Three Fundamental Purposes:

A Sacred Space

This remains the principal function of the building and needs to be protected. Christian congregations worship here but our doors are open to other faiths and for those who come to pray, light candles and just sit in the stillness and silence.

St Mary’s is a place of meditation and prayer. It’s been used for this purpose for centuries and we would like to make it as comfortable and as inviting as possible - more on that in a moment.

The church offers sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the narrow streets outside. It is open from dawn to dusk and seeks to welcome all. It is a place where all that is most profound in human culture and spirituality can meet, be celebrated and engaged with.

In this time of planetary crisis, there needs to be a coming together; a sharing of global wisdom in a spirit of mutual compassion and love. St Mary’s offers that sacred space.

A Place for Heritage & Community Engagement

The Grade 1 listed church, with its magnificent stone rood screen, is visited by 50,000 - 70,000 people a year. During the summer and autumn, a constant flow of visitors from all over the world pass through its doors. It is a key asset in Totnes and sits in the middle of a web of heritage locations such as the Guildhall, Castle, Totnes Museum and the Leechwell Gardens,

St Mary’s acts as a natural signpost to these key points on a visitor’s tour. Along with the museum, it serves as a communications hub for the Tourist Information Centre. The church is regularly visited by schools for a variety of educational needs and also hosts a weekly café in the summer months for the whole community.

Its churchyard is one of the few green spaces with general access in the town centre that is a beautiful and relaxing space to just sit or enjoy a picnic. The nave and forecourt are often used for meetings, market stalls and pop-up cafes. It’s a space for young, old, resident and visitor – a space where the vulnerable and marginalised feel included and welcome. A diverse range of people can engage with the building and its heritage while experiencing a sense of belonging.

A Place for Art and Culture

St Mary’s is an iconic and beautiful building that stands prominently above the Totnes skyline. It has been a focal point for the town’s creativity over the centuries and has a renowned Fr.Willis Organ from the 19th century which top organists have come to admire and play over the years. 

Our doors are also open wide to a diverse range of creative tastes. The church hosts a great number of artistic and cultural activities - particularly in terms of music, whether classical or contemporary.

St Mary’s has been a principal venue for the Totnes Festival, the Sea Change Festival and a host of other large and well-organised events. These range from lunchtime organ and piano recitals to evening gigs for 300+ people. 

And local music! Wow, we really do have the best shows. Jazzient, Mama Tokus, Holly Ebony, and many more.

Spoken word and story-telling are hugely popular events here in Totnes. In 2023 we hosted Hugh Lupton, and The Devil’s Violin in partnership with our friends the South Devon Storytellers. 

So many of those who attend events at St Mary’s tell us how wonderful they find both the atmosphere of the building but also the openness to it being used for such events.  

These Three Fundamental Purposes form the heart of our vision, which we seek to enhance for generations to come. But to do this we must tackle the challenges that include making the building more sustainable, comfortable and accessible for all.

And we are achieving this through the Reordering Project where there are many ways you can get involved.