Chapel Court House (formerly The Methodist Chapel)
Taken from Seavington News February 2008
Chapel Court House, Seavington St Mary
Chapel Court House leapt out and grabbed us, so to speak, on a cold, grey February day in 2001. En route from a pub lunch to see a house near Taunton we had time to spare so stopped off unenthusiastically to view it. We never did reach the other house, because from the minute we were through the chapel’s front door we were sold. Yes it was cold (no central heating), decorated in an “interesting” way with a pocket handkerchief for a garden and a brick shed on the neighbouring allotment blocking the view from a kitchen window, but it had great space and potential inside and was so different from all the other houses we’d seen that we couldn’t wait to move in.
Originally a Chapel and Sunday School, the house was built in 1885 on land given to the Methodists by a local farmer, Thomas Harding. The document detailing this - suitably grand and Victorian - now hangs on the sitting room wall. It served the local community for exactly 100 years before being closed in 1985 and sold back to Thomas Harding’s descendants, who converted the Chapel into living space and the Sunday School into the kitchen and utility room.
The Methodists continue to exercise influence however as the deeds state that Chapel Court House must never be used for brewing alcohol (thankfully drinking it isn’t mentioned) as a dance hall or as a brothel. The good reputation of the village is clearly safe with us, even if the fun potential is limited.
The pulpit once stood where the stairs are and at the bottom of them, embedded in the wall, are the remains of a chimney which served a small stove to warm the Minister as he preached. There are no signs of similar arrangements for the congregation but perhaps they were warmed by inspirational words from the pulpit. Or was it by hot air1- we’ll never know.
In the bedrooms the pointed tops to the tall chapel windows are at floor level, making for interesting viewing from the road and providing a good spot for the cat to sit and peer out. In one bedroom, the original round rose window in shades of pink and yellow still creates a wow factor.
Those of you who’ve lived in the village for a while may remember Bob and Val from Pound Cottage. The aforementioned allotment next door to our house was owned by them and each year saw a great array of daffs, gladioli and dahlias grown by Bob and sold by Val at knock down prices. Sadly they left for a new life in France in 2003 (their Alsation had French lessons before they went - honestly, we kid you not) selling the allotment to us so that at last we could extend the garden and get rid of the dreaded brick shed.
Getting the allotment, sort of “finished off’ Chapel Court House and in the fullness of time we started to get itchy feet. Onto the market it went and we now have a buyer, all being well, who hopefully will enjoy living here as much as we have. The estate agent managed to get the property featured on BBC I ‘s Escape to the Country .. Although shown last month, the programme was filmed on a sunny day in September and really showed Seavington St Mary off well. External shots of several of YOUR houses were featured, but the would be buyers unfortunately hated ours. Some people just have no taste ..... but then we’re biased.
Written by Sue Collard