For any safeguarding concerns regarding St Mary's Church, please contact Sue Lane at sb.lane@icloud.com.
Perched on the quay overlooking the River Torridge, St Mary’s Church is a spiritual and historical landmark in Appledore.
Founded in the early 19th century, its wooden screen, crafted from the sailing ship “Marco Polo”, symbolises the village’s deep maritime heritage. The church’s origins are deeply tied to the local community’s resilience, believed to be born from Protestant dissenters establishing their own place of worship in the 17th century.
St Mary’s has grown alongside Appledore’s development as a port and fishing village, serving a diverse congregation with traditional, family, and modern services featuring live music and praise. The church maintains a strong choral tradition, contributing to regional festivals and enriching the local cultural scene. Visitors are drawn not only by its riverside beauty and historic significance but also by its welcoming atmosphere, making St Mary’s a cherished spiritual home and cultural landmark on North Devon’s coast.