Janice Staines
St Nicholas's Chapel, Ilfracombe
Tuesday 8th November 2016
St Nicholas's Chapel Ilfracombe
Dating back to 1321 the chapel was built as a place of worship for the people of Ilfracombe living and working around the harbour.
From the middle ages the chapel maintained a light to guide shipping into the harbour. It is still a working lighthouse today and is said to be the oldest in the country. When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in 1540 St Nicholas ceased to be a chapel.
Between 1835 and 1871 a Mr John Davey lived in the chapel as lighthouse keeper raising a family of 14 children. The chapel was also used as a reading room and a laundry. Since then it remained much neglected until 1962 when it was restored by the Rotarians of the town.
St Nicholas's Chapel, Ilfracombe
Tuesday 8th November 2016
St Nicholas's Chapel Ilfracombe
Dating back to 1321 the chapel was built as a place of worship for the people of Ilfracombe living and working around the harbour.
From the middle ages the chapel maintained a light to guide shipping into the harbour. It is still a working lighthouse today and is said to be the oldest in the country. When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries in 1540 St Nicholas ceased to be a chapel.
Between 1835 and 1871 a Mr John Davey lived in the chapel as lighthouse keeper raising a family of 14 children. The chapel was also used as a reading room and a laundry. Since then it remained much neglected until 1962 when it was restored by the Rotarians of the town.