Churches of the British Isles

Exford Wesleyan Methodist Chapel is on the western side of Chapel Street, next door to Exford Bridge Tea Rooms, and about sixty metres north-east of the River Exe and the bridge. Methodism faced opposition around the Somerset Exmoor area, with Withypool gaining its chapel relatively early (see links). Exford opened its chapel in 1838, still ahead of many rural areas. The chapel remained operational after the war as Exford Methodist Church, until final closure in 1979.

St Luke's Church, Simonsbath, overlooks the B3223 road from its northern flank, at the very eastern edge of the village. It was designed by Henry Clutton and was built in 1855-1856. The small settlement of Simonsbath was established after Exmoor was purchased by John Knight from the Commissioners of Woods and Forests in 1818. The church was built following a petition by local estate workers to save them from travelling all the way to Exford (see links).

The former Simonsbath House Reading Room is now part of the block which houses Boevey's Restaurant (or Tea Rooms) on the western edge of the Simonsbath House grounds. This structure of the 1700s or 1800s is associated with the main house and grounds, with the reading room being provided by the owner at least from the 1870s to council and educate the estate staff. More recently it has served as a storeroom for the tea rooms.

The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Oare, is on the southern side of the road, just twenty minutes to the east of the Hookway Hill junction, with New Road and Oare Manor at its back. Otherwise known as the Church of St Mary, the roughcast stone nave and chancel were erected in the 1400s but the fabric has been much altered over the centuries. The local coursed stone outer chancel was added in the mid-nineteenth century, and the west tower was rebuilt.

The church contains a complete set of box pews and a pulpit of the 1700s, along with painted royal arms (Hanover), and wall tablets. There are three separate slate roofs, no coped verges, and decorative ridge tiles. The crenellated tower is of three stages. The church has strong associations with Richard Doddridge Blackmore's 'Lorna Doone'. The tragic wedding scene at the book's end is presumed to take place here. The author's grandfather was once rector here.

Three photos on this page kindly contributed by Huw Thomas, and one each by Somerset Bloke, Robert Cutts, and Joseph Rogers, all via the 'History Files: Churches of the British Isles' Flickr group. Additional information by Huw Thomas and Robert Cutts, from Annual Report of the Somerset Congregational Union and of the Evangelist Society presented at the One-Hundredth Anniversary (1996), from Early Methodism in West Somerset and the Lorna Doone country, W Symons (1895), from Kelly's Directory of Devon 1875, from Kelly's Directory of Somerset 1906, from Report of the Royal Commission on Children, Young Persons, and Women in Agriculture (Parliamentary Papers, 1868-1869, 4202, xiii, p 454).