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Summary

Early 18th century chapel, repaired in 1793 and agian circa 1803-4.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1106706: CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL, INCLUDING FRONT WALLS AND IRON RAILINGS

Other References/Statuses

• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 95893

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CONGREGATIONAL CHAPEL (XVIII to XIX - 1710 AD to 1805 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Shown, but not marked.

Stell, C., 1991, Untitled Source, 65 (Monograph). SDV346926.

Independent Chapel, East Street. Described as a principal monument, and "most worthy of preservation". Other details: Monument 46.

English Heritage, 2011, Historic Houses Register (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV346128.

Congregational chapel, including front walls and iron railings.
Chapel. 1710, repaired in 1793 and again circa 1803-4, enlarged at west end in 1836 and at east end in 1933. Unrendered stone rubble. Hipped slate roof to chapel, school-room addition with pedimented front gable end.
Plan: Chapel rectangular on plan with 1836 2-storey school room wing built at right-angles to and projecting forward of the chapel at west end, creating overall L-shaped plan. Low single storey vestry extension at west end.
Exterior: single storey chapel with galleries at west end and on south side. School-room extension of 2 storeys. Chapel has large pointed arched windows to north and south sides. Thentieth century fenestration in 19th century Gothick style. 2 windows at east end with
renewed lintels. Central gabled porch to south side with virtually semi-circular arched doorway and a date tablet of 1710 in the gable. Small pointed arched window above with a tablet below it bearing the date 1633, probably a 19th century insertion.
Slate headstones mounted on front wall, to member of Sharp and Clerk family by Howell to right of porch and to Mary Turner (d.1816) and children of Richard and Mary Howell (signed Howell) to left, all early C19. School-room extension has pedimented front gable end with Gothick segmental arched first floor window of 3 ogee-leaded lights.
Interior: chapel has a flat plaster ceiling and a raised ceiling above the early 19th century west gallery, which has a panelled front with rounded projecting centre, on 4 turned columns, early 19th century clock on front with wooden case with Gothick traceried panel.
Smaller singing gallery over south entrance probably circa 1800, with rounded panelled front supported on 2 turned timber columns, with some original seating and slender staircase to west with vase finial to lower newel. Staircase at west end giving access to gallery has late 17th-/early 18th century turned balusters reused in the remodelling of circa 1836. Pulpit, believed to have come from the parish church, has octagonal drum with 3 heights of bolection-moulded panels, similarly panelled back-board, and octagonal tester with shaped top supported by wrought-iron pendant and dove finial, probably early C18 but incorporating some earlier material in the canopy. Chapel seating replaced in 1882. 2 early C19 brass chandeliers of 6 and 8 branches. Early 18th century Communion table with 4 baluster legs. Square iron tablet on wall of lobby at west end, signed by Howell, with inscription 'The premises adjoining the west end of this building were erected in 1836'. The school-room was "for the education of children of any denomination, the other apartments are for the use of either of the minister or school-master for the time being'.
Roof: original structure survives with 2 king-post trusses with braced principals, the braces to the east truss stongly curved, and carrying double purlins and a square-set ridge-piece.
Monuments etc: shields-of-arms on north wall, of 2 late 19th century diamond-shaped wooden panels, one inscribed "Arms of John Bowring who gave the ground" and "Arms of Lewis Stuckley who built this chapel 1633". Also on north wall, monuments to John Cudmore
(d.1706), 12 years pastor in succession to Thomas Hart, with octagonal wooden tablet surmounted by urn; Richard Darracott (d.1727), pastor, large oval medallion; William Skinner (d.1826) and Roger Howell (d.1839) and others; on east wall to Rev. Thomas Sharp 1858, 32 years pastor, on south wall to Rev. Joseph Hooker (d.1748), pastor; descendent of John Hooker, the historian of Exeter.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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