Churches of the British Isles

Newton Poppleford Reading Room sits behind the street frontage, on the north side of Station Road, about forty metres west of the Millmoor Lane turning. It is shown as such on the OS 25-inch map of 1892-1914, although some modern references class it as a chapel. There is a claim that the local silk industry factory burned down and was transferred to Taunton, with parts of the building being used to construct this one (or nearby cottages). Now it is the village hall.

Newton Poppleford Plymouth Brethren Chapel formerly sat behind and to the right of this preserved horse trough and water pump, on the southern side of Station Road and at the south-east corner of the junction with School Lane. The chapel is shown only on the OS 25 inch map of 1873-1888, and was gone on the 1888-1915 which updated the situation to the latter date. Kelly's confirms its existence in 1902 but it was closed and demolished between then and 1915.

St Luke's Church, Newton Poppleford, is on the southern side of Station Road, set back from the road and midway between the School Lane and Meadow Drive turnings. The church began in 1331 as a medieval chantry chapel on the site at which 'an ancient chapel stood', presumably Saxon or Norman. Then until 1751 it became a post-Reformation chapel-of-ease to the church of St Mary Aylesbeare (see 'related links') in this village on the western bank of the River Otter.

The west tower arrived in the 1300s or 1400s (records conflict). Restoration work was undertaken by Lord Rolle in 1826 and a south aisle was added. The church gained its own parish in 1751 and, apart from the tower, was rebuilt in 1875 by R M Fulford. Today it remains relatively small to reflect its chapel origins, a plain stone building in the Early English style which consists of chancel, nave, south aisle, and the west tower which contains a clock which was added in 1897.

Newton Poppleford Wesleyan Methodist Chapel was first a tin church of 1895, erected on the north side of the High Street, thirty-five metres or so west of the Capper Close junction, and standing in what is now the front garden of the private 'The Fieldings'. Today's site is about forty metres east of that (opposite Clapper Close), set back from the road. It became Newton Poppleford Methodist Church in 1932 but is now the 'Old Methodist Church' private residence.

Photos on this page kindly contributed by JMC4 - Church Explorer, John Combe, Bazzadarambler, Sands of Time, Mike Yeats, and Keith Guyler / British Methodist Buildings, all via the 'History Files: Churches of the British Isles' Flickr group. Additional information from Kelly's Directory of 1902.