This profile of Lemon Wesleyan Chapel (Truro) has been compiled by Tony Mansell.
May also have been called Fairmantle Chapel.
Cornwall Heritage Gateway report: A late C19 Wesleyan chapel designed by Silvanus Trevail is now used as a fitness centre. Dressed Newham stone brought to course, brick and freestone dressings and some stucco detail. Stepped string course to all elevations; margin-pane windows. 2-window entrance front has large round-arched blocked window opening above stuccoed classical style doorway. 3-window street frontage has central paired window with round head rising into gabled dormer; wide central doorway and round-arched doorway on the right. Principal feature overlooking the city centre is a freestone traceried Gothic style window.
Called the William Street Chapel and built in 1883 with the Grand Opening in 1887, it replaced Lemon Chapel. Two cottages had been purchased some time before to use as a site when it became obvious that the other chapel was no longer suitable. Still in use as a chapel in 1958 but by 1962 was offered as headquarters for Sea Cadets. Unsuitable for this the building was used as storage (1) (Cornwall Heritage Gateway)
1830 Chapel
1830: Lemon Chapel build date. (SWChurches)
Built as a daughter chapel of St Mary’s Wesleyan Chapel in John’s Street. (SWChurches)
The street at that date was called John Street but the name was later changed to William Street, possibly because there was another John Street in Truro. (SWChurches)
14 Jun 1833: Assignment of 99-year lease, Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. Parties: 1) John Rapsey of Truro, mason 2) Josephus Ferris, gentleman, William Rowe, draper, George Clyma, printer and John Frost, smith, all of Truro Borough, John Trestrail, gentleman, William Dale, gentleman, Joseph Carne, grocer, all of Kenwyn, Richard Martyn of Philleigh, gentleman, William Hotten of Probus, watch maker, and William Searle of Newlyn, gentleman. Recites 99-year lease of 10 March 1820 between Sir William Lemon and 1) on the lives of John Rapsey 1), Elizabeth his wife and Elizabeth their daughter. Plot of ground 23 feet in width, the north end thereof 22 feet and 5 inches in width, at the south end 38 feet 9 inches in depth, and at the west end 43 feet in depth, at the east end, bounded on the north by a road, on the south by premises belonging to (1), on the west by premises belonging to (1) and on the east by premises belonging to Edward Randall. [With site plan on dorse, pencilled note by Josephus Ferris also attached ‘ This deed is superseded by another deed dated 23 December 1837, in which the school room in Union Place is included, the latter deed is regularly enrolled in Chancery’]. Consideration: £10. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1208)
Chapel no longer suitable. (Cornwall Heritage Gateway)
Two cottages used as a replacement chapel. (Cornwall Heritage Gateway)
1870: Two classrooms added recently. (Royal Cornwall Gazette – Saturday 27 August 1870)
1887 Chapel
Circa 1887: Elevations, section, floor plans, Lemon Wesleyan Chapel and school, William Street, Truro. Signed Trevail. Scale: 8 feet to 1 inch. Size: 47 x 64.5 cm. Pen and ink, colour wash on tracing linen. (Kresen Kernow DCCRK/888/50/3)
2 Mar 1887: Approval of building plans, Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. From Truro Urban Sanitary Authority to Silvanus Trevail, Architect for building plans of chapel. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1214)
8 Mar 1884-6 Oct 1885: Correspondence, new Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. Concerns lease of site and tenders for building the new Lemon Mission Chapel. [NB. MRT/1210/33 shows site plan of new Chapel and cottages adjacent]. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1210)
1884-1887: Consent, opening of new Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. Consent from Wesleyan Chapel Committee, Manchester, to opening of chapel, 21 October 1887, with letter from H J Pope to the Reverend John Rhodes concerning lease of 20 October 1884. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1221)
14 Feb 1887: Sanction, erection of Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. From Wesleyan Chapel Committee, for erection of chapel. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1213)
Feb 1887: Tenders, erection of Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. From William Battershill, 8 William Street, Truro, for erection of chapel, 14 and 24 February 1887. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1215)
5 March 1887: Contract, erection of Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. Between Trustees and William Battershill, for erection of chapel. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1216)
7 Mar 1887: Tender to move shed, Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. From William Battershill, to move shed so as not to obstruct light from new classroom windows. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1218)
28 Oct 1887: Letter, enrolment of chapel deed, Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. Reply from H J Pope to Wesleyan Chapel Committee [to MRT/1225] concerning enrolment of Chapel deed in Chancery. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1226)
28 Oct 1887: Certificate of registration, Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. Certificate of registration as place of religious worship. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1224)
1887: Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, William Street, Truro. New premises for Wesleyan chapel. By Silvanus Trevail, architect, of Truro. (Kresen Kernow DCCRK/888/50)
1887: William Street / Lemon Chapel build date. (SWChurches)
William Street / Lemon Chapel constructed adjacent to the original chapel.
1887: William Street / Lemon Chapel opening ceremony. (Cornwall Heritage Gateway)
1887: “At Truro on Sunday Captain Josiah Thomas, of Camborne, pleached two sermons on the occasion of the opening of the New Lemon Wesleyan Chapel and Sunday schools. The new buildings supersede others which were dilapidated and inadequate to the society’s requirements. The style of the building is classic, of a plain and substantial character. The architect is Mr Silvanus Trevail, M.S.A., of Truro. Mr W. Whetter has acted as clerk of the works. The cost of the erection is about £1,000.” (Cornubian and Redruth Times – Friday 14 October 1887)
27 Oct 1887: Copy letter, registration of Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. From the Reverend John Rhodes, Truro to Reverend H J Pope, concerning the Lemon Chapel’s registration and lease and St Mary’s Chapel Trust. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1225)
1887: New chapel built adjacent to the first. Architect Silvanus Trevail. (Royal Cornwall Gazette – Friday 01 April 1887)
(Photo: Tony Mansell)
(Photo: Tony Mansell)
8-12 May 1888: Correspondence, property adjoining Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. From Charles F Dale, solicitor, Helston to J James, 3 Lower Vivian Terrace, Truro, concerning sale of 43, 44 and 45 Carclew Street and two cottages adjoining the Chapel, 8 and 12 May 1888. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1229)
1904: Three week’s closure for renovations. (Royal Cornwall Gazette – Thursday 11 August 1904)
1908: Chapel in need of enlargement. (Royal Cornwall Gazette – Thursday 01 October 1908)
1 Oct 1928: Abstract of title, Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. Title of Sir William John Ferguson Davie to freehold premises in the City of Truro, 1900-1908. Made 1928 and includes Wesleyan Chapel and premises in William Street and two cottages to the rear, with covering letter from Pitts Tucker, solicitors, Barnstaple to J Penrose, Torwood, Daniell Road, Truro. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1246)
1 Oct 1928: Receipt for conveyance, Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. From Pitts Tucker, Barnstaple for £2 cost of conveying premises in Truro. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1247)
1932: The Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist and the United Methodist Church amalgamated to become the Methodist Church of Great Britain.
1932: Became Lemon Methodist Church. (SWChurches)
17 Jun 1932: Letter, lease of Lemon Wesleyan Chapel, Truro. From Henry Tippet, 34 Lemon Street, Truro to Lemon Trustees, concerning expiry of the Old Chapel lease in October 1931, freehold and improvement of property. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1249)
1940: Seating for 220. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)
1963: Chapel closed. (SWChurches / David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)
Used as storage, plumber’s workshop, office and then as a fitness club.