. ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁Gra de ▁I ▁listed ▁building . ▁The ▁village ▁also ▁has ▁a ▁United ▁Re formed ▁Church , ▁a ▁Free ▁church ▁and ▁a ▁Str ict ▁Bapt ist ▁chap el . ▁ ▁The ▁United ▁Re formed ▁Church ▁was ▁formerly ▁a ▁Cong reg ational ▁church ▁before ▁the ▁mer ger ▁with ▁the ▁Pres by ter ians ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁The ▁first ▁past or ▁was ▁Daniel ▁Po ynt ell , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁the ▁R ector ▁of ▁St ap le h urst ▁Par ish ▁Church ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁e ject ed ▁from ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁England ▁in ▁ 1 6 6 2 ▁for ▁non con form ity . ▁During ▁his ▁past or ship , ▁and ▁for ▁many ▁years ▁afterwards , ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁Pres by ter ian ▁church . ▁The ▁foundation ▁of ▁the ▁present ▁building ▁was ▁laid ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 5 . ▁ ▁The ▁Str ict ▁Bapt ist ▁chap el ▁has ▁been ▁used ▁a ▁place ▁of ▁worship ▁for ▁Bapt ists ▁since ▁ 1 7 5 1 , ▁apparently ▁having ▁previously ▁been ▁used ▁as ▁a ▁bar n . ▁The ▁original ▁con greg ation ▁were ▁General ▁Bapt ists ▁and ▁were ▁a ▁continu ation ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁Sp il sh ill ▁church ▁that ▁was ▁formed ▁around ▁ 1 6 4 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 3 8 ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁the ▁Part icular ▁Bapt ists . ▁ ▁The ▁Free ▁Church ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁when ▁a ▁group ▁began ▁meeting ▁for ▁worship ▁in ▁homes ▁throughout ▁the ▁village