EXMOUTH is the oldest “seaside “resort” in Devon. It is ten miles from the city of Exeter.It started out as a medieval fishing village built around a ferry –station on the boundary of two Saxon parishes of Littleham and Withycombe Raleigh.
As the 18th century progressed locals began to get used to the intermittent invasion of strangers. The rich and titled came from Exeter and then from further afield as Inns, lodging houses and eventually hotels sprang up to house them. Some stayed and built houses, villas and mansions.
People began to realise that in the sea and particularly the two miles of golden sand which gave them fish and often snatched away their lives they held an unexplained treasure.
For over a century Exmouth’s golden age continued until the railway opened up Dawlish, Teignmouth and finally Torquay. It was Torquay’s success which marked Exmouths gradual decline as a fashionable watering place. But the town did not die and after years of planning it too achieved its own railway and docks. It became a port and with its two miles of golden sands a resort for the family a retirement town and to some extent a dormitory for Exeter.
There are other sides to Exmouth’s story : the fishermen, pilots, and life boatmen who braved the elements to bring sustenance and safety to its people: the smugglers and revenue men who fought a running battle along its shores and the lace workers who laboured for a pittance and lived in grinding poverty behind the glossy facade.
There is an excellent history of the town plus much more at Exmouth Guide. If you visit Devon you might like to go to the Exmouth Museum click on the link for more details. Much more information about Littleham for the family historian can be found at the Genuki Littleham page
A la Ronde is a quirky 18th-century, 16 sided house with fascinating interior decoration and collections which was built by two local wealthy but rather eccentric ladies Jane and Mary Parminter. Read more about A la Ronde here
The Parish Church is St Margaret and St Andrew, Littleham and Holy Trinity, Exmouth.
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Family History InformationEarliest Baptism registers 1612
Earliest marriage registers 1603 Earliest Burial registers 1603 Non conformist registers (Ebenezer Chapel)1809 -1837 at www.bmdregisters.co.uk/ IGI (LDS Church) Baptism and Marriages: None The Devon FHS indexes Baptisms 1813-1839, Marriages 1754-1837, Burials 1812-1837 Registration district: St Thomas Wills and Probate: Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of Exeter Hundred: East Budleigh |
Where to find parish register transcripts and copies The best and most obvious place to view the Littleham (Exmouth) parish registers is the Devon Heritage Centre in Exeter where all the originals, microfilms and fiche are kept. It is not always possible to visit Exeter and so copies or indexes are the next best thing. Below are some sites where you can find and dates available.
Please note - Find my Past & Genealogist are subscription sites Find My Past Littleham Baptisms 1611 -1915 Find My Past
Littleham Banns 1754 -1809 Find My Past Littleham Marriages 1603 -1915 Find My Past Littleham Burials 1603 -1915 Find My Past Exmouth Holy Trinity Baptism 1895-1911 Find My Past Exmouth Holy Trinity Marriages 1878-1895 Find My Past Exmouth Holy Trinity Burials 1912-1915 Find My Past Exmouth St Andrew Baptism 1899-1915 Find My Past Exmouth Glenorchy 1784-1818 Genealogist Chapel Burials Information on this site for Littleham (Exmouth) Parish
Here is a summary of resources I have available to share with you or links to other sites of interest. Some are transcriptions or extracts and will be on this site; some, for reasons of copyright are in my possession and I or another person will do lookups where you see the email button. Census 1851 Census LDS CD - Rom Lookups available email me 1881 Census LDS CD - Rom Lookups available email me Parish Registers I have limited abstracts and transcriptions available for births, marriages and burials. All of them are post 1800 so ask me if you would like me to look these up. Email me Directories Pigot & Co 1830 Book Go to the transcript Pigot & Co Directory 1822-23 List of names Go to the Genuki page Kellys Directory 1902 of Exmouth Click here for list of inhabitants Kellys Directory 1902 of Littleham Click here for list of inhabitants Littleham (Exmouth) Freeholders Extract of Littleham (Exmouth) freeholders 1711-1799 from the Index transcribed by the Friends of Devon Archives Littleham Plague 1628 Short article with list of burials Littleham and the Church Religious dissent and the relationship between the established Church and the parishioners An article by Keith Searle Books about Littleham / Exmouth I recommend these books many of which can still be purchased from many local book shops or you can try various web based book sellers. Follow this link if you want to buy the book from a local book shop. Some of these books have been indexed with the permission of the author or publisher where appropriate. I have listed the name of the person who is willing to do look ups for those books which have been indexed. I am willing to do look ups where a precise reference is given. Guide to the ParishChurch of St Margaret and St Andrew, Littleham, Exmouth Lookups email for look up The book of Exmouth: portrait of a resort. Barracuda Books email for look up One Hundred Years of Progress, Exmouth Docks Company email for look up Exmouth Milestones. Exmouth: Delderfield, E ERD Publications email for lookup The Raleigh Country Delderfield, E. ERD Publications email for lookup Exmouth to Starcross: an ancient ferry: a story of almost 1200 years, Pascoe, W.H Exeter, Obelisk Publications email for lookup Exmouth Yesterdays Delderfield,E ERD Publications email for lookup Old Exmouth Sleeman, W.J. email for look up Privacy and Cookie Policy Contact Terms & Conditions |
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