The Bible Christian Chapel, East Street, South Molton

Now The Roman Catholic Church

Researched and written for South Molton Archive by Shirley Bray

The Bible Christian Chapel in East Street was built for the Bible Christians (an offshoot of Methodism) in 1863.  Erected of local stone by the South Molton builder, John Cock junior, it could seat about 200 people.  

Membership reached its peak in 1898 but by 1907 the congregation was dropping and in that year the Bible Christian Chapel became part of the new United Methodist Church.  In 1932 the Wesleyans, United Methodists and Primitive Methodists united to form the Methodist Church of Great Britain and the chapel fell into disuse.

The Chapel was used by the Salvation Army from the late 1930’s                               until  1962.  The Army had about 20 members and ran a Sunday school as well as holding Band of Hope and Band of Love meetings.   

In 1966 the building was bought for £900 by the Roman Catholic Church when it was  adapted and converted for use.   Dedicated to St. Joseph, the Church was opened and blessed on Monday 27th May 1968 by The Bishop of Plymouth, the Rt. Rev. Mgr. Cyril Restieaux, who afterwards celebrated the First Holy Mass.