Hoskins' overview
By Chris Jago
In his book, Devon, the writer and historian, W.G.Hoskins included a series of short notes describing some of the communities in the county. Here is what Hoskins had to say about Alphington:
Alphington has been suburbanised by its proximity to Exeter, but there is still much decent 18th cent. and early 19th cent. building. Mile End Cottage, beside the Exeter road, is the house in which Charles Dickens installed his parents in 1839. Facing the church is a good specimen of an early 17th cent. Devon farmhouse.
The parish church (St Michael) is almost entirely a 15th cent. building, with a good tower. The 12th cent. Beer Stone font is one of the finest of its period in Devon. The rood-screen is 15th cent. but the N (borth) aisle screen is different in design and execution and may have come from another church. The screen across the lower arch was made up from the remains of the former Jacobean gallery (1625) demolished in 1875.
W.G.Hoskins; (2003);Devon; Phillimore & Co; Chichester.