 1619; the clock has been stopped because of pigeons; 30 sack fulls of pigeon dropping; pigeons had got into the clock chamber; the clock has had to stopped as it is now swathed in plastic sheets until works can be completed.

The door is 15th century.