St John in the Wilderness Church, now in the parish of Withycombe Raleigh which itself was only established in 1850, sits in one of the prettiest locations that any church could possibly have, beside a small lane in which there are some delightful houses, surrounded by fields. A church has been here for over a thousand years and the present church originally dates from 1381 – 1435. In Saxon times the church was held by a woman, Alveva under the lordship of Gytha, mother of King Harold who was defeated by William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings. Following this, the church was given by William to William de Clavill. Traces of this early church, probably a wooden structure with a thatched roof, have been discovered in the foundations of the present church. From 1150 the manor of Withycombe was in the care of various religious orders and then purchased by the Raleigh family following the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538 by Henry VIII.

The church, which is dedicated to St John The Baptist, seems to have got The Wilderness part of its name from being so isolated and inaccessible as it was in the 17th century. By 1788 it had become very dilapidated and services ceased and as it was then in the Parish of East Budleigh, the vicar there wanted it pulled down. The Commons of Enquiry decreed that it only the nave and chancel be demolished and that two of its bells be sold to assist with the expenses of restoring the church. According to records, they were sold to an Exeter ironmaker for £74, 18 shillings and 6 pennies. The north aisle and tower were saved from demolition and here are two memorial tablets to the Raleigh family, one in the north aisle and the other in the Lady Chapel which marks the place where George Raleigh was laid to rest in 1597. In the corner is a small Norman column which was part of the early Norman church. On the wall of the stairs leading to a balcony there are two wooden panels, believed to be Victorian, depicting the Ten Commandments.

Over the years the church decayed further and in 1850 it became part of the new parish of Withycombe Raleigh along with St John The Evangelist (the parish church) in Withycombe Village Road and All Saints Church on Exeter Road. It was not until 1922 that it was finally decided to restore the church and some services started there again. The building work took place between 1926 – 1932 thanks to the generosity of parishioners and was finally finished in 1937.

Inside, the nave was rebuilt on its original foundations and has retained its 15th century font upon which is the earliest inscription on any item in Exmouth, “Y.911” carved on its base. The ground floor of the tower, which dates from the 14th century, has a pillar with a Green Man and Tudor Rose carved on it.

Outside, the churchyard is both picturesque and peaceful. The attached photo (credit: Bill Sleeman collection) gives you an indication of this. My great great grandparents are buried there, as are three famous artists. Francis Danby, an Exmouth resident who died in 1861, William Holwell Carr, who was vicar of Menheniot in Cornwall but whose parents lived in Exmouth, and lastly Richard Thomas Pentreath, an artist of the Newlyn School who died in Exmouth in 1869. Just outside the gate is a private burial ground of the Bryce family who owned the Bystock and Marley Estates. If you have not visited this beautiful church you really must on a lovely sunny day – just go and sit in the churchyard and let the world go by!

If you would like me to cover any particular aspect of Exmouth’s history, please do email me at mike.menhenitt@btinternet.com or leave a note at the museum and I will see what I can do. Thank you.