- South Street
- Montacute
- Somerset
- TA15 6XD
01935 822885
A new History
Thanks to Roger Redman for preparing this as part of our 200th anniversary.
Montacute village in the 1600s
Montacute house was built in 1601 by Sir Edward Phelips, speaker of the House of Commons and Master of the Rolls under James I.
Montacute Baptist Church 1600s
The first recorded mention of a Baptist presence in Montacute was in 1656 when Thomas Bud (Budd) attended a Baptist meeting in Bridgwater.
Thomas Budd had been the Rector of St Catherine’s C of E Church Montacute. He was removed from office as he failed to take the ‘oath of obedience’. He was recorded as a Quaker in 1657.
What else was happening? 1600s
Cromwell protectorate was formed in 1653 after the civil war and in 1660 Charles II was returned to the throne. In 1666 the great fire of London occurred. Loughwood Baptist Chapel was on the Dorset Devon border. The first known record of the chapel is 1653.
Montacute Baptist Church 1600s
In Montacute six licences for non-conformist meetings were issued between 1698 and 1720.
What else was happening? 1600s
In 1685 the Monmouth rebellion was an attempt to overthrow James II a Catholic. The South West supported Monmouth which resulted in the local Battle of Sedgemoor.
William of Orange came to the throne in 1688 He was born in Holland and was a Protestant. His mother was daughter of Charles I of England. In 1689 the ‘Act of tolerance’ which allowed all non-conformists freedom of worship was passed. This made non-conformist worship legal in Montacute.
Montacute Baptist Church 1700s
The Geard family had a significant influence on Baptist life in Montacute. In 1758 Anabaptists were meeting in the home of Samuel Geard who was a weaver.
In 1750, Mary, Samuel Geard’s wife gave birth to John Geard who later became Minister of Tilehouse Baptist Church, Hitchin having trained at Bristol Academy (now Bristol Baptist college). In 1831 at the age of 84 he was given an assistant minister and retired soon afterwards, the church giving him a pension of £70 a year until his death in 1839.
What else was happening? 1700s
St Pauls’ Cathedral was completed in 1710. The last execution for witchcraft was carried out in 1712.
Montacute Baptist Church 1700s
In about 1770 a barn was fitted up as a place for worship. One presumes therefore that Baptists had outgrown meeting in a house. Services were conducted by deacons of Yeovil Baptist Church.
What else was happening? 1700s
In 1737 HMS Victory was commissioned.
John Wesley passed through Yeovil in 1751.
Montacute Baptist Church 1800s
The first Baptist church minute book states that in 1814 friends fitted up a barn as a place of worship. (Is this a second barn from the one used in 1770’s?). The barn had been obtained by Samuel Geard.
The barn was opened by Mr Price, minister of Yeovil Baptist Church on 22nd May 1814. Yeovil Baptist Church continued to support the Montacute ministry and in 1820 Joseph Price, a deacon at Yeovil became Minister of Montacute church.
What else was happening? 1800s
War in Europe was being fought with Napoleon, culminating in the 1815 Battle of Waterloo.
Montacute Baptist Church 1800s
The congregation rapidly increased under the ministry of Joseph Price. Many people were converted and in 1823 nine persons worshiping at Montacute were baptised in Yeovil.
In January 1824 Mr Richard Horsey previously a Deacon and minister of Wellington Baptist Church formed a distinct church in Montacute. Yeovil Baptist Church affectionately dismissed 25 Members to Montacute.
(Hence our bicentenary this year, 2024.)
Land was obtained in Townsend, Montacute (now the site of Vine Cottage) by Jesse Geard (sailcloth manufacturer) for a Chapel which was completed in 1825. An adjoining property was acquired as a manse, which later became “The Shoemakers’ Arms”.
Montacute Baptist Church 1800s
George Mitchell (Stonemason) was born in 1826. He later wrote the book ‘The skeleton at the plough’ where he stated that he learnt his ABC at the Baptist Sunday School Montacute.
Galleries added to the Townsend chapel were opened in 1832. The Church membership was 167.
What else was happening? 1800s
The world's first modern railway, the Stockton and Darlington Railway was opened in 1826, mechanisation, was moving onward.
Parliament passed An Act for the Abolition of Slavery in 1833. In 1834 the Tolpuddle Martyrs were arrested and tried at Dorchester.
Montacute Baptist Church 1800s
By 1851 the Townsend Chapel accommodated 350, of which 280 seats were free. The average congregation was 180 adults with 90 children in the morning and afternoon with 300 adults and 40 children in the evening. Attendance was dependent upon the weather, some of the congregation came from a distance.
In 1862 a member Annie Staple went to Australia and married Dr Silas Mead (from Isle Brewers) a pioneer minister in Adelaide. Their son Dr Cecil Mead (1866 to 1940) was part of the Australian Bengal mission.
What else was happening? 1800s
In 1837 Queen Victoria came to the throne, she reigned until 1901. The state School in Montacute was started in 1847.
Montacute Baptist Church 1800s
In 1870 Rev Henry Hardin was appointed minister. Land for a new chapel, manse and school house in South Street, Montacute was obtained in 1873. This is our present chapel.
In 1874 George Mitchell organised a mass meeting for farm workers on Ham Hill, some 20,000 listened to him speak. The farm workers believed they were under paid.
What else was happening? 1800s
In 1871 journalist Henry Stanley located David Livingstone in Africa, with the famous greeting: "Dr. Livingstone, I presume."
In 1872 the Education Act brought in compulsory education for all children between 5 and 13. In 1874 the Factory Act established 56-hour working week and prevented children from being used as chimney sweeps.
Montacute Baptist Church 1800s
During 1875 the village was swept with an epidemic of scarlet fever in which nearly every child was affected, the local Doctor who lived 2 miles away sought Rev Hardin’s help.
Rev Hardin had been apprenticed to a Chemist before training as a Minister. Subsequently at a public meeting Rev Hardin was presented with a gold watch and 11 guineas in appreciation and thanks for alleviation of suffering.
Montacute Baptist Church 1800s
In 1876 the church school house in South Street was opened. This was before the chapel was built. Financial help was given by George Mitchell.
In 1880 the new chapel where we now worship in South Street opened.
Mr S.B. Hockey went from Montacute to Australia in 1883 and founded the Gouldburn Baptist Church NSW.
What else was happening? 1800s
In 1876 the Elementary Education Act prevents employment of children under 10; permitted local attendance committees to impose compulsory school attendance for ages 5–13; and authorised Poor Law Guardians to pay school fees for the poor and destitute under a system of certificates.
In 1882 the railway came to Montacute and connected it with Yeovil and Taunton.
Montacute Baptist Church 1900s
In 1917 a pipe Organ was installed in the Chapel.
In 1939 alterations and renovation were undertaken in the chapel which included the installation of electric light.
In 1950 the Yeovil assistant minister Rev A.B Alnwick departed overseas and a meeting was held presided over by Rev G. W Burt of Yeovil. It was agreed to unite Montacute with Huish chapel under the Yeovil assistant minister.
What else was happening? 1900s
World War 1 took place between 1914 and 1919. In 1917 the Russian revolution began.
Montacute Baptist Church 1900s
In 1953 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Ceremony was televised in the Chapel from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm.
In 1961 the Rev Kingsley G. Rendell who was teaching in Yeovil undertook the oversight until 1964.
The interior of the chapel was redecorated in 1969 in memory of the Dare family.
A history of Montacute Baptist Church was published for the 150th anniversary in 1974. At that time there were 17 members.
In 1974 Mrs Ruth Shoemark was appointed Church secretary, she continued to hold the position until this year, 50 years service.
The Church Manse was sold in 1987.
Montacute Baptist Church 2000s
The Church electric heaters were installed in 2007.
In 2009 Rev Dinah Hargreaves took over the pastorate until retiring in 2017 but remains a much-loved church member.
Our current Pastor Heather Andrews was inducted in 2017.
A Meeting area was created at the rear of Church under the gallery and opened in 2022. It is now well used for activities including Friday coffee mornings where many from the village and beyond meet.