Ottery St Mary Parish Church — Attraction in East Devon

I visited Ottery St Mary and its parish church because of ancestral ties, and it was a wonderful experience. The church is often described as a smaller version of Exeter Cathedral, and it truly is a lovely, well-kept building. Inside, one of the oldest surviving mechanical astronomical clocks in England still ticks gently away in the transept - a remarkable piece of history in itself.

The church holds marriage and burial records up until 1873, which the parishioners kindly brought out for us while preparing afternoon tea. To our delight, we found the marriages of my ancestors listed from 1806, 1829, and 1837. By sheer luck, the afternoon tea coincided with our visit, so we joined in. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and we enjoyed a wonderful chat with one of the parishioners who sat with us.

Altogether, a charming and memorable visit, both for the church itself and the people who make it...

The parish church of St Mary's has been referred to as "a miniature Exeter Cathedral". Like the cathedral it is cruciform in plan, with transepts formed by towers[2] Nikolaus Pevsner described the building as “lying large and low like a tired beast”. It is 163 feet long, and the towers are 71 feet high. It was consecrated in 1260, at which time the manor and patronage of the church belonged to Rouen Cathedral, as it had from before the Norman invasion. Pevsner assumed that the tower-transepts and the outer walls of the chancel date back to 1260, and that the towers were built in imitation of those at Exeter.

Had a lovely service for a friends wedding here. Was v v cold 15 centigrade. Church indide is splendid with its stain glass windows and...

An amazing church with remarkable community! You will be truly welcomed and encouraged to see, feel and enjoy of the great spirit of the parishes there. During the pandemic people have created an amazing carpet, and each part have been made by different person. That incredible hand made work tell us a story for patience,...