Carnon Downs Methodist Church

A Methodist chapel with an integral schoolroom and vestry, dating from 1825. The chapel is constructed of stucco with stucco detailing, and has a grouted scantle slate roof. It has a rectangular, aisle-less plan, with a gallery at the west end. The symmetrical front facade has a pedimented three-window design, featuring a plinth, quoin strips, and rustication to the round-arched openings. The original hornless sash windows have spoked fanlight heads lighting the gallery. The central doorway is flanked by windows, and features a Y-traceried fanlight and a pair of panelled doors. All windows are transomed with Y tracery above. The side elevations have two tall round-arched windows to the chapel, and a two-storey, one-window range to the right, associated with the schoolroom/vestry. The rear has an original round-arched doorway with a spoked fanlight, a six-panel door with flush bottom panels, and original round-arched windows with hornless sashes, glazing bars and fanlight heads.

The interior retains its original gallery, cantilevered out on paired brackets and carried on four Tuscan columns, with two flights of stairs leading to it. Original plasterwork includes moulded ceiling cornices, and there's an elliptical arch to the organ loft. The fittings include panelled box pews to the gallery, and later 19th-century pitch pine pews with shaped ends. A very fine and unusual panelled and pilastered rostrum features a vaulted octagonal lecturn rising from a moulded shelf on consoles, with open-string straight flights of stairs with turned balusters and newels on either side. A moulded communion rail stands in front, supported by an ornate cast-iron balustrade. Behind the rostrum is a canted organ loft with a pilastered and panelled balustrade, ornate cast-iron panels with scrolled and anthemion detail, late 19th-century choir pews, and a large panelled pipe organ. The gallery, box pews and unusual rostrum contribute to the chapel’s architectural interest, as do the original windows.