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St Margaret's Church

Topsham

Devon

871/8/896 FORE STREET 30-JUN-61 TOPSHAM (West side) St Margaret's Church (Formerly listed as: FORE STREET TOPSHAM Church of St Margaret) II* Perp tower, the rest rebuilt 1874-6 by Edward Ashworth.

Architectural Features

1300, with complex picturesque roofs of patterned slate.

Much of the stone carving was executed by the Exeter workshop of Harry Hems.

Similar pulpit, perhaps of the same date.

The Norman font has a circular bowl with big conical flutes, and on one side a large standing beast or dragon holding an apple (?) in its mouth.

The font cover is of spire form, of cut and pierced brass, 1880.

Dutch brass chandelier with two tiers of eight branches, given c.

Good Royal arms of carved and painted wood with Baroque mantling

arms of the version current 1603-49, 1660-89 and 1702-7.

There is good Victorian stained glass: east and west windows by F. Drake, 1876-7.

HISTORY: Topsham served as Exeter's port from Roman times.

C10

had a manse associated with the living by 937.

The church was re-consecrated in the mid-C15, possibly about the time the tower was built.

The church was rebuilt after a fire in 1676, and again in 1874-6, at a cost of £8,550.

C9

SOURCES: Cherry, B and Pevsner, N, Buildings of England, Devon, 820 Stabb, J, Some Old Devon Churches, , vol. 3 Lambeth Palace Library, Incorporated Church Building Society, Archive file 079597, (www.churchplansonline.org) REASONS FOR DESIGNATION: St Margaret's Church, Fore Street, Topsham, Exeter is designated at Grade II* for the following principal reasons: * A thoughtfully designed Gothic Revival church by Edward Ashworth, 1874-6 * Picturesque massing

siting, on a shallow clifftop overlooking the Exe estuary * Surviving C15 century tower * Fine Norman font with crude but vigorous carving of a dragon or beast * Two striking Greek Revival monuments by Chantrey * Good collection of fittings (glass, Royal arms, chandelier, font cover etc)