Free Church of England
The
Free Church of England is an Anglican church which separated from the established
Church of England in
1844. The church was founded by
evangelical clergy in
Devon in response to the
Anglo-Catholicism of
Henry Phillpotts, the
Bishop of Exeter. It was initially supported by Edward Adolphus St Maur, 11th Duke of Somerset, who built the first church in Bridgetown.
In 1927, the Free Church of England entered into full communion with the Reformed Episcopal Church, which was founded by Anglican evangelicals in the United States.