Cote Chapel
Cote Baptist Chapel is in the village of Cote at Shifford Road, Cote, Nr Bampton, Oxon., OX18 2EF. The site of Cote Chapel was acquired in 1703–4 by a group of worshippers who previously met at Longworth on the other side of the Thames. This followed the ‘toleration’ of dissident religious groups, from 1689. In the 1750s the chapel was enlarged or more probably rebuilt to its present size, the capacity being increased in 1756 by the addition of a single gallery. In 1859 the interior was reordered, the pulpit being removed from the south to the west wall and the gallery extended around two further sides. The box pews, which remain in the chapel, possibly date from the 18th century.
The chapel, which is listed Grade II*, has stone walls with pitched roofs covered in the local stone slate. The truncated front gable incorporates a screen wall which crosses the central valley and is surmounted by a stone panel. In the burial ground are many 18th-century intricately carved headstones. The monument to the Williamson family is listed grade II. It is opened monthly from April to October or by appointment.
Cote Chapel is no longer open for regular worship. The local Baptist church now meets in The Fellowship Centre, Cote Road, Aston. The Chapel is however still available for marriages, burials or other services or events.
The Chapel has been owned by the Historic Chapels Trust since 1994. More information about the Trust and its management of Cote Chapel can be found on the HCT website https://hct.org.uk. It also contains a 360 degree tour of the chapel, and a link to a database of the graves to be found there. https://hct.org.uk/Cote-Baptist-Chapel-360/
A new local volunteer support group was established in May 2014. If you would like to get involved in supporting Cote Chapel in any way, please contact Teresa Smallbone the Secretary of the group, on teresasmallbone@gmx.com
Information updated 20 November 2021
The chapel, which is listed Grade II*, has stone walls with pitched roofs covered in the local stone slate. The truncated front gable incorporates a screen wall which crosses the central valley and is surmounted by a stone panel. In the burial ground are many 18th-century intricately carved headstones. The monument to the Williamson family is listed grade II. It is opened monthly from April to October or by appointment.
Cote Chapel is no longer open for regular worship. The local Baptist church now meets in The Fellowship Centre, Cote Road, Aston. The Chapel is however still available for marriages, burials or other services or events.
The Chapel has been owned by the Historic Chapels Trust since 1994. More information about the Trust and its management of Cote Chapel can be found on the HCT website https://hct.org.uk. It also contains a 360 degree tour of the chapel, and a link to a database of the graves to be found there. https://hct.org.uk/Cote-Baptist-Chapel-360/
A new local volunteer support group was established in May 2014. If you would like to get involved in supporting Cote Chapel in any way, please contact Teresa Smallbone the Secretary of the group, on teresasmallbone@gmx.com
Information updated 20 November 2021