Historic Torquay church celebrates 175 years, honouring legacy and community
St Mary Magdalene’s Church in Torquay commemorates 175 years of worship with a packed service led by Bishop James, celebrating its legacy of inclusivity and community support
by Nick Pannell · DevonLiveMore than 220 years of church attendance has been clocked up by three parishioners at St Mary Magdalene’s Church in Torquay.
Edwina Corderoy, 72, Stephen Potter, 72, and Pamela Potter, 78, have been attending since infancy.
It was just one of the things to celebrate when the Bishop of Plymouth, the Right Reverend James Grier, attended a packed church on Sunday, September 22, to mark 175 years of worship and witness at the town centre church.
Ms Corderoy said: “St Mary Mags is an amazing church to be part of which does such wonderful work in the community, especially among the vulnerable.”
The joint service raised the roof with well known songs and a stirring sermon from Bishop James, who remembered that the church was built in major part through the generosity of a wealthy donor, Charles Dawson, who gave £2,000 on the condition that none of the pews in the new church could be “appropriated” paid for and reserved by the wealthy elite.
St Mary Magdalene was to be a church for the people, no matter what their background, status or wealth. Bishop James commented that the church had endeavoured to stay true to that original DNA over the generations.
St Mags open throughout the week to serve the local community. There’s a play room for young families on Mondays, a store room foodbank on Tuesdays, a living room café on Wednesdays and Fridays, recovery room on Wednesday evenings, youth room on Fridays and a prayer room most days.
The Reverend Sam Leach, Rector of St Mags, said: “As a church we can’t preach about the good news on a Sunday without working to be good news for the community in the week.”
The special celebration was followed by a feast of food and a giant 175th birthday cake. Everyone commented what a joyful occasion it was, as the church committed itself once again to continue in its calling and mission.
St Mags church was finally consecrated on April 12, 1849, by the then Bishop of Exeter, Henry Phillpotts, having been designed by architect Anthony Salvin. Salvin had won a design competition in 1843 to design the church, having also worked on Windsor Castle and the Tower of London.