Topsham Town Page

Topsham - a town by charter since 1300

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Welcome to our website. Topsham is an attractive Devon town on the Exe estuary in England's Westcountry. Now part of Exeter, it nevertheless maintains a distinctive identity. Loved by its locals, and savoured by those who visit, Topsham offers river walks; wildlife; a Saturday morning market; many characterful shops, restaurants and inns; and just quiet space to sit and watch the sailing boats go by.

Topsham has a very strong community with a rich history. The site celebrates this, but also hopes to support and encourage the current and future community, so that the history which awaits us may be just as interesting and rewarding.

As our electronic town centre, topsham.org aims to link together everything about Topsham on the Internet. If you have something good to share, tell us about it via our Events Diary or Guestbook . If you have a page or site you'd like linked, or see an error that needs correcting, then please contact the webmaster.

The aims of this site are to promote Topsham and to help its community. If you have any event or organisation you'd like mentioned, let us know and we'll include it as long as it's within the brief of the site (strictly non-partisan, and for the benefit of the community). To avoid any conflict of interests, it takes no paid advertising, and all work on the site is done by unpaid volunteers. For counter, statistics, referrers, and other detailed information click on the blue sphere. Many thanks to our supporters, contributors, promoters and volunteers. Obviously we monitor the site, but can't do so 24/7, so if you see anything objectionable in the events diary or guestbook, e-mail webmaster@topsham.org and we will remove it as soon as possible.

News and events

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See our Entertainment page for links to musical venues. See below the Diary for featured Topsham news and events.

To post an event:

Either click Add our Event in the Diary box (right) and follow the instructions; or click to post a comment via the "comments" link below the Diary.

Papers
Express & Echo
Western Morning News

Other

Topsham Diary: Click to View or Add Event.

History

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Topsham has a rich and varied history. First documented as a Roman settlement, it was granted a Charter as a town on 22nd August 1300 by Edward I, developing into a major British port and shipbuilding centre that in its heyday rivalled London. There are Dutch houses from this maritime past, and fine examples of Georgian and Edwardian architecture. In the year 2000 we celebrated our 700th year, when the Queen visited and went to a pub for the first time!

Topsham postcards
A gallery of Mick Cooper's collection of postcards of old Topsham. This is a frames-based site. Use the back button of your browser to return to the Topsham website.
1280x1024 (monochrome / colour). 1024x768 (monochrome / colour). 800x600 (monochrome / colour).

General links

Topsham Museum Devon Museums official site
GENUKI, Topsham Historical resources for Topsham and its genealogy.
Diary of Phyllis Bethel - wartime diary published in blog form: "From Wiesbaden Germany 1929 to Topsham, Devon, Great Britain 1953".
Exeter Memories This site has a deal of interesting material (for instance, history of Topsham's pubs and notable buildings - put Topsham into its internal search).
Topsham community page Brief history at the Devon Libraries Local Studies Service site.
Old Maps click the Maps link and enter "topsham" (without quotes) in the search box. This leads to a zoomable 1890 map.
Topsham 1841 Census From GENUKI, churchwarden's census of "a Portion of the Labouring Population".
Topsham Cinemas The long-defunct Cosy and Tivoli (from Clive Polden's West Country Cinemas gazetteer).
Topsham, Devon, through time Topsham at the Vision of Britain historical gazetteer.
Topsham School hosts a short history of the First School and the Parkfield Road site (both now redeveloped as residential) plus extracts from School logbooks
Topsham Quay At the SWMHS site, David Wheeler's recollections of Topsham around 1970 in its last days as a working cargo port.
Topsham railways Extremely nice history and photos at Alex Seal's Alextrack website.
Tryphena Sparks who after a romance with Thomas Hardy, married a Topsham publican and lived here until her death.
The Devil's Footprints (1) Summary account of this peculiar event in 1855.
The Devil's Footprints (2) Charles Hoy Fort's compilation of contemporary references.
The Bridge Inn's Royal Visit HM Queen Elizabeth II.

Matthews Hall - Winter/Spring 2010 events

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Friday March 10th, 2010 at Matthews Hall, Topsham.

Topsham Birdwatching & Naturalist Society.

The Amazing World of Seahorses

by Neil Garrick Maidment, Executive Director of the Seahorse Trust

Members free, non-members �3.00. �TBNS, www.topsham.org/tbns, enquiries to tbnsociety@hotmail.com

Topsham Town Fayre
BINGO

Matthews Hall. Doors open 6.30pm, eyes down 7.30pm.
Cash prizes - prize raffle
All proceeds to Topsham Town Fayre.

Tuesday March 23rd

Dad's Army

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Join your friends at Topsham Library for afternoon tea with Bill Pertwee, who will talk about his new book, Dad's Army: the making of a television legend.

Topsham Library, Wednesday 10th March, 3.00-3.30pm. Afternoon tea. Tickets from the library free. �Event organised by Devon Libraries / www.devon.gov.uk/libraries

Leaving, by Richard Bradbury

2010-03-08T13:17:00.001Z

Leaving - a new play by Richard Bradbury.

Jack has lived in the same place all his life but now he is being pushed into leaving. His powerful attachment to the land, though, brings with it contradictory emotions that can only really be explained by understanding his past. "Leaving" is about the fierce passions provoked by a sense of being rooted in a locality. Jack's love for his farm and his rage at what has happened to it over the last 40 years is tempered by the knowledge that the place also has him and his family caught in its tight, almst suffocating embrace.

March 18th-19th, 7.30pm at The Globe, Topsham. tickets �8 from Joel Segal Books or e-mail riversmeetplays@btinternet.com

March 24th-25th, 7.00pm, The Cadeleigh Arms, Cadeleigh. Tickets �25 (including interval meal) from 01884 855238 or e-mail riversmeetplays@btinternet.com

From the flyer: Richard Bradbury's novel Riversmeet, about the ex-slave and anti-slavery and social campaigner Frederick Douglass, won an "Exclusively Independent" award earlier this year, and his last play, Become a Man, was commissioned in 2007 by the Greater London Authority as the first play to be performed in the new City Hall. It went on to play to sell-out audiences at the Hackney Empire. He is currently writing a new play, Blood Meadow, about the 1549 Cornwall and Devon rebellion.

Fishers Mill Bridge proposal

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Public Exhibition, The Globe Hotel, Topsham
Thursday 25th February 2010, 10.00am-7.30pm

The public will soon be able to see Devon County Council's proposals to construct a new bridge crossing of the River Clyst at Fishers Mill Topsham. The proposed cycle/foot bridge will provide an additional link to the cycle network already being developed in the area and to the Exe Estuary Trail. It will also provide a significant safety improvement for both pedestrians and cyclists currently using the existing narrow Clyst Bridge at Fishers Mill which carries traffic along the busy commuter route between Topsham and Clyst St. George.

As part of a consultation process, the County Council will be holding a public exhibition at the Globe Hotel, Topsham on Thursday 25th February. The exhibition will be open to the public from 10am until 7.30pm on the day, and visitors will be able to see a number of options for the bridge crossing under consideration. Devon County Council staff will be on hand to explain and discuss the proposals, and answer any queries relating to the scheme. Members of the public will be able to make comments at the exhibition, by post, or via e mail.

See www.devon.gov.uk/fishersbridge for more details and a PDF poster.

Dave Brooks: round-the-world rower

2010-01-22T14:10:00.000Z

From the Exeter Express & Echo: Rower Dave is still going strong in bid to conquer oceans.

Intrepid rower Dave Brooks is now into the second week of his record-breaking attempt to cross the world's two largest oceans. Dave, from Topsham, is tackling some of the world's wildest sea conditions in a bid to row 13,000 miles solo around the globe � the furthest anyone has rowed in a single expedition.

For background and continuing progress reports, see Dave's website davebrookssolo.co.uk and his weblog.

Health and fitness - Winter/Spring 2010

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Tai Chi for Beginners

27th January - 31st March
10 weeks: �50

Matthews Hall, Topsham, Wednesdays 11.00am-12.00noon

You are welcome to come and try out a class first (�5.00)

Fumiaki Tanaka: 01803 865056
www.fumiamakitanaka.com

Slow Food Market, 20th December

2009-12-18T01:25:00.002Z

Slow Food Market

Devon�s only Slow Food market celebrates Christmas with a Festive Christmas Market on Sunday December 20th, to run from 10.30am until 1.30pm.

There will be more than 20 local food and drink producers attending, offering artisan breads, an array of the freshest, just-picked vegetables, locally farmed meat, special cranberry sauce, homemade chutneys and award-winning jams, Christmas beers, ciders, wines and much more.

For more information, contact Freddie Dudbridge (0770 8371862) or Marc Millon (01392 873778), or see

Matthews Hall

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Click here for Hall booking enquiries.

See below for events and general details about Matthews Hall.

News

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November 2009

Good news for a number of Topsham businesses: in the Taste of the West 2009 awards, Darts Farm won a Gold Award in the retail outlet class, the Georgian Tea-Room a gold in the tea room class, and Oliva a silver in the restaurant class.

Meanwhile, Denley's Essence of India was awarded a Silver Four Star Plaque for its placing in the top 100 of around 12,000 nominations for the British Curry Awards 2009.

The Avocet Cafe on Fore Street, and Route 2 (Cafe Bar and Cycle Hire) at the Topsham Quay, have newly-launched websites.

The popular Marcello Restaurant is under new management, Onur and Karine Egitim. A website is under way, but pending that, contact details for enquiries/booking are 01392-879061, (e-mail onurgtm@googlemail.com).

Matthews Hall modernised

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Topsham Community Association is pleased to announce the completion of the modernisation of Matthews Hall, which reopened on Saturday September 26th 2009. As the social centre of Topsham for nearly 80 years, it retained many defunct architectural features, such as the ticket kiosk remaining from its original custom design as the Tivoli cinema. A full description of the new facilities, and official photos, will follow shortly. Meanwhile, click on the images for larger views of the new foyer and cafe bar.

Carnival Day 2009 photos

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A few photos from Topsham Carnival Day 2009. Click for larger images.

Also check out Britt Warg's excellent photo set on Flickr.

Ancient right exercised

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See the BBC story Traffic makes way for sheep herd for a video of Mary Evans exercising her right as an honorary alderman to herd sheep down Fore Street. Note the error in the story: "Traffic came to a standstill in a Devon town when an ancient right to drive sheep through the town was exercised". Fore Street is always closed to traffic from 1.30pm on Carnival Day, so nothing was stopped for the sheep-herding at 2.30.

Topsham on Bargain Hunt

2009-08-27T13:41:00.002+01:00

25th August saw a repeat of February's Bargain Hunt (Series 22 - 12. Devon) that visited Topsham. See BBC iPlayer.

James Woodrow Matthews

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In answer to a number of enquiries about the builder and donor of Topsham's Matthews Hall, here's a brief biography.

James Woodrow Matthews, J.P., started his career in Topsham as a clerk in the office of one of the old sailing ship insuring clubs in the building [Grove House, then residence and business premises of John Holman] in which, having bought the property, he spent the last few years of his life. He was for many years with Messrs. W Lamplough & Co., Insurance Brokers, and was manager for them until, in 1901, he founded Matthews, Wrightson & Co. in conjunction with Mr Harry Wrightson and his brother Mr R.G. Wrightson. The firm became a private limited company in 1911, when Mr Matthews was appointed as chairman, and he held that position until his retirement in 1924. He was an annual subscriber to Lloyd's from 1901 to 1916, when he became an underwriting member. He underwrote marine in the syndicate of Mr Eustace R. Pulbrook [Sir Eustace Pulbrook, 1881-1953, Chairman of Lloyds] and non-marine, motor and employers' liability under the agency of Messrs. Matthews, Wrightson & Co. Ltd. He was one of the founders of the Corporation of Insurance Brokers, and was later its treasurer and a member of the council, finally being elected a vice-president. He was a prominent Freemason, a member of its Grand Lodge. He died at Grove House on July 30 1934 aged 83.
- from Times obituary, July 31, 1934 (thanks to Michael G Matthews for the enquiry that led to filling in the details).

Topsham Town Fayre 2009

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See the main page here for photos.

22nd-29th August 2009

A warm welcome to Topsham's biggest annual community event. The word "community" is used a lot these days, but true communities get harder to find with each passing year.

We try to make Town Fayre a week where everyone in Topsham can get together to enjoy one or more of the events and activities.

Inevitably, there are some people who see the week as a disruption to their routine, and others who merely see it as an opportunity to make money. However, we know that there are still many residents and traders who enter into the true community spirit of Town Fayre.

The climax of Town Fayre Week is always the Carnival Procession. It's a chance for people to dress up and parade around the town to entertain the thousands who turn up to watch. We hope to see lots of local entries again this year.

We would also like to welcome our new Town Crier, Keith Smith, and his deputy, Ben Turner. We're sure they will be seen at many of the week's events in their splendid new finery.

Enoy the week!

Shirley Hack (Chair), Veronica Coe (Treasurer), Kevin Hack (Secretary), Gerry Hannaway (Committee), Gary Turley (Committee), Stuart Preestley (Committee).

PROGRAMME OF EVENTS

Full details of events, entry forms etc are in the offficial brochure, 50p from Topsham News, Topsham Post Office, and other local shops.

Saturday 22nd August
10.30am-noon ... Jazz from "Catch a Train", outside Matthews Hall
10.30am-3.30pm ... Open day at Butts Park allotments. Photo competition display in Trading Hut.

Sunday 23rd August
2.00pm ... Topsham Flower & Vegetable Show, in Matthews Hall.
Sales of produce, teas and cakes from 2pm, presentation of awards at 3.45pm.

Monday 24th August
10.30am ... Children's Pavement Art Competition, at Topsham School (in Matthews Hall if wet).
3.00pm-7.00pm ... Croquet Challenge, on Matthews Hall Green.
6.30pm ... Town Fayre Bingo, at Matthews Hall. Eyes down 7.30pm.
7.15pm ... Crowning of the 2009 Royal Family, at Matthews Hall.
8.00pm ... Cheese & Wine Evening at the Globe Hotel Malt House. Tickets �5 from the Globe or at the door.

Tuesday 25th August
10.30am .... Topsham Museum Sumer Market and Coffee Morning.
2.30pm ... Dog Show, on Matthews Hall Green. Parades and judging: 2.45pm for crossbreeds, 3.00pm for pedigrees.
7.45pm ... Euchre at the Exeter Inn. Sign on from 7.45pm, start at 8pm.

Wednesday 26th August
7.00pm ... The famous Topsham Pub-a-Thon: an evening of fun team games in fancy dress around Topsham's pubs. Entries fully booked, but come and watch.
10.30pm ... results and presentations at the Globe Malt House.

Thursday 27th August
10.00am ... Flower Arrangement Exhibition - theme of "Song Titles" - in St Margaret's Church social area. 10am-12noon: coffee and biscuits. 12noon-2pm: lunches.
11.00am ... Children's Flower Competition at the Globe Malt House.
7.30pm ... General Knowledge Quiz, Globe Malt House. �18 entry fee for table of six; forms from Globe Hotel and Topsham News.
8.00pm ... Morris Dancing Display, 8pm outside Lighter, 9pm outside Globe.

Friday 28th August
10am ... Flower Arrangement Exhibition (details as Thursday)
TBA ... Children's Fun, at the Globe Hotel
8.30pm ... Live Music at Drakes

Saturday 29th August

CARNIVAL DAY

9.30am-12.30pm ... Flower Arrangement Exhibition (details as Thursday)
10.00am-noon ... Family Morning at Topsham Pool
10.00am ... Brownies' Coin Trail and Jazz from "Jazz Bag", outside Matthews Hall
10.00am ... Fire Station Open Day
2.30pm ... Town Criers' Procession fom Globe to Matthews Hall and back, for the Town Criers' Competition, 3pm at the Globe.
2.30pm ... Ceremonial herding of sheep, by Alderman Mary Evans, from Matthews Hall to Topsham Quay.
4.30pm ... Family Fun Run: a 3k fun run around the streets of our old port town. Entry forms from Topsham News and Route 2 Cafe.
5.30pm ... Children's Hour and Pre-Carnival Entertainment, children's disco/karaoke & games with the Stuart Preestley Roadshow, ootuside Matthews Hall.

All evening ... Fore Street Fayre - burgers, hot dogs, licensed bar, stalls.
Fore Street will be officially closed to unauthorised traffic from 1.30pm.

6.30pm ... Judging of Carnival Entries, in Elm Grove Road
7.30pm ... CARNIVAL PROCESSION
9.00pm ... Music and dancing in the street with "The Bobkatz", outside Matthews Hall.
9.45 pm ... Grand Prize Draw: the winning tickets will be drawn by the Carnival Queen and Princesses.

CARNIVAL ETIQUETTE
We hope that you enjoy the Carnival Procession and will show your appreciation by giving generously to the official collectors. However, for safety reasons, please do not throw coins at any float except the Last Appeal Float. Have a safe and enjoyable Carnival!

FOR FULL CONDITIONS OF ENTRY, AND ENTRY FORMS
See the official programme, available from Topsham News, Topsham Post Office, and various other Topsham shops.

Current News

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Oct 1, 2009 Many national papers have reported the return to Topsham of Dave and Hazel McCabe after their four-year world cruise in the converted trawler Rosa Ailither. See The Telegraph: Couple return from four year sailing honeymoon - with two year-old child among others (Google News).

July 28th: the appointment of our new town crier officially took office today. As covered in the E&E - Keith and Ben appointed town's new criers - Keith Smith has been appointed as the new town crier with Ben Turner as his deputy, replacing Jon Reed. The criers' duties include publicising charity and other events that happen throughout the town all year round, as well as special appearance at the town criers' procession and competition at the forthcoming Town Fair. Keith can be contacted at keethsmeeth@blueyonder.co.uk.

Topsham Wine Cellar

2009-06-16T15:03:00.009+01:00

click images to enlarge

Geoff Bowen just sent me details for the Topsham Wine Cellar. The wine cellar for Topsham's Pebblebed Vineyard, its style is similar to vineyard bars found in Italy and France, offering a warm welcome and introduction to local food and drink.

Local wines including other Devon Wines and selected Imported wines from small producers. Also local beer and imported lager. Food: "local tapas" (wooden platters of local meats, cheese, pate and fish).

Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday 5:30 till 9:30pm, Saturday 11am till 2:30pm, or otherwise by arrangements. No reservations taken except for large groups (which are welcome, up to maximum 40). Private hire by arrangement.

www.pebblebed.co.uk / email cellar@pebblebed.co.uk/ tel 07814788348

Apologies for the previous omission. With my not being a wine drinker, I think this one dropped into a memory hole. Photos to follow.

Topsham Leisure Directory

2009-01-25T13:03:00.003Z

This comprehensive guide to Topsham leisure activities and facilities, compiled by the Topsham Community Association, is now available in print form for �1.00 from Topsham News, Joel Segal Books and other outlets. We've also put it online: see www.topsham.org/leisuredirectory/ or click the logo now in the Topsham.org sidebar.

RIP Steam Packet as pub

2008-11-05T23:27:00.010Z

It's common knowledge by now, but for the record: the official final opening days for the Steam Packet - before (as far as is known) its closure as a public house when the landlord Barry Stock retires - are Friday and Saturday this week (Nov 7th and 8th).

This is pretty historic; though the Bridge Inn is considerably older as a building, the Steam Packet is the second oldest pub in Topsham, and the oldest one purpose-built. It began its days as the Red Lion, and was renamed in 1850 after the steam packet Zephyr that called at Topsham as part of its weekly run between Torquay and London. Its owner in the late 1890s was Charles Gale (who also ran the London and South Western, now Drakes) whose wife, Tryphena Sparks, was a cousin of Thomas Hardy.

Basics thanks to Exeter Memories: see The Steam Packet - Topsham Quay for further historical background. (Image: scanned from Trewman's Exeter Flying Post, June 4th 1846).

Gallery, November 2008 (click images to enlarge)

Route 2

Addendum: since the writing of the above, the Steam Packet has been bought by the owners of the Globe Hotel. Renamed Route 2 after the local branch of the national cycle network, it reopened in June 2009 as a licensed cafe bar, open 8am-8pm.

Topsham Rock School

2008-09-25T13:51:00.002+01:00

From the Express & Echo, September 24 2008, Earsplitting start for lottery-funded school where teachers rock, a good write-up for Topsham Rock School: "a community organisation funded by the National Lottery's Awards for All scheme, Exeter Arts Council, local charities and community groups. We give young people aged 10 - 16 the chance to write, rehearse and ultimately perform live music".

Food Festival photos & reports

2008-06-17T22:12:00.000+01:00

See the Topsham Food Festival gallery at the South West Media Group, which coordinates photos for the local press. Kim Millon also has a photo gallery online.

Marc Millon's Notes from a Devon Kitchen has reports online of the Festival and Nello's Longest Table.

"Woolserybloke" has posted a YouTube video of the band playing Queen numbers outside the Globe.

Nello's Longest Table

2008-06-16T04:35:00.000+01:00

The Nello's Longest Table community feast was a resounding success: 264 tables stretching for a third of a mile, and around 1500 people present. After initially shaky weather, Sunday ended in a mild bright evening. People had managed to find a remarkable number of gazebos at short notice when it began raining toward the start time; these turned out to be unnecessary for shelter, but definitely added to the general party atmosphere. Co-organiser Marc Millon said: "This quote from our friend Natacha sums up Nello's Longest Table perfectly."

It was a perfect evening, like a cross between a Sicilian wedding and summer fete gone bonkers; England flinging its knickers in the air!

Here's a video slideshow I put together of the whole length of the table. More photos shortly.