St Olave's Church

St Olave’s Church stands on Fore Street in Exeter, a small parish church built from local volcanic stone and white sandstone. It began as a private chapel founded by Lady Gytha, mother of King Harold Godwinson, in memory of her husband Godwin. The church appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as property linked to Battle Abbey in Sussex. After becoming a parish church in the 13th century, it was rebuilt between the late 14th and 15th centuries. The tower, added in the 13th century, gained an upper brick stage in the early 1700s. In 1950 the building was recognised as a Grade I listed structure. The church’s history reflects Exeter’s changing communities. French Huguenot refugees worshipped here from 1635 to 1758, leaving memorials on the floor. It also served as a military chapel and a parish school. A damaged medieval relief of the Scourging of Christ sits in the wall, once part of an altar. A single bell carries a Latin inscription meaning “By my lively voice I disperse all that is harmful.” A World War I memorial was added in 1917, possibly one of the first in England. Inside, the nave and chancel contain a late 17th-century pulpit and an 18th-century communion table. An early 19th-century gallery and organ were installed during major 19th-century renovations. A stained glass window from 1875 shows St Olave as King of Norway. The sanctuary screen dates to 1902, and a triptych behind the altar was added in the early 20th century. The timber roof was rebuilt after wartime damage. Today the church remains in regular use by the parish and the Romanian Orthodox community.