In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Topsham like this:
TOPSHAM, a small town, a parish, and a sub-district, in St. Thomas district, Devon. The town stands on the river Exe, immediately above the influx of the Clist, and on the Exeter and Exmouth railway, 4 miles SSE of Exeter; was the only port of Exeter prior to the opening of the ship canal in 1544; had then a larger trade with Newfoundland than any other port of England; suffered an attack by the Earl of Warwick, on occasion of the siege of Exeter, in 1643; was the headquarters of Fairfax, prior to his removal to Ottery, in 1645; comprises one long street of irregular breadth, and several smaller streets; includes, in the S, a section called the Strand, consisting chiefly of genteel houses, and commanding very fine views; carries on ship-building, chain-making, rope-making, and a considerable coasting trade; and has a head post-office,‡ a r. ...
station with telegraph, two chief inns, a fine parish church, Independent and Wesleyan chapels, a national school, charities £151, and a fair on the Thursday after 18 July. Pop. in 1861, 2,772. Houses, 539.—The parish includes Countess-Weir chapelry, and comprises 1,570 acres of land and 170 of water. Real property, £11,085; of which £85 are in gasworks. Pop. in 1851, 3,377; in 1861, 3,503. Houses, 682. The manor belonged anciently to the Crown, and afterwards was held, for a long period, by the Earls of Devon. Weir House is the seat of Sir J. T. B. Duckworth, Bart.; and there are numerous good residences. The living is a p. curacy in the diocese of Exeter. Value, £290. Patrons, the Dean and Chapter of E. The p. curacy of Countess-Weir is a separate benefice.—The sub-district contains five parishes. Acres, 6,207. Pop., 4,777. Houses, 945.
Topsham through time
Topsham is now part of Exeter district. Click here for graphs and data of how Exeter has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Topsham itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Topsham, in Exeter and Devon | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/5796
Date accessed: 19th April 2024
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