Wesleyan Reform Union Chapel And Attached Walls, Gates And Railings

This is a Nonconformist chapel, built for the Wesleyan Reform Union denomination between 1850 and 1860. It is constructed of rubble with granite dressings, the front end painted, and has a slate hipped roof with projecting eaves. The rectangular plan includes a full gallery and a schoolroom located beneath the chapel. The building is single-storey, with a basement schoolroom, and has a symmetrical two-window front. It features very tall, original round-arched windows without horns, containing glazing bars and margin panes. The side elevations have similar windows above smaller 16-pane sashes. A wide, central, round-arched doorway has a good spoked fanlight above panelled doors.

The interior has plain plastered walls, a moulded ceiling cornice, and a fine central rose with rococo-style carving. The original gallery remains, retaining its original painted and panelled front and original grained box pews. Other interior fittings are from the later 19th century, with the exception of the rare original mahogany bow-fronted pulpit, which has been incorporated into an ornate, cast-iron rostrum. A 1950 organ occupies the site of the original choir seating.

Attached to the chapel are granite-coped forecourt walls topped with wrought-iron railings featuring plain shafts and turned cast-iron stanchions and finials. The wall is built of coursed granite to the front, and rubble to the sides. To the right, the wall is ramped to a gateway flanked by two square granite gate piers with ramped pyramidal caps, and a plain wrought-iron gate. The boundary wall extends to meet a rear outbuilding, which was formerly a cottage. This cottage has dressed segmental arches over 2-pane sashes. A 1-window section to the left has a door, and a 2-window taller section to the right has a bracketed chimneypiece internally.

This chapel is the only remaining Wesleyan Reform Union chapel in use in Cornwall. It is notable for its complete external appearance and for retaining some good original internal features, including the gallery with box pews and the rare pulpit.