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Summary

Former Congregational Church and schoolrooms. Originally there was a converted barn on this site from at least 1712 (maybe as early as 1672) The church was probably erected in 1739 on the site of the barn. It could be accessed secretly through the North Star Inn on North Street (demolished 1850, when the later part of the church built). The Sunday School dates to 1850. Church backs on to Stapledon Lane.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1282894: FORMER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND SCHOOLROOMS

Other References/Statuses

• National Buildings Record: 76663
• National Monuments Record: SX77SE52
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 1483941
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX77SE/93
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 376119

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL (First mentioned, XVIII to Late 20th Century - 1739 AD to 1985 AD (Pre))
• SCHOOLROOM (XIX - 1835 AD to 1875 AD (Between))

Full description

Department of Environment, 1973, Ashburton, 26 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV300597.

Congregational Church, North Street. Present building probably early-19th century, although there were earlier chapels on the site. Two storey three window granite west front with arched windows with Gothic glazing bars.
Interior has east window (probably 17th century). Flemish brought from a building in Westminster Bridge Road London demolished when Christchurch was built there.

Pilkington, F., 1989, Ashburton The Dartmoor Town, 35-6 (Monograph). SDV360367.

Church erected in 1739 on the site of a barn which had earlier been converted into a meeting-house for worship no later than 1712 and probably as early as 1672. The converted barn was later altered to incorporate an adjacent barn and the dividing wall removed, creating the place know as 'Great Meeting'. The entrance from North Street was through the North Star Inn. Present limestone west front was built in 1818, enlarging the church. In 1850, the Sunday School to the right of the entrance was built. In 1865 as many as 400 worshippers attended the Sunday service.
Church has a beautiful stained-glass window showing the preservation of the Christ Child in the Temple (believed to date from 1610), which was given to the church in 1934 and a large and unusual Parliament clock; a gift from Sir Robert Palk in the late 18th century.
Church closed in 1985 after the congregation steadily declined and the new owner is converting it into commercial premises.

Stell, C., 1991, An Inventory of Nonconformist Chapels and Meeting-Houses in South-West England, 58-9 (Monograph). SDV346926.

Former Congregational Chapel. The Presbyterian meeting house, latterly Congregational, originated in the late 17th century with the preaching of John Nosworthy and William Pearse, ministers ejected in 1662 from Ipplepen and Dunsford. The meeting house, dating from the 18th century, was first placed in trust in 1739, it was reroofed and remodelled internally in 1791, and further enlarged and altered to the east in 1818. A horseshoe-shaped gallery facing the former pulpit was introduced in 1791, but replaced by the present galleries in 1818. Closed 1985.

Ordnance Survey, 2013, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV350786.

Depicted on the modern mapping.

English Heritage, 2013, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV350785.

SX7570 NORTH STREET 849-1/8/140 (East side) 07/08/51 Former Congregational Church and Schoolrooms, GV II
Former Congregational Church and schoolrooms. Church probably early C19; schoolrooms mid C19. Stone rubble, the schoolrooms with red-brick window surrounds. Slated roofs; hipped over the chapel. Church lies at rear of site, backing on to Stapledon Lane. On the right-hand side of its forecourt, at right-angles, are the schoolrooms. These are now linked to the chapel by a gallery. 2 storeys. Each building is 3 windows wide. Chapel has round-arched windows and centre doorway. Windows have barred sashes with Gothic glazing in their heads and in the fanlight over the door. Coved eaves-cornice on all 4 sides. Rear and side walls have red-brick arches. The centre E windows has coloured glass with figures; described in 1973 list as 'probably C17. Flemish brought from a building in Westminster Bridge Road London demolished when Christchurch was built there. Schoolrooms have segmental-arched windows in ground storey and in upper storey of W gable; flat-headed windows in upper storey of N front. All have barred sashes. Small gabled entrance porch on W gable wall. Both main building and porch have deep projecting eaves. C19 iron railing across whole street frontage: moulded caps to the standards, enriched spearheads to the other uprights. Interior: chapel now has few features, although galleries remain and a few wall monuments.
Listing NGR: SX7552870010

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds

• FDV6577 - CLOCK (XVIII - 1790 AD? to 1791 AD)

Associated Events: none recorded

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