Honiton, Devon, Dissenting Chapel

Honiton, Devon, Dissenting Congregations -- The oldest Dissenting chapel in Honiton is the Bridge, or Unitarian, chapel, dating from 1737.  It was built by Mr. Jerom Maynard, a serge maker, “a zealous Baptist, possesing Arian, if not Unitarian, views of the gospel” (29).  Stephen Freeman, educated a Calvinist, came as pastor in 1787, and became a decided Unitarian.  He resigned in 1790.  John Hughes was appointed minister in 1793.  He was a paedo-baptist, who also became Unitarian in his views, and by that time the chapel was fully considered a Unitarian house of worship, but the numbers dwindled considerably in the following decades (30).  The Independent chapel was formed in 1771, and would become the largest Dissenting congregation in Honiton.  The first minister was Mr. Stevens from Great Marlow (51).  A Presbyterian chapel was formed in 1705, but it was disbanded in 1788 and joined the Bridge chapel (32).  The Baptist chapel formed in 1817, a split from the Independent chapel (32).  John Feltham was “an antiquary of some ability,” and he provided a description of Honiton for the Gentleman’s Magazine in 1793.  He was “a draper’s assistant, and managed the business of Mrs. Richard Northcote, a widow” (77).   William Salter, “the artist who painted the Waterloo Banquet, was a native of Honiton, son of the town ccrier; in early life Mr. Salter was schoolmaster at the Workhouse” (77). References above from A. Farquharson, The History of Honiton  (Exeter: A. Farguharson, 1868).