MSO10320 - Providence Chapel, Church Street, Timberscombe (Building)

'Providence Chapel', a Bible Christian Chapel built 1836 with a rendered gabled front and a round-arched doorway. Below the chapel is a small cottage or schoolroom. [1] A Bible Christian Chapel is marked on the 25 inch 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map at SS 9565 4202. [2] The building appears to be part of the site of the Corn Mill on the Timberscombe Tithe Map. The Tithe Map records a Wesleyan Chapel across the road, within land parcel 447 at SS 9563 4199, although it is not clear which building is indicated. [3] The building is labelled "Providence Chapel" on 2018 MasterMap data. [4] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [5] The heritage asset was assessed for inclusion on the Exmoor Local Heritage List in February 2024. It was decided to add the asset to the Local Heritage List. [6] The minister of the chapel between 1948-1966 was J.P.Martin, author of the "Uncle" series of children's books featuring a benevolent elephant and his anarchic antics. Reverend Martin oversaw the replacement of the roof after a collapse in 1950. His grandson presented his research on the history of the chapel to the St Petrock's History Group in 2019, recounting the difficulties regarding the construction of the chapel and opposition to its construction. The placement of the chapel and its unusual architectural form were the result of restricted access to building land enforced by this opposition. It was eventually built through the offices of two brothers, Edward and James Cording of Croydon Farm. Edward Cording went on to be minister of the chapel for 52 years. [7]