Returning to Providence chapel May 2025
The Dartmoor photographs of
Chris Chapman
Welcome to The Dartmoor Photographs of Chris Chapman.
This permanent exhibition was established in June 2022.
This exhibition aims to celebrate the renowned work of Chris Chapman who has been recording life on Dartmoor since 1972 and the social change that has occurred since then.
His photographs have captured not just a landscape under pressure from constant modernisation but also the residents and individuals who have made up the local population.
Some of these characters are immortalised in print and when viewed by the public they are looking back in time to a period from which the like of these will never be seen again.
This important record of rural life on the moor can be seen at Providence Methodist Chapel, Throwleigh, Dartmoor EX20 2HZ.
Photographs courtesy of © Chris Chapman
www.chrischapmanphotography.com
About
Chris Chapman was born in Wigan, Lancashire in 1952. He began his photographic career at the Newport College of Art in South Wales where he was invited to join the Documentary Photography Course run by the Magnum photographer, David Hurn.
In 1975 he moved to Dartmoor, since when he has documented aspects of Dartmoor life. His photographs reflect traditional skills inherent in the indigenous population and emphasise the accumulation of knowledge associated with age and customs. He has a large archive depicting the culture and character of the region.
His photography has been widely recognised and is represented in both public and private collections, including those of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Arts Council of England and the International Center of Photography in New York. His work has been published under various titles, including The Right Side of the Hedge (David & Charles), Dartmoor: The Threatened Wilderness (Channel 4) and Wild Goose and Riddon.
The Dartmoor Photographs of Chris Chapman now make the most integral element of his work accessible to the public in one place in this free exhibition and the aim of this project is to expand the collection as time progresses.
Opening times
These dates are always subject to change at short notice but we will always try to avoid doing so.
Please remember that the exhibition cannot be open every day as the chapel remains a place of worship and certain days are reserved for services.The exhibition is open to the public in 2025 on the following dates.12noon to 6pm.
Every 2nd Saturday of the month
May to October 2025.
10th May
14th June
12th July
9th August
13th September
11th October
GROUP VISITS
If you are a member of a club or society we are pleased to announce that group visits are available by prior arrangement.
please feel free to contact Ian Crawford the project co-ordinator who will be happy to arrange a private viewing at a time convenient to all concerned.
The benefit of such a visit is that your group will be able to view and discuss the collected images at leisure without competition from others.
The only request we make is that the group you wish to bring to the chapel will need to be in excess of 10 adults and although there is no charge to arrange such a visit we would ask you to consider a donation tothe chapel to support this project.
Unfortunately children cannot attend the exhibition without being accompanied by a responsible adult in charge of their visit.
IMAGE DONATION
In order to keep the exhibition fresh and interesting we are aiming to add to our original collection of 40 photographs.
This has led to many people asking if they can help the exhibition in the future and how it might be achieved on a personal level.With some additional purchases and donations by individuals and organisations over the past 3 years we have now reached a total of 75 individual and wonderful images from the past 50 years of Chris Chapmans career.The aim from the outset was to reach approximately 100 images from all over Dartmoor.To this aim we have launched the image donation scheme in conjunction with Chris Chapman where a potential donor can choose an approved A3 sized image and purchase that image from Chris at a 50% discount from his advertised retail price at the time.This image once framed and signed is then donated to Providence chapel and added to the collection to be viewed by all visitors.
Contact
If you wish to contact the chapel regarding the exhibition please feel free to use the following.
Providence Methodist chapel
Providence, Nr. Throwleigh, Devon, EX20 2HZServices - third Sunday each month at 3.00pm.On the northern edge of the Dartmoor National Park, with stunning views over the Wallabrook valley, Providence Methodist Chapel is one of the oldest chapels in the West Devon Methodist Circuit (1839) and was originally built to serve the Bible Christians of the local area. Providence chapel is near to the village hall of Throwleigh and up the hill from the old Throwleigh school which is now privately owned.
A small, but recently revived in size faithful congregation with traditional worship. Part of Christians together in Chagford, being the only Methodist Chapel in the Chagford area.
it is 185 years old in 2024 and plans for many new activities over the next few years are beginning to come into fruition.
Those plans include the new exhibition of "The Dartmoor Photographs of Chris Chapman'.
the chapel members and West devon circuit of the Methodist church are proud to host this important social change exhibition.
REFRESHMENTS
Devon cream teas are the hallmark of Providence chapel.
once you have seen our free exhibition of The Dartmoor Photographs of Chris Chapman you may choose to spend a little time conversing with others over a luscious Devon cream tea.
The teas are provided by the members of the chapel, congregation and local people and we ask for a donation only decided by yourself.
