St Mary Arches Church

St Mary Arches Church stands in the centre of Exeter, a small red-sandstone building with strong Norman lines. It sits beside a former medieval arched street that gave the church its name. For three centuries, from the 1300s to the 1500s, it served Exeter’s mayor and the city’s leading merchants. The building still keeps many of its original Norman features. Historic England recognises its importance by listing it Grade I. Inside, visitors find a quiet space where history is written in stone and wood. The most striking memorial is the tomb of Christopher Lethbridge, who died in 1670 after serving as mayor in 1660. The church’s plain walls and simple furnishings let the architecture speak for itself. Light falls through clear windows onto worn flagstones laid centuries ago. Outside, the church opens onto narrow streets that follow the line of the old arched thoroughfare. Exeter’s busy shopping district lies just a few steps away. The contrast between the calm interior and the modern city outside makes the visit memorable.