Exeter 1850 Contents & Search

ST. THOMAS THE APOSTLE'S is an extensive parish on the western side of the river Exe, connected with Exeter by Exe Bridge, and containing about 3700 acres of land, 4301 inhabitants; the populous suburbs of Cowick street, Okehampton street, Alphington street, &c.; the hamlets of Exwick and Oldridge, about a mile N.N.W. of the city; many scattered houses; and several mills. It is crossed by the South Devon Railway, which has a small station near Cowick street. St. Thomas's Union, with its large Workhouse; and the Lunatic Asylum, called St. Thomas's Hospital, are noticed at subsequent pages, as also are the charities belonging to this parish. S.W. Buller, Esq., is lord of the manors of Cowick and Hayes, and also of Exwick and Barley; Sir J.S.G. Sawle, Bart., owns the manor of Bowhill; and Thomas Northmore, Esq., owns Cleave, which has a pleasant mansion commanding a fine view over Exeter. Franklands belongs to the Jones family, and Oldridge to the Yardley and other families. Floyer Hayes, was the seat of the ancient family of Floyer from the time of the Conquest till last century. It was held by the service that when the lord paramount, (the Earl of Devon,) should come to Exe Island, the owner should come with a napkin, a pitcher of wine, and a silver cup, and offer his lordship to drink. Cowick Priory, is already noticed at page 73, but no traces of it are now extant. The populous parts of the parish of St. Thomas are included in the Parliamentary limits of the city of Exeter. The parish CHURCH, in Cowick street, is a large ancient structure, which was enlarged in 1828, and has a tower and six bells. It has a handsome painted window, and contains some neat monuments, one of which is from the chisel of John Bacon, Esq., in memory of his daughter, Mrs. Medley, wife of the Bishop of Fredericton, formerly vicar of this parish. J.W. Buller, Esq., is impropriator of the rectorial tithes, and also patron of the vicarage, valued in K.B. at £11. 2s. 8½d., and in 1831 at £237, and now enjoyed by the Rev. Wm. Hy. Howard, M.A., who has a good parsonage house, and is also incumbent of Exwick and Oldridge Chapels, the latter of which was valued in 1831 at £60, and was rebuilt in 1789, by the late Jas. Buller, Esq. EXWICK CHAPEL, dedicated to St. Andrew, is a neat modern building in the style which the Camden Society wished to introduce. It was consecrated September 26th, 1842, and was built by subscription, aided with a grant of £500 from the Church Building Society. It has a small turret and one bell, and its interior decorations are superb. The altar is of stone, the seats are open, and the rafters and cornices are covered with inscriptions, chiefly texts of Scripture. The Rev. T.R. Dickinson, M.A., is the curate. Exwick is a considerable village on the banks of the Exe, 1 mile N.N.W. of Exeter, and has a woollen manufactory, a large corn mill, and a paper mill.

HEAVITREE PARISH, On the eastern side of Exeter, and partly within the parliamentary boundary of the city, contains 3469A. of land, and 3048 inhabitants. It comprises the Artillery Barracks, Regent Park, Baring Crescent, Polesloe, Richmond Grove, Mont le Grand, Bicton Place, and other eastern suburbs of the city, and the small villages of EAST and SOUTH WONFORD, and WHIPTON, at the distance of from one to two miles. The village of Heavitree, one mile E. of Exeter, has many neat houses, and is said to have derived its name from having been formerly the place of execution for the city. The manor of Wonford, which anciently gave name to this parish, and still gives name to the hundred, was part of the demesne of the crown in the reign of Edward the Confessor. It was given by Henry I. to Geoffrey de Mandeville, and afterwards passed to the Montacute, Courtenay, and other families. Sir Thomas Baring is now lord of this manor, but a great part of the parish belongs to other proprietors. Lord Poltimore is lord of the manor of Wippen or Whipton, which has been held for a long period by his family - the Bampfyldes. St. Loyes is the pleasant seat and property of Pitman Jones, Esq., and near it is the decayed chapel of St. Eliguis, or St. Loyes, which has long been used as a stable. South Wonford House belongs to Francis Spicer, Esq., and Ringwell Manor to Genl. Sir D. Ximenes. Polesloe and St. James's Priories stood in this parish, and are noticed at page 73. The PARISH CHURCH, dedicated to St. Michael, was rebuilt in 1845-'6, at the cost of about £3000, raised by subscription, and a grant of £500 from the Church Building Society. It was consecrated Aug. 1st, 1846, and is a neat structure of mixed architecture, with a tower of four bells. The Dean and Chapter of Exeter are appropriators of the great tithes, and patrons of the Vicarage, which is in their peculiar jurisdiction, and was valued in 1831 at £641, and in K.B., (1535) at £34. 3s. 4d. The Rev. A. Atherley, M.A., is the incumbent, and has a good residence, and six acres of glebe. The great tithes are held by several lessees, and both they and the small tithes were commuted in 1842. The parish school was rebuilt in 1840, and is attended by 140 children. The Wesleyans have a small chapel in the village, and the parish has several charities, as afterwards noticed.

The NEW CEMETERY, which occupies nearly five acres of hilly ground, on the north side of the city wall, between Bartholomew street and Exe street, was purchased by the Exeter Improvement Commissioners in 1834, and divided into two portions, one for Dissenters, and the other for members of the Established Church. The latter was consecrated by the Bishop, on the 24th August 1837. The whole of the ground is laid out in walks, and planted with flowers and shrubs. Its hilly nature affords room, by a series of arches and catacombs on the upper side, for the interment of 22,000 coffins, and, by building, at any future period, additional arches on the lower parts, space will be obtained for 10,000 more. Upwards of 500 interments take place here yearly, and the total cost of the cemetery has been about £5000. At the head of this beautiful burial ground is a terrace walk, on the top of a long portion of the city wall, on the other side of which is the Old Bartholomew Burial Ground, and the new church of Allhallows on the Walls - (see p. 82.)

The FREE CHURCH, or CHRIST CHURCH, in Southernhay, is the property of a gentleman, and is not within the pale of the Established Church, though its services are conducted in a similar manner. It was opened in 1846, and cost about £5000. It is in the Roman style, with a turret and bell. The interior has three aisles and three galleries, and will seat 1000 persons. The whole has a chaste appearance, and the east window is enriched with painted glass. The Rev. A.L. Mitchell is the minister.

The ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPEL, in Mint lane, is a very neat building, erected in 1791-'2, on part of the site of St. Nicholas's Priory, as noticed at page 72. The interior is handsomely fitted up, and has a good organ. The Rev. Geo. Oliver, D.D., has held the pastoral office here for many years, and, in 1821, published a valuable History of Exeter, compiled from original documents, the corporation records, the Bishop's registers, &c. In conjunction with P. Jones, Esq., he edited "Westcote's View of Devonshire in 1630," which was not published till 1845.

DISSENTING CHAPELS:- Besides the numerous episcopal places of worship, and the two last named, there are in the city and suburbs thirteen other places of religious worship. The UNITARIAN CHAPEL, called "George's Meeting," is a large handsome building, in South street. It was erected by Presbyterians, in 1760, and has on endowment of about £200 per annum, from landed property, chiefly in Polesloe. Its congregation have the chief management of the Protestant Dissenters` Charity School, afterwards noticed; and also support a School of Industry, in Rack Street, and an Evening Ragged School. The chapel will seat about 1000 hearers, and the Rev. Thomas Hincks is the minister. In the early part of last century, a great controversy arose among the dissenters of Exeter, which spread over a large portion of the kingdom, and gave rise to numerous pamphlets. The point in controversy was the doctrine of the Trinity, and two of the Presbyterian ministers here embraced the Unitarianism, and opened a meeting house in Mint lane. The congregations were afterwards united by that eminent divine, - Micaiah Towgood, who died here in 1792, in the 92nd year of his age. The INDEPENDENT CHAPEL, in Castle street, was built in 1796, on the site of the old County Gaol, and was enlarged a few years ago. Attached to it is a small burial ground, and a school, built in 1832. The Independent Chapel, at Grosvenor place, is a small neat building, with a turret and bell. It was built in 1835, at the cost of about £1200, and is now under the ministry of the Rev. N. Hellings. The TABERNACLE, in Coombe street, belongs to the Calvinists, and was built in 1772, by the Rev. H. Tanner. Here are three BAPTIST CHAPELS, and that in South street was rebuilt in 1822, on the site of the oldest dissenting chapel in Exeter. The Rev. Geo. Gould is its minister. That in Bartholomew street was built by the Rev. G. Baring, in 1817, and was reseated in 1845. It has room for 1000 hearers, and is now under the ministry of the Rev. J. Bigwood. Zoar Chapel, in Longbrook street, is a small building, erected in 1841. It belongs to the Particular Baptists. The WESLEYANS have two chapels here; one in the Mint, erected in 1812, and considerably enlarged a few years ago; and the other in St. Sidwell street, erected in 1836. Schools are attached to both. The Primitive Methodists occupy an old chapel in Musgrave alley, which was built by Independents. The FRIENDS' MEETING HOUSE, in Friar`s walk, is a neat substantial structure, built in 1835. The PLYMOUTH BRETHREN have a chapel in Northernhay street, built by Sir Alexander Campbell, in 1839. The interior is plain, and in the centre is a long table, at which the speakers stand. In Mary Arches street is a JEWS' SYNAGOGUE, which was erected in 1764, and enlarged and beautified in 1838.

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS are as liberally supported in Exeter as in any other place in the kingdom, both by members of the Established Church and Dissenters. The Diocesan Association of the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, was established as early as 1699; and the Auxiliary Bible Society in 1809. Here are also,- a Ladies' Branch, and a Naval and Military Bible Societies; as well as Missionary, Tract, Pastoral Aid, and other societies, for the promotion of religion both at home and abroad.

Brian Randell, 24 Oct 1998