Welcome to the West Devon Methodist Circuit Chapel Series! This is Cache No. #12
The Historical Story: Wednesday, 4 September 1765, John Wesley – Arrived in North Tawton but was unable to stay his allotted time as he was driven out of the Town. Some say this was because he upturned the beer barrels in the Pub on the corner of Exeter Street…. John’s journals depict the hositity to his theology…. "I rode on to North Tawton, a village where several of our preachers had preached occasionally. About six I went to the door of our inn; but I had hardly ended the psalm, when a clergyman came, with two or three (by the courtesy of England called) gentlemen. After I had named my text, I said, "There may be some truths which concern some men only; but this concerns all mankind." The minister cried out, "That is false doctrine, that is predestination." Then the roar began; to second which they had brought a huntsman with his hounds: but the dogs were wiser than the men; for they could not bring them to make any noise at all. One of the gentlemen supplied their place. He assured us he was such, or none would have suspected it; for his language was as base, foul, and porterly, as ever was heard at Billingsgate. Dog, rascal, puppy, and the like terms, adorned almost every sentence. Finding there was no probability of a quiet hearing, I left him the field, and withdrew to my lodging."
The Very Now and the Future: Lakeway Church in North Street was originally the Congregational church and has a long history in the town. Lakeway is now a United Congregation between the Methodist and the United Reformed Churches which was set up when the Methodist Chapel (in Barton Street) closed.