Lympstone is a small village on the eastern side of the broad estuary of the River Exe. It is situate some 8 miles south west of Exeter; and some 2 miles north of Exmouth. Even in a description in 1850, Lympstone was described as a suburb of Exmouth. A recent description of the village (published in the mid seventies) describes it as a village which has a long history "but has changed considerably in the last thirty years. For centuries it was kept alive by its fishing industry". "The village has for several years been awarded a prize on the Britain in Bloom Completion. The community have made splendid concerted efforts in this direction. The small "cuts" and diminutive courts off the main street which lead to the waterfront are worth exploring. The views across the river to Mamhead, Powderham and Haldon are very striking". Accompanying this article is a photograph of "Lympstone's tiny harbour". The village is adjacent to the Royal Marine Depot at Exton.

A different and earlier description of the village is given in article written in about 1965(?). "At Lympstone's heart is a Saxon village, grouped in a sheltered little valley, with water and fishing and fields, protected by hills behind and in front, independent, hard-working and kindly, a good community. Until fairly recent times, Upper and Lower Lympstone indicated respectively the farming and fishing people, hinged on the centre of church, mill and manor.

"There was considerable shipbuilding along the estuary, right up to below Nutwell - the old harbour before the railway came. A number of wealthy mariners built their houses in the village."

The article refers to the fact that a large number of houses built in the village from 1721. The village contains a few 17th Century houses, mostly added on to and altered, but in the late 18th Century and early 19th, a number of attractive places were built for visitors. The article continues "The advent of the railway in 1860, with its 30 steam trains a day, and consequent soot, drove the well-to do from the centre of the village, but provided Lympstone with premises for every kind of trade and commerce. Indeed up to the beginning of the Second World War, the village was practically self-supporting, with a working mill, cider-maker, dairy, slaughterhouse, as well as shoemakers, dressmakers and many little shops."

The article provides the name of the parish church where so many of our ancestors, mainly the Stamps, the Littons and the Burchs, were christened, married and buried. The church, named "the parish church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary received its dedication in 1409. Its tower was used by both sides in the Civil War to sight their guns firing at ships trying to relieve Exeter. The church was much restored about 1860.

The present primary school was opened as a Church school as a private memorial early in the 19th Century. Because of the presence of Royal Marine quarters in the village, the school, at the time of the article, was still flourishing. Reference is made to there still being in the village "many whose families have lived and worked in Lympstone for generations". Perhaps a significant number of these are relatives.

A third article, of an earlier date than the two referred to above describes the parish church as having " a red sandstone tower of medieval days and an arcade and a chancel arch by the same 15th Century builders". The broken bowl of a font with a band of cable carved round it by a Norman Mason was found lying on the floor of the tower. Near it was the beam of the old stocks with five holes in it, "the odd one probably for the ne'er-do-well with a wooden leg". "In the chancel (which has a roof neatly restored in black and white) are fine oak figures of Mary and Elizabeth in the front of the lectern, and four golden angels holding candles above the altar. The east windows have Christ appearing to the disciples by the sea, with scenes of the Baptism and the Crucifixion, and one showing St. Martin and two of the warrior saints, our patron St. George and the Archangel Michael." At Nutwell Court are several of Sir Francis Drake's possessions, including his Bible, a drinking cup and his sword.

The most interesting description of Lympstone is to be found in the Directory of 1850 relating to Devon, which says:

"Lympstone, a pretty little village with several large and handsome houses, is pleasantly situated on the eastern bank of the broad estuary of the river Exe, about 2 miles N by W from Exmouth and 8 miles SSE of Exeter. It has in its parish 999 inhabitants and 1866 acres of land including Sowden Hamlet, and rising picturescly from the principal street, which extends on a level near the estuary.

"Leland describes Lympstone as a "pretty townlet with a great trade in shippes"; and it still has a very considerable fishing station having about 60 small fishing boats and large beds of oysters in the estuary brought there to fatten from the sea coast near Exmouth. The village may be considered as a suburb of the watering place of Exmouth and has many commodious lodgings for the accommodation of visitors who throng here during the proper season. The manor, anciently called Leningston was given by Henry I to William, his steward. It afterwards passed to the Damsrell, Dinburn, Prideaux, Putt and Heathfield families. It passed from the late Lord Heathfield to Sir Thomas F. E. Drake, Bart., its present owner; but a great part of the parish belongs to Capt. Wright, Chas. Gifford, W.H. Hull, Wm Spicer. W.H. Peters and Thomas Porter Esqrs. and a few similar owners.

"The Church (St. Mary's) is a fine old structure, with an embattled tower, and five bells. It is said to have been rebuilt in 1409, but the nave, aisles and chancel have undergone many repairs and alterations. It was enlarged in 1830 and the east window was enriched with stained glass by the late rector. The beautiful altar piece was given by Mrs. Wyatt and the organ purchased by subscription in 1845. the rectory valued in KB at 5. 3. 4d and in 1831 at 300 pounds is in the patronage of Thomas Porter Esq. and incumbency of the Rev. Edmund Strong M.A.. of Clist St. Mary. The Rectory House, occupied by the curate, is a neat residence. The Glebe is 12ac 3r 14p; and the tithes were commuted in 1838 for 264 pounds p.a. The Unitarians have a district chapel in the adjoining parish of Woodbury built in 1774 and a small one at Lympstone built in 1820, but the latter is now let to the Weslyans.

"The poor of Lympstone have the dividends of 500 pounds, 3 per cent Consols left by Wm. Spicer Esq. in 1848.

"A yearly rent charge of 4 pounds was left in 1727 by Henry Metherell for schooling poor children of this parish. The interest of 20 pounds left by John Egerton in 1730 is paid for the same purpose; as also is 2.13s.4d of the yearly dividends of 270 pounds, 3% Consols, left in 1828 by Wakelin Welch who directed 2/3rds of the income to be distributed in blankets among the poor. "The National Schools form a neat building erected in 1823 by the late Mrs. Eliz. Welch, relict of the last named Donor. Mrs. Wyatt allows the interest of 24 pounds p.a. The Boys school is supported partly by subscription. In 1829, John Denning left the dividends of 100 pounds, 3% Consols towards the support of the Sunday School"

The article records that there were 4 Inns/Taverns - the Globe, run by Mary Ann Voysey; the New Inn run by John Stanton; the Saddlers Arms run by Samuel Darby; and the Swam Inn run by Wm. Linscott who was also a Corn Dealer. It lists among Lympstone's business people - Jas. Burch, Plumber, painter, etc.; Edw. Ridler, Druggist, wine and spirit merchant and Agent to Norwich Union Fire and Life Office; and Phillip Stamp, Farmer.

A more recent description of Lympstone is to be found in the 1980 edition of "The Shell Book of English Villageswhere it is described as a village 7 miles SE of Exeter which nestles between 2 low red sandstone cliffs on the eastern shore of the Exe estuary. It runs inland along the valley of the Watton Brook. The coastal railway line from Exeter to Exmouth (2.5 miles s.s.e) divides the harbour and fishing cottages along the shoreline from the church and the rest of the village and the agricultural parish which extends E. up to the Woodbury Common at 500 feet above sea level. In the 17th and 18th Centuries, Newfoundland Bankers and Greenland Whalers were laid up in winter. Shipbuilding was an important activity in the 18th Century but Completion form Topsham's yards closed the Lympstone industry in about 1815. The principal occupation in the 19th Century was fishing for oysters and mussels which were despatched by rail to London markets; and for herring and mackerel for consumption locally, even today, seafood is a speciality at local inns.

The white painted cottages lie almost on the foreshore, with narrow jetties and alleys which lead from the strand to the boats and nets behind. Much of Lower Lympstone was rebuilt after a disastrous fire in 1833 when 58 homes were destroyed.

Further inland beyond the railway bridge and lett, a number of well built Georgian brick houses and villas line the winding road which leads to the church of St. Mary. The Perp tower, chancel arch and north arcade were part of the newly built church consecrated in 1409. The rest of the present church is the result of extensive rebuilding in 1862 to which an extension to the chancel was added in 1928.