Parish of Paignton

 St John the Baptist or Paignton Parish Church as it is commonly known as has been a part of the Paignton for a long time. The first church building on this site was possibly a wooden structure but nothing remains above ground, although its foundations have been discovered. The Second (Norman) church was built about 1100 but this was almost completely demolished and rebuilt around 1250. Today, the church which can be seen is the third building to be established there and has been gradually transformed since the Middle Ages. As Paignton continued to develop and transform, our parish community has also grown connecting with St Boniface church and community hall in Foxhole. Built-in the 1960s with the modern design, St Boniface provides a Christian presence to the local community and is used by the community and the church alike, providing a welcome space to all who visit.

As St John’s and St Boniface have become one parish, our ministry and community have flourished offering individuals from all points of their Christian journey to find a space and place of belonging. With our History of being within the heart of the community, in Foxhole as well as Paignton town, the Churches particularly St John’s or Paignton Parish Church has often been documented for historical interest. This transformation can be seen through the different historical artefacts present within the building itself and the surrounding grounds. Examples of the various artefacts have been listed with photographs and names below.

Click the button at the bottom of our Key historical Highlights section for more information.

Other Historical Mentions

The Records

The Parish Registers commence in 1559 and are complete; they are now at the Devon Record Office in Exeter, as are also the Churchwardens Accounts (1699-1874). The monument inscriptions have been recorded by the local branch of the Devonshire Association, and copies of the record (indexed) may be consulted at the Paignton Public Library, Courtland Road, Paignton, or at Torquay Public Library, Lymington Road, Torquay. A copy has also been deposited with the Society of Genealogists in London. Photo-stat copies of the first volume of the Parish Registers (1559-1730), of the Vestry Minute Book (1870-1982), the Church School Minute Book (1866-1950) and of a church expenses account book (1862-1924) are also at Torquay Public Library.

Renovations supported by The Chaplin Family

Samuel Chapin was baptised (1598) and married (1624) in this church. He emigrated to America in 1638.

The Reredos pictured right and situated behind the present High Altar, commemorates a Paigntonian, Samuel Chapin, baptised (1598) and married (1624) in this church. He emigrated to America in 1638 and helped to found the city of Springfield (Massachusetts), collaborating in this venture with John Pynchon of Springfield (now a suburb of Chelmsford), whose birthplace is recalled in the city's name. The Chapins are a distinguished American family, and a statue by the famous Sculptor (picture right) St. Gauden, of Paignton, born Samuel known as "The Puritan" is in Springfield's municipal park. This link with America was discovered in 1913 as a result of a search by his descendants for their ancestor's birthplace. A group of them gave the reredos in 1927. His descendants include four Presidents of the U.S.A.

The Treacle Bible

What is a Treacle Bible? In the Mid-sixteenth Century some Bibles were printed with the following translation in the Book of Jeremiah Chapter 8 Verse 22 " Is there not triacle (treacle) at Gilead',', the more common translation being "balm".

Within our collection of historical artefacts, we have a Treacle Bible printed in 1572 which was found tucked away in a corner of the Kirkham Chapel in a very dilapidated condition. After writing to the Archbishop’s council, the Treacle Bible was restored by Messrs, Cedric, Chivers & Co. of Bristol through a grant application.

Another interesting thing about our Bible is that it is what is called a Bishop’s Bible. Historically, the first complete translation of the Bible into English was prepared by Myles Coverdale (1488- 1569), and published in 1535 followed by the Great Bible in 1539 Subsequently there were several other attempts at this work by various people until we come to 1566. It was then that Archbishop Parker allocated sections of the Great Bible to various translators Many of the Bishops, to check it against recent Latin versions of the Hebrew text. Thus the Bishops Bible came into being. As well as the "Treacle" reference which gives this version its name, it has an interesting marginal note to Psalm 45:9 which reads " Ophir is thought to be the llande in the West Coast of late founded by Christopher Columbo ". Yet another interesting point is that this edition of the 1572 Bible has a remarkable feature in that the Psalms are given in two versions - one from the Great Bible and the other by the Bishops - printed side by side in different typefaces.

The Bible may be inspected in the church by appointment.