Although Arts Society Exeter has not been able to undertake church recording in recent years we have been able to collaborate with Topsham in recording at Sowton church on the outskirts of Exeter.

Here a medieval church heavily restored by the Victorians provided some interesting pew ends, stone-carved pulpit, brass Chancel gates, floor tiles as well as a Barnard silver communion set.

Kate Sisum of Topsham has been working hard to set up a new Church Recording (CR) Group in East Devon.

To build a strong foundation for new volunteers, I have put the following resources in place:

• Expert Support: Since local peer support is limited, I have formed a panel of local Devon historians, who will provide expert advice in their specialist areas without doing the physical recording work.

• Physical Resources: I have secured ten second hand copies of Inside Churches ( an essential resource for all CRs).  and have created a comprehensive Devon-specific bibliography.

Harold Clarke, who is on the TAS Church recording committee, has been guiding me along the way .  The TAS committee has overseen the

Updating of the official CR Handbook, which is now online.

Now that the 2026–27 TAS year is starting, I am ready to recruit volunteers.  TAS Topsham is supporting my efforts, though there are some valid questions about costs.

I very much hope you will encourage TAS Exeter members to join us. If we get enough volunteers from Exeter and Topsham, our first project should be St Mary’s Church in Poltimore. If we need more numbers, I will expand my search to the Budleigh Salterton, Sidmouth, and Honiton societies, and maybe pick an alternative, more centrally located church.

Please contact Kate if you are interested. 

 churchrecording@theartssocietytopsham.org.uk