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Summary

Baptist chapel, probably late 17th or early 18th century, exterior altered 19th century. One of the earliest Baptist meeting houses to survive. Repaired and restored in 1969.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1333577: LOUGHWOOD CHAPEL

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SY29NE36
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY29NE/67
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 87965
• Pastscape: 449606

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BAPTIST CHAPEL (XVII to XIX - 1601 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

1875, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV126479.

Pulman reported that the building had recently been smartened up (1875) and the old thatch replaced by a slate roof. There was a monument of 1778 to an old minister and several graves survived as well as a stable (pulman) (n. B. This is a national trust property).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV126482.

Doe/hhr:62:part of east devon(19/10/1984)92.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV126483.

Pulman, g. P. R. /the book of the axe/(1875)719.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV126484.

Hoskins, w. G. /devon/(1954)381.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV126486.

Des=ntas/loughwood meeting house/(july 1984)/in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV126487.

Nmr=sy29ne36.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV126488.

Nt/loughwood meeting house/()/copy in pf.

National Trust, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV5615.

Vis=estimated -/-/1984 (national trust). The chapel is built in a local grey stone. Some of the windows are fitted with 19th century gothic glazing bars. In 1871 the roof was replaced with iron sheeting, but the state of the building deteriorated up to 1960 when services ceased. After restoration, carried out by the trust, with funding from a number of sources, the chapel again became available for religious use (national trust).

Chapman, G. M., 1978, The History of Dalwood, 9-10 (Monograph). SDV351909.

Chapman, G. M., 1983, Dalwood, A Short History of an East Devon Village, 34-35 (Monograph). SDV351908.

A Baptist minister from Exeter gaol in 1668 wrote that Loughwood's congregation had increased. Services continued to be held at Loughwood until 1950. The congregation used to attend for the whole of Sunday, arriving, usually on horseback from towns and villages all around Dalwood. The two little rooms, one for men, one for women where they took their meals and the stable where they put their horses, can still be seen. The tiny graveyard was in use until quite recently. Interesting features include the plastered barrel ceiling, the oak "horse pews" whose high partitions prevented members of the congregation from seeing anyone but the preacher in the high central pulpit, the cavity below the pulpit fed by water from a near-by spring for total immersion at baptisms, and a musician's gallery. The wooden panel behind the pulpit is thought to have originally been a door through which the preacher could slip quietly away in case of danger. The National Trust purchased the chapel in 1970, it renovated the building preserving all its features and replaced the slate roof with the original reed thatch as it was in the 17th century.

Stell, C., 1991, Untitled Source, 76 (Monograph). SDV346926.

Described as a principal monument, and 'most worthy of preservation'. Other details: Monument 65.

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

Baptist chapel. Probably late C17 or early C18, exterior altered C19. One of the earliest Baptist meeting houses to survive. A meeting house existed here in 1653, the date of commencement of the first church book. Stone rubble with some brick dressings. Thatched roof with hipped and gabled ends. Formerly a slate roof. Large raking buttresses to front and end walls. Central doorway with red brick semi-circular arch and double doors. Leaded pane windows with semi-circular brick arches. Interior: circa mid C18 panelled gallery at "west" end. Vaulted plaster ceiling. Panelled box pews of late C18/early C19 date. Panelled polygonal pulpit probably early C19.

Historic England, 2015-2016, NRHE to HER prototype, 445456 (Website). SDV359652.

Summary description
Loughwood Baptist Chapel dates to the late 17th or early 18th century. It is one of the earliest Baptist meeting houses to survive and although a meeting house is known to have existed here in 1653, it has not been confirmed as the same building. It is constructed of stone rubble with some brick dressings and has a thatched roof with hipped and gabled ends although this was formerly of slate. The exterior of the building was altered in the 19th century. It has been owned by the National Trust since 1969, in which year it was also extensively repaired.
Full description
(SY 25329927) Loughwood Meeting House (Baptist)
(NAT) (1)
SY 29 NE 10/279 8.5.67 DALWOOD LOUGHWOOD LANE Loughwood Chapel II*
Baptist chapel. Probably late C17 or early C18, exterior altered C19. One of the earliest Baptist meeting houses to survive. A meeting house existed here in 1653, the date of commencement of the first church book.
Stone rubble with some brick dressings. Thatched roof with hipped and gabled ends. Formerly a slate roof. Large raking buttresses to front and end walls. Central doorway with red brick semi-circular brick arches.
Interior; circa mid C18 panelled gallery at "west" end. Vaulted plaster ceiling. Panelled box pews of late C18/early C19 date. Panelled polygonal pulpit probably early C19. (2)
Documented. (3)
Sources
1 Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date) OS 1:2500 1957.
2 List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest DOE (HHR) Dist of East Devon, Oct 1984, 92
3 An inventory of nonconformist chapels and meeting-houses in south-west England 76
Monument types, periods and evidence
Baptist Chapel: Built 1653, post medieval. Extant building
Non Conformist Meeting House: Built 1653, post medieval. Extant building
Baptist Chapel: Late C17/Early C18 (1667-1732), post medieval. Extant building
Baptist Chapel: Altered C19, post medieval. Extant building
Baptist Chapel: Repaired 1969, late C20. Extant building
Baptist Chapel: Restored 1969, late C20. Architectural component
Related monuments: None recorded
Related events: None recorded
Related archives/objects: None recorded
Compiled by K. Jackson Taylor 1987, E. Metson 2008
Recorded created prior to 01/04/1999

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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