On Line Parish Clerk Aylesbeare, Budleigh Salterton, Clyst St George, Clyst St Mary, East Budleigh, Farringdon, Littleham, Lympstone, Rockbeare, Topsham, Withycombe Raleigh & Woodbury
  • home
    • Budleigh Salterton
    • Aylesbeare
    • Clyst St George
    • Clyst St Mary
    • East Budleigh
    • Farringdon
    • Littleham (Exmouth)
    • Lympstone
    • Rockbeare
    • Topsham
    • Woodbury
    • Withycombe Raleigh

Topsham

Home
TOPSHAM is a market-town and parish 3½ miles (S. E.) from Exeter,and is  situated just above the influx of the river Clyst into the Exe, and about 6 miles from the sea. 
Although village-sized, it was designated a town by a 1300 royal charter. 

In 1850 it was remarked that “Topsham is so celebrated for the salubrity of its air that it is reported to have lost only one person when the plague was raging at Exeter and in the vicinity, in the reign of Charles II.; and during the desolation produced in the neighbourhood by the cholera, in 1832, it entirely escaped the contagion”.
 
St Margaret's Anglican Church in Topsham, dates back to the 10th century. 
Topsham's was a thriving port, a centre for both fishing and shipbuilding. There are many Dutch style houses in Topsham dating from the time when Topsham was an important cotton port. Many of Topsham's houses are built using Dutch bricks, which were brought over as ballast from Holland – to where the wool and cotton from South-West England had been exported.
 
Countess Wear is a modern parish (1844).
Exeter Memories contains a Topsham short history 
Topsham Museum Society manages the local museum
The Topsham Society exists to protect the town and its environment
Topsham Museum 
Topsham Museum is housed in one of a group of late 17th century buildings overlooking the Exe and tells the story of the town

Family History Information


Earliest Baptism registers 1600
Earliest marriage registers 1600
Earliest Burial registers     1600
Devon RO Holdings for Topsham Bap 1600-1993 Marr 1600-2014 Bur 1600-1965
Countess Wear (Topsham): Bap 1844-1956 M 1845-1970
Bur 1847-1948
Topsham Nonconformist  (including Gulliford Chapel, Lympstone)Baptisms 1744-1883  Marriages 1771-1887   Burials 1771-1887
Topsham Independent/Congregational Marriages 1936-1948
Wesleyan Chapel: Registers for c1809-37 - see Axminster, Exeter Mint (PRO RG 4/512, 1207, 1208)
Society of Friends: Registers for 1642-1708 (Z), 1665-1706 (M), 1658-1708 (B) in PRO RG 6/1374

​Registration District: St Thomas
Entered into the IGI: Baptisms 1610-1875, Marriages 1600-1875; Independent Chapel Christenings 1809-1837; Presbyterian Chapel 1744-1755, 1771-1837.
The Devon FHS publishes indexes covering: Marriages 1754-1837, Burials 1813-1837 
Wills and Probate: Peculiar of the Dean & Chapter of Exeter
Hundred: East Budleigh

Where to find parish register transcripts and copies

The best and most obvious place to view the Topsham 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 these with the  date ranges.
Please note - Find my Past is a subscription site and Family Search is free
Topsham Baptisms     1600-1914   Find My Past   
Topsham Banns         1783-1915    Find My Past
Topsham Marriages   1600-1915    Find My Past     
Topsham Burials        1600-1915    Find My Past
Bishops Transcripts    1838-1887   Family Search

Transcripts of the Parish Registers 1600-1837 by the Devon & Cornwall Record Society are held at the Devon Archives and Local Studies Centre
Transcriptions 
​St Margarets, Topsham:  Bap  1740-1839   Free Reg​
St Margarets, Topsham  Marr  1600-1839  ​ Free Reg​
St Margarets, Topsham  Bur    1600-1839   Free Reg​

Independent Cong Chapel at Topsham:    Bap 1800-1839    Free Reg​
Unity /Presyb/Unitarian Chapel Topsham: Bap 1740-1839    Free Reg​
​Roy Parkhouse provides an index to Topsham Burials, 1714-1837 (archived copy) Warning slow to load

Information available via this site  for Topsham

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 LDS CD - Rom Look - ups available email keith searle

1881 LDS CD - Rom Lookups available keith searle or from LDS web site

Parish Registers

I do not have any transcripts of Topsham parish registers but would welcome any holdings that you may have. 
​

Devon Heritage has a number of records - 
Private Sydney Anstey of Topsham writes home from the 2nd Boer War 
By Joyce Dennys
Steamers of the Devonshire Coast
The disused Budleigh Salterton Railway Station - Link
The War Memorial 1914 to 1918
The War Memorial 1939 to 1945

 ​
Topsham Freeholders
Not yet available

Topsham Tithe Map 1839

Not yet available

Books about Topsham 
None listed yet

Picture
Picture

Aylesbeare    Budleigh Salt​     Clyst St Mary    Clyst St George     East Budleigh     Farringdon     Littleham    Lympstone,   Rockbeare   Topsham       Withycombe Ral ​    Woodbury       HOME
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.