The History of the Schools in Topsham

                         Topsham First School, Majorfield Road

The Quakers had a Meeting House on this site in around 1713.  The Wesleyans later bought and used the building as a chapel from 1811.  In 1844 the Wesleyans held a meeting in a tent on the piece of ground purchased for the building of a schoolroom.

Topsham Wesleyan School opened in 1852 in the chapel building and in 1862 a new schoolroom was sanctioned, costing about £100.  This was used for the first time on January 26th 1863 and the infants became a separate school with its own headteacher.

On May 30th 1867, the school was closed for the opening of the new chapel, St Nicholas Methodist Church in Fore Street.  At that time there were 105 mixed all age children, and 54 infants.  On January 6th 1873 the Topsham Board School took over the school with about 80 infants and older girls, the boys having moved to Parkfield Road.