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The Church
All Saints Church, Torre is located in the seaside tourist town of Torquay, on the beautiful sunny South Devon coast on the English Riviera. Torquay was the home of the writer Agatha Christie, who was baptised and worshipped at All Saints as a child. All Saints Church is included in the Agatha Christie Trail operated by Torbay Council.

All Saints is a much loved parish church that has an established catholic tradition of worship. The parish is under the episcopal oversight of the Bishop of Ebbsfleet and under the care of the Rt. Revd. John Ford, Bishop of Plymouth. In 1996 the parish became a registered faith forward in faith parish.

All Saints is centred firmly on the worship of Almighty God

History
The parish of Torre was the first parish of Torquay. The parish is the oldest in the town and all the others have evolved from it. Originally there was only the parish church of St Saviours, but as the town grew, the 14th century church became too small and it was decided that another church should be built.

All Saints was designed by the architect John Pearson and built with money from Agatha Christie's family. The estimated cost was £8000, due to this large sum of money it was decided that it should be built in sections. The first foundation stone was laid and on January 27th 1886 at the east end (chancel) and the centre (nave) were opened. On April 27th 1889 the second foundation stone was laid to mark the start of the final building work. In the late 1970's. All Saints became the main church for worship and St Saviours was leased to the Greek Orthodox Church and is now known as St Andrews. All Saints was consecrated in 1988.

Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie was born on born on September l5th. 1890 in a house called Ashfield in Torre Parish about a twenty- minute walk from All Saints' Church. When Agatha was born her father donated a sum of money to All Saints' Church to mark her birth and she became a founder member and this church will always be associated with her. On November 2Oth 1890, Agatha Christie was baptised in this church in the same font that is used today. She received the names Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller. Mary after her grandmother, Clarissa after her mother and Agatha which was suggested for her by a friend on the way to the church.

Agatha as a child and throughout her life church and her Christian faith remained an important priority and this all started at All Saints. Her father took her to church every Sunday and always sat in the front row.

At the end of the century there was a riding stable about a hundred metres from the Church and Agatha was in the habit of walking down there in her riding habit in order to go exploring the country lanes on horseback.

Her father was President of the Cricket Club near Ashfield. Unfortunately her father died when she was only eleven. As a teenager Agatha went to help the local pharmacist whose shop was only a five minute walk from Torre church. This shop remained intact until the end of 1998 when it was closed down. It was here in this pharmacy that the young Agatha acquired all her knowledge of poisons, which has figured so largely in her work. She gained her certificate to practice as a pharmacist and she worked at the hospital in Torre throughout both World Wars.

The Church helped her career as a writer. If she were writing about bishops, priests or complex ecclesiastical business she would telephone the Vicar of Torre to seek advice.

Agatha lived in Torquay until 1938, but as she herself said in her autobiography, 'I dream a great deal and always about Ashfield.' This distinguished lady died in 1976 at the age of eighty eight having written 78 novels, 19 plays, a collection of poems and 6 romantic novels under the name of Mary Westmacott

Church Service and Liturgy
The main service of the week is Sunday's Sung Mass, where we follow the Common Worship lectionary. All Saints uses traditional catholic ceremonial worship; vestments are worn by the celebrant who is assisted in the sanctuary by a serving team. Incense is used for the Mass and for processions. Evening Sung Mass on some major festivals and sung services for the Easter Triduum, observing the liturgy of holy week in full. The New English Hymnal is used. The Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the tabernacle at the high altar and the holy oils are reserved at the font in the aumbry.

Mission and Ministry
All Saints church is a part of the Torquay North Mission Community that is made up of the parishes of St. George and St. Mary Cockington, St. Matthew's Chelston, St. Luke's Torquay and St. John's Shiphay. All Saints contributes to The Additional Curates Society and Christian Aid. All Saints supports the local charity Anode.

Christmas Tree Festival
The Christmas Tree Festival takes place each year during the first week of December and the church is open daily providing refreshments. The church is filled with 50 trees, each sponsored and decorated by an individual for a specific charity. The event is very well supported by the local community and people return year after year to see this wonderful display and support their favourite charity.