A FORMER church in Teignmouth has sold at auction for £100,000.

The United Reformed Church in Dawlish Street went under the hammer two years after it closed when the previous congregation moved to new premises.

But the sale of the Grade II * listed building has come as a disappointment to former county councillor John Smith who wrote a detailed history of the church.

Mr Smith said: ‘I think there has been a significant misrepresentation of the architectural importance of this building.

‘I think it would be a travesty if the building is used for anything other than community use.’

Auction appraiser Steve Appleby said: ‘This substantial former church building occupies a highly prominent island position in Teignmouth, close to the town centre, railway station and seafront.

‘There may be potential for a variety of future uses for the new owner, including residential conversion, community use or redevelopment of the site, subject to all necessary consents being obtainable.’

The church dates back to 1883 and cost £4,387, taking just nine months to construct.

It included gas lighting and a very modern Ventilating Warm Air Apparatus.

The design of the church was unique as it was built on a small, awkward triangular site and it was built to be able to accommodate the expanding and contracting congregations of a seaside town.

Among the building’s notable features are: the coat of arms of Teignmouth, cut into the Bath stone above the main church door and featuring again in the circular section of the large, stained glass window above the communion table, 40 hand carved, ornate bosses and features within the church and gargoyles around the outside.

There is also a wooden cross on the front wall, hand crafted and gifted to the church by the ship carpenters of Morgan Giles shipyards in Teignmouth.

By the 1990s, and the church’s 200th anniversary, its was recognised there were significant problems to resolve.

By then, the building was more than 100 years old and there was insufficient income to maintain the building.

External stonework was showing significant wear and erosion, the roof needed replacement and the building was subject to vandalism.

Internally it needed redecorating and suffered from water leaks both through the roof and the large traceried windows.

Much of the equipment, such as kitchen and toilets, needed to be replaced and the whole building needed to be rewired.

But there was little money in reserves.

The church also needed to refresh and re-define its mission within the community of Teignmouth.

In a series of meetings, it was decided the church needed to extend and develop its community focus.

It found funding for a new roof, rewiring and new lighting, new heating and windows were repaired and protected from further vandalism.

The congregation identified that without money the building could not be improved and also that it had to become both a church and a community centre, providing easy and comfortable access.

The most successful project was provision of a pre-school, East Teign Nursery but by 2015, as well as regular worship, the church hosted annual events, an art group, the 1st Teignmouth Boy's Brigade Company, the nursery and a monthly Tamil Christian worship.

However, by 2024, the Methodist congregation had become the Lighthouse Pioneer Church which now meets at the Teignmouth Hub.