Church Heritage Record 615070

Clerestoried nave with aisles and north transept. Chancel with south chapel and north organ chamber. North-east flower room. South-east choir vestry with polygonal vestry to east.

[Approximate] Nave 21m (69ft) x 7m (23ft), chancel 10m (33ft) x 7m (23ft), aisles 5m (16ft) wide.

Exeter was settled by the Romans and their walls formed the basis for the medieval city, across the water from Emmanuel. There have been some archaeological finds to the west of the church, identified as the remains of a Roman road and a Roman ditch. On the bank of the river to the north-east is the former site of St Andrew’s Benedictine Priory and monastery, of which there are no visible remains. A former workhouse, Redhills hospital, built in 1836 is a short distance to the west.

The church was built 1897-1901 to meet the needs of a densely populated working class, and rapidly developing area. The foundation stone was laid at the east end in 1897. The cast-iron rainwater hoppers are dated 1899. A wooden ICBS plaque in the south porch records the award of £370 from the ICBS in 1900 towards the cost of the new church. An intended south-west tower was never built.

A brass plaque by the south door records several episodes of damage since the building’s consecration in 1900. The first from a bomb which fell near the south transept in 1942. In 1960, Emmanuel was flooded along with the surrounding area. Water is reported to have reached as high as the window-sills. A flood channel to the west of the river has since been constructed and no further flooding has occurred. Following the flood the floors were relaid with granwood tiles, though some original wood blocks do survive. Restoration was carried out under the direction of Revd Tozer (commemorated in south aisle windows) and money raised by public subscription. The church opened again in 1961. On Revd Tozer’s death in 1963 donations were put towards the restoration of the roof.

The site has some archaeological potential given the history of the locality. There are no known designations relating to the ecology of the plot.

A tall, imposing church situated close to the pavement, drawing it into the public realm and making it an important feature of the local street scene. Without its intended tower, and due to the dense nature of buildings to east and west, views of the church from a distance are limited, although the clay tiled roof slopes rise above surrounding buildings. The church displays some good tracery and has cast iron downpipes dated 1899. Every gable is accented with a stone cross finial.

The church is constructed in a coursed stone with ashlar quoins, window surrounds and copings, and buttresses between each bay. The exception in materials is in the south-west corner where a tower was intended and where temporary red-brick infill has never been replaced. There is a simple lean-to south porch here with an octagonal bell-turret rising to its west side against the south-west corner. Round windows pierce the height of the west side of the turret. The west elevation has a five-light window.

Against the nave lean-to aisles have two-light pointed windows with hoodmoulds and carved stops are placed between each buttress. The aisles are interrupted by gabled transepts with four-light windows beneath hoodmoulds with carved stops. The elevations have a raised plinth at ground level. A sill continues beneath the windows of the aisles, and again beneath the three-light square-headed clerestory windows high in the nave walls.

To the east of the transepts the lower chancel roof has a pierced stone parapet above the eaves and pointed clerestory windows. Gargoyles project to north and south. The vestries abut the south of the chancel at ground level. They have a solid stone parapet that swoops between each bay. The choir vestry has three sets of three-light square-headed windows. Attached to the south-east corner is the octagonal clergy vestry with characterful conical roof above. A five-light Perpendicular style east window pierces the east wall of the chancel.

A porch is attached to the east side of the north transept. Stonework within the shallow gable is carved. The door has impressive scrolling ironwork. A second former north porch, which directly opposes the south porch, is obscured by an unexceptional single storey 1960s extension. The carved stone gable of the porch can be seen above the link.

The interior is vast and spacious, even though the north aisle has been partitioned off. Overall it is quite light as there is no stained glass (leaded panes with tinted glass) and there is some good woodwork and stonework. There are many changes in level particularly around the east end. The walls are of exposed stone, except in the south-west corner, where they were temporarily built in brick in anticipation of the tower that was never constructed.

The roof soars above the four-bay arcaded nave carried on shafted stone piers. It roof has exposed boards behind arched trusses which have hammer-beams at their bases. They rest on stone corbels set within the walls. Severe, unusual and large metal light fittings are suspended from the roof at each bay. The floor is surfaced in granwood floor tiles. Unfixed oak pews have a curved seat and carved ends, and sit quite low to the ground.

To the north the aisle has been partitioned off to form a hall. A false ceiling has been inserted and granwood floor tiles laid. A servery and kitchen at the west end, with WCs in an extension to the north which provides access onto the small garden area. The partitions are positioned behind the piers so as not to obliterate their view. Father Norris glass panels have been arranged in a crucifix form within each bay. Accessed from the hall is the north transept, also screened and now used as a store room.

The south aisle has an altar. At the east end of the aisle, from the transept is an arch accessing into the chapel to the south side of the chancel. It has a glazed wood screen across it. The east wall has painted wood panelling. There are some nicely carved capitals such as corn sheafs within the south transept.

Stone steps rise from the nave beneath a high pointed chancel arch with carved oak screen across it at ground level. A tiled central aisle continues up the centre with carved oak choir stalls on timber block floors to either side. The roof trusses rest on corbels adorned with armorials. The chancel has two-bay arcades to north and south with steps dropping down to the north, to the organ and flower room, and to the south, to the Lady Chapel and vestries to its east. The vestries have a low timber framed ceiling.

Seven steps from the nave up to the Sanctuary, those at the far east end are marble steps with the sanctuary tiled in encaustic and glazed floor tiles. A simple stone piscina in the north wall and more elaborate stone carved sedilia in the south wall. The east window integrates with the stone reredos beneath it.