Richmond Wesleyan Chapel

SW4730 PENZANCE PENZANCE 866/6/10009 Richmond Wesleyan Chapel

GV II

Nonconformist (Wesleyan) chapel. 1907 by Gunton and Gordon. Dressed granite brought to course and granite dressings; dry slate roof with coped gable ends and stone eaves cornice, the right-hand gable surmounted by finial; stone stack left of lower vestry roof. PLAN: rectangular aisle-less plan plus chancel flanked by organ and vestry projections at ritual east end. Late Free Gothic style with Arts and Crafts influence. EXTERIOR: Single-storey elevations; 5:1-bay south front with 3-tierweathered buttresses between the bays. 3-light mullioned windows with double transoms and arched lights surmounted by simple Perpendicular tracery rising into 2-centred arched heads. Gabled porch to right-hand bay with hoodmould over 2-centred arched doorway and 2-light traceried windows to the sides. There is another porch with flat-headed doorway left of the main front giving access to the vestry wing. Rear elevation as similar detail. Right-hand gable (road-frontage) end has 2 very tall mullioned and traceried windows in deeply recessed splays under moulded 2-centred arches. East end has 2:4:2-light window with quatrefoil and other tracery to its sidelights. INTERIOR is unaltered except for the insertion of a screened entrance hall area. The impressive roof has hammer-beam trusses with tie rods at wall-plate level and there is central arched bracing. The walls are plastered, the only enrichment being the moulding of the equilateral chancel arch and the wider shallower arch at the ritual west end. FITTINGS: plain panelled oak pews with shaped ends plus choir pews with blind arched panels to the front and turned finials over the ends. The choir stalls are elevated above a dressed granite and chamfered plinth. Octagonal oak pulpit has blind traceried panels and stands on a moulded granite base approached by a short flight of granite steps. The large piped organ has detail similar to the choir stalls. The oak altar table appears to be slightly later in date. An accomplished example of a Free Style chapel design of their period, marking a very clear departure from earlier chapel designs In Cornwall.

Listing NGR: SW4707630725