Carnon Downs Methodist Church

SW 74 SE 1045/1/10013

FEOCK CARNON DOWNS Carnon Downs Methodist Church

II

Nonconformist (Wesleyan) chapel with integral schoolroom and vestry. 1825 inscription. Stucco with stucco detail; grouted scantle slate roof. Rectangular aisle-less plan with gallery at ritual west end. Symmetrical pedimented 3-window front end with plinth, quoin strips and rustication to the round-arched openings. Original hornless sashes with spoked fanlight heads lighting the gallery. Ground floor has close grouping of central doorway with flanking windows. The doorway has Y-traceried fanlight and pair of panelled doors. Windows are transomed with Y tracery above. Side elevations have 2 tall round-arched windows to the chapel part and the right-hand side also has a 2-storey 1-window range to the schoolrom/vestry. Rear has original round-arched doorway to the left with spoked fanlight and 6-panel door with flush bottom panels. To 1st-floor centre and right are original round-arched windows with hornless sashes with glazing bars and fanlight heads and there is another original sash central below. INTERIOR: original gallery with panelled front cantilevered out on paired brackets and carried on 4 Tuscan columns, and there are 2 flights of stairs leading to the gallery; original plasterwork with moulded ceiling cornices and there is an elliptical arch to the organ loft. FITTINGS: panelled box pews with ramped ends to gallery, otherwise late C19 pitch pine pews with shaped ends. There is a very fine and unusual panelled and pilastered rostrum with vaulted octagonal lecturn rising from a moulded shelf on consoles. At either side is an open-string straight flight of stairs with turned balusters and newels. In front of the rostrum is a moulded communion rail carried on an ornate cast-iron balustrade. Behind the rostrum is a canted organ loft with pilastered and panelled front balustrade with ornate cast-iron panels with scrolled and anthemeon detail. There are late C19 choir pews behind and a large panelled pipe organ. The gallery, box pews and unusual rostrum enhance the interest of this chapel, and there are some good original windows.

Listing NGR: SW7993540417