The Baptist Church in Budleigh Salterton 1843-2018
Having written a history of
Fairlynch in 2017 I naturally volunteered a year later to review a similar
publication which tells the story of the Baptist Church in our town.
The subjects are alike in many
ways: both museum and church are attractive 19th century local
landmarks. Being listed buildings they both present expensive headaches of
maintenance; as institutions serving the local community both have had their
ups and downs over the years. Baptist minister Revd. Graham Wise’s account of
the church and its people is an enjoyably readable paperback which is a
valuable addition to Budleigh's local history studies.
A history of the church was first
published in 1983. This latest version provides an update for the 175th
anniversary which it celebrated in 2018.
The original Temple Methodist Church, with Ash Villa (left) which was demolished to make room for the car parking area
There have been Baptist
Christians in Budleigh since the early 19th century, when they
worshipped with Methodists at the Temple chapel on the town’s Fore Street,
built by retired wealthy bookseller
James Lackington in 1813. Not until 1844 did the Baptists have a building to
call their own, the Ebenezer Chapel, located in the hamlet of Little Knowle to
the west of Budleigh Salterton.
Honestly written and based
largely on the Church’s Minute Books, Graham Wise’s history does not omit
incidents in the life of the Little Knowle congregation which may surprise
those who’ve always thought of Baptists as models of uprightness.
In 1863, one
of its members, a William Marker was excluded for a time for drunkenness; ten
years later, with regard to Isabella Thomas of Woodbury, the Minute Book
records: ‘we put you away from us as a wicked person and while doing so we pray
God to open your eyes to see the heinousness of your guilt’; the lady had
‘committed the sin of Fornication with its vile concomitants’.
There have been other
difficulties in the Church’s history. The congregation has never been vast and
there have been fluctuations: on 9 August 1885 the Pastor announced his
resignation on account of ‘low funds and depopulation’.
The search for new
ministers has sometimes been vexed; in 1951 the Ebenezer Chapel was given
listed building status but by April the following year the Church was
struggling. In July 1959 it was even suggested at a Church Meeting that the
possibility of building new premises on the main street in Budleigh should be
investigated.
As recently as 2007 there
were clear clashes of personality: ‘some Members obviously held very strong
views regarding change’, notes the author. ‘The introduction of new songs
eventually led to a complete breakdown in the relationship between Minister and
Organist’.
Happily the Church has survived
and the author ends on a high note. Sunday morning congregations are growing. Positive
developments in recent times have included activities ranging from collections
for Syrian refugees to the foundation of a Walking Group and the Church’s
participation in the Health and Well-Being Hub, opened in 2017.
Speaking personally, one of the most
pleasing aspects is that the Church continues to be based in one of Budleigh’s
most charming buildings. But as the
Revd. Wise acknowledges, its design and furnishings are not very suitable and
the Listed Building Status means that it is not easy to adapt to the Church’s
present and future needs.
Image courtesy of Nikki and Darren Smith, showing the couple on their wedding day at the Baptist Church, April 2018 Photo by Sarah Jayne Photography
Many local residents still have
treasured memories of it, however. Burials are no longer being carried out; 86 interments took place
between 1848 and 1908. But the Ebenezer Chapel has proved to be a memorable
location for weddings. ‘Such a pretty little place’ was a typical comment from
a recent bride.
The book has a useful index of names, a bibliography
and various appendices which include names of ministers from 1844 to the
present day, as well as membership statistics.
The Baptist Church in Budleigh Salterton 1843-2018
is available from the
author at £9.00 including postage, and £7.00 on a person to person basis. The Revd. Graham Wise can be contacted at 11 Vernon Road, Exmouth,
EX8 4JP. Tel: 01395 223318.
The Baptist Church in Budleigh Salterton 1843-2018 by Graham Wise
102 pages; 25 illustrations ISBN 987 0 86071 7560
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