[2] The chapel was built by James Tippett and his brother William, who were local stonemasons, and the foundation service was held on 24 May 1861.

The first service was held on 17 November of that year, and despite being one of two Bible Christian chapels in the parish it became a successful congregation.

A report in the Bible Christian Magazine of April 1903 reflected positively on the chapel, but it was evident that the congregation was by then small.

The Methodist societies established by William O’Bryan (1778–1868) became known as the Bible Christians, and they first formed at Launcells and Shebbear along the Devon and Cornwall border largely on agricultural land.

[4] Although the chapel was in relatively good condition when the Trust took it over, it required re-roofing and this was done with traditional Cornish rag-stone thus returning the building to its original appearance.