Wesley Commemorative Stone

MULLION

292/0/10015 Wesley Commemorative Stone 26-AUG-10

GV II Commemorative stone engraved shortly after 1762 to celebrate the visit of John Wesley to Mullion. The stone, built into the southern side of a drystone wall is a split water rounded slate rock bearing the inscription ST' above1762'. The stone measures 0.5m high, 0.45m wide by 0.16m thick and the inscription is cut into the rounded face. The T' stands for Triggs, the family who farmed at Angrouse in the latter part of the C18. TheS' may represent Samuel Triggs or Usula Triggs who may have been called Sue for short. Adjacent to the stone is a large C20 granite slab bearing the inscription: PARC VENTON (SPRING FIELD) JOHN WESLEY PREACHED HERE ON 7TH SEPTEMBER 1762 METHODISTS MET AT ANGROUSE (THE CROSS) BETWEEN 1758 AND 1791 FOLLOWING THE PREACHING OF WM. HITCHENS AND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF URSULA TRIGGS DAUGHTER OF REV WILLS, VICAR OF MULLION, AND WIFE OF THOMAS TRIGGS, SOCIETY STEWARD ERECTED BY HER DESCENDANTS 1978

This granite slab whilst providing useful information is not of special architectural or historical interest.

History John Wesley (1703-91) founder of Methodism and a significant religious figure in the latter part of the C18, preached extensively throughout Britain for 50 years and visited Cornwall on 32 occasions. His influence on the area was considerable and details of his visits are known from his published Journals. On 7th September 1762, two days after his first sermon at Gwennap Pit (Listed Grade II* - 66900) John Wesley arrived in Mullion at the invitation of Ursula Triggs, whose husband farmed at Angrouse. In his Journal, John Wesley writes `Tuesday 7th Sept. 1762. I rode on to Mullion, near the Lizard Point. A man who was a sinner gladly received us, for he knew God had received him - having been deeply convinced of sin the last time I preached near Helston, and not long after filled with peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. A flame was kindled almost as soon as I began to speak, which increased more and more all the time I was preaching as well as during the meeting of the society. How tender are the hearts of this people! Such is the advantage of true Christian simplicity!' In 1767 there were 45 Methodist members at Mullion and the inscribed stone commemorating their special day was probably engraved shortly afterwards.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION The late C18, Wesley commemorative stone at Mullion is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

• Historical interest: an important reminder of the influential preaching of the leading Methodist, John Wesley.

• Commemorative interest: Captures a significant single event in recent English history and emphasises a sense of historical place

• Rarity interest: Given the open air nature of their worship very few contemporary Wesleyan structures are believed to exist

• Group value: direct visual association with the nearby listed Angrouse Cottage which also played a part on the day of the 1762 visit