Mapping Methodism – St Newlyn East Bible Christian Chapel

St Newlyn East is a village approximately three miles (5 km) south of Newquay. The parish is named after the patron saint of the church, St Newlina. The name is locally abbreviated to Newlyn East and according to an anonymous historian writing in The Cornishman in 1880 it was only in recent years that Saint had been added to the parish name. This profile of St Newlyn East Bible Christian Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.

 

Circa 1850: Bible Christian chapel built. Dressed rubble brought to course, ground floor part rendered, painted rubble elsewhere. Round-arched openings, horned sashes; panelled door. 2 storeys; symmetrical 2-window front. Now converted to 2 houses. (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway)

1870-72: The Imperial Gazetteer notes the presence of a Byranite chapel in the village thought to have been built in or around 1850.

Billy Bray is reported to have preached here on numerous occasions. (Welcome to Newquay – Newlyn East)

1907: The Methodist New Connexion, Bible Christians and United Methodist Free Churches amalgamated to become the United Methodist Church.

1920: Closed.

It became the post office and then a lodging house for a while.

It is now residential.

The Bible Christian Chapel is on a smaller scale and its congruity with the other places of worship has been lost due to the painting of its stone walls, but the granite quoins and brick window arches are still in evidence. (Cornwall Industrial Settlements Initiative)

St Newlyn East Bible Christian Chapel (Photo: Jo Lewis)