Churches of the British Isles

What originally was The Gospel Hall (Brethren) stands on the western side of Exeter Road, almost opposite Meeting Street, and precisely opposite the United Reformed Church (see below). A preaching room was opened here in 1847, instigated by William Hartopp Hull (probably the local squire). The hall flourished, even running a school in the 1870s. Now known as Exmouth Chapel, the group behind it also runs a burial ground in Withycombe Raleigh (see 'related links').

Originally Glenorchy Independent Chapel, this stands on the east side of Exeter Road in Exmouth, about twenty metres north of Perriman's Row. Founded in 1780 after a December 1776 visit to the town by Viscountess Glenorchy, it soon became Glenorchy Congregational Chapel and was rebuilt in 1866. At the 1972 union it became Glenorchy United Reformed Church. The Beacon Independent Church was a breakaway group of 1806 (see links), but they reunited in 1965.

Parade Wesleyan Methodist Chapel stood on the Parade's north side, about forty metres west of the Exeter Road junction. The first Wesleyan Methodists here met in temporary locations from 1808, before building this chapel in 1843. In need of the bigger North Street Chapel (see links), they sold it in 1859 to become Parade Primitive Methodist Chapel by 1872. The parade was damaged by bombing and was later demolished, with Littlemead church benefiting.

The former St John the Evangelist Catholic Church sits on the northern side of Albion Hill, with a lane on its eastern flank (on the right here) also named Albion Hill, and lying about fifty metres east of Windsor Square. This small Catholic place of worship has or had an adjoining presbytery. It was opened in October 1887 or, more probably, 1891. The earlier date was when Bishop Vaughan sent Father Grainger to start a mission, which started at The Lawn (see 'related links').

Free Church Meeting (Savoy Cinema) was located within the former Savoy Cinema (since renamed), on the eastern side of Rolle Street, about fifteen metres north of the Market Street junction and overlooking the Strand public space. The Free Church congregation met within the cinema from their earliest days in Exmouth. When North Street Wesleyan Methodist Chapel (see links) became available, it was purchased to become the permanent Christ Church Free Church.

All photos on this page by P L Kessler & M Kessler.