Wolford Chapel

Wolford Chapel
Devon
Type:	Chapel and museum
Location
Grid reference:	ST13710523
Location:	50°50’25"N, 3°13’36"W
History
	Chapel and museum
Information
Owned by:	Ontario Heritage Trust
Website:	Wolford Chapel: OHT

Wolford Chapel in Devon is a private chapel to be found outside Dunkeswell in eastern Devon. It was built as a chapel for the Simcoe Estate but is now owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust, having been donated to the people of Ontario in recognition that it is the burial place of General John Graves Simcoe, the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, a colony which has become the Province of Ontario. The chapel, deep in the Devon countryside, flies the Flag of Canada.

The chapel is run as a museum by local volunteers.

History

Wolford Chapel sketched by Elizabeth Simcoe

John Grave Simcoe fought with distinction in numerous theatres of the American Revolutionary War, until invalided back to Britain after Yorktown in 1782. In the same year, on his return to Devon, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, he married Elizabeth Posthuma Gwillim, a wealthy heiress, who acquired the 5,000 acre estate which was to become the Simcoe Estate. Here John and Elizabeth built Wolford Lodge, John writing a history of the American war, and later being elected to Parliament.

In 1791, the Colony of Upper Canada was created by Act of Parliament, and Simcoe was appointed as its first Lieutenant-Governor. He served from 1791 to 1796, establishing the colony, its laws and essential social structure almost from scratch. He returned home to his estate through ill health.

In 1802, after retiring from military adventures against Revoluitionary France in the West Indies and India, General Simcoe built the chapel on his estate. After Simcoe's death on 26 October 1806, he was buried within his private chapel. His wife, Elizabeth, and some of their children are also buried at the site

The estate remained with the family until 1923 but was eventually sold and some parts broken up.

Interior view looking of the chapel

The Chapel, alongside most of the estate, was acquired by British publisher Sir Geoffrey Harmsworth. Consideration of what to do with the chapel remained, and various ideas were put forward including transporting it to Canada. However, in 1966, Harmsworth decided to donate the chapel to the John Graves Simcoe Memorial Foundation on behalf of the people of Ontario. On 27 September 1966, just under 160 years after Simcoe's death, Harmsworth gave a deed to then-Premier of Ontario, John Robarts, alongside a deed making a permanent right of way to access the property, presented by A. G. LeMarchant. In 1982 the Ontario Heritage Trust acquired the property.

The chapel today

The chapel is a Grade II listed building. It is a small building, rectangular in plan, built of local stone rubble with limestone ashlar details and a slate roof.

The chapel is maintained by local people on behalf of the Ontario Heritage Trust.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Wolford Chapel)

• Ontario Heritage Trust
• Wolford Chapel Historical Plaque - Ontarioplaques.com