Mapping Methodism – Lower North Country Primitive Methodist Chapel

North Country is a short distance to the north of Redruth. This profile of Lower North Country Primitive Methodist Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.

 

1835: Lower North Country Primitive Methodist Chapel shown as in use.

1837: John Richards (Minister).

1838: Research shows that a building at Pauls Stamps (where rock was crushed at the start of processing) was bought in 1838 for £31. The stamps were behind the left of the present chapel. Within four years they were in debt and had to pay up or the chapel would be sold.

Circa 1835: The chapel opened as a Primitive Methodist Chapel. (SWChurches)

“The Primitive Methodist Chapel sits in Gilbert’s Coombe at Lower North Country, a valley leading from Tolgus, Redruth from the numerous tin and copper mines, down to the former fishing and shipping village of Portreath…” (My Primitive Methodists)

1860: “Alterations took place, causing them to be further in debt by £60. The Trustees at the time were all residents of North Country…” (My Primitive Methodists)

1860: Certificate of registration, North Country Primitive Methodist Chapel, Redruth. Certificate of registration as place of religious worship. (Kresen Kernow MRR/1340)

1864: “The financial situation had not improved when the Sunday School (an adjoining wooden building where the present chapel stands) had not paid its rent and was locked out…” (My Primitive Methodists)

1880: A correspondent remarks that the following are among the places of religions worship in and near Redruth: Parish Church, Chapel of Ease, Dopps Mission Room, Church at Treleigh, Quaker Chape], Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, United Methodist Free Church, Bible Christian Chapel, Primitive Methodist Chapel, Plainangwarry Town Mission Chapel, Methodist Free Church, South Downs, Wesleyan Chapel, South Downs, Primitive and Wesleyan Chapels near Blowing House, Wesleyan Chapel near Churchtown, North Country Wesleyan Chapel, old and new, North Country United Methodist Free Church, Lower North Country Primitive Chapel. Bible Christian Chapel, Wheal Peavor, Redruth Highway Wesleyan Chapel, Harris’s Mill Wesleyan Chapel, Primitive Methodist Chapel. Redruth Highway. At the last census only one half of the people in Redruth town and parish went to any place of worship, out of a population of 10,675, and since then six places of worship have been built in the parish. The population was then 10,676. The population is less at present. (Cornubian and Redruth Times – Friday 26 November 1880)

1897: New trust formed. (My Primitive Methodists)

7 Sep 1897: Memorandum of appointment, new trustees, North Country Primitive Methodist Chapel, Redruth. (Kresen Kernow MRR/4289)

1899: The P.M. chapel (a wood building) at North Country been sold and removed. (Cornubian and Redruth Times – Friday 23 June 1899)

1899: The old wooden Sunday School was pulled down. (My Primitive Methodists)

1899: Laying of foundation stones of new chapel. (Cornubian and Redruth Times – Friday 01 September 1899)

31st August 1899: Foundations stones laid for a new chapel. (My Primitive Methodists)

1889 (surely 1899): The Primitive Methodist Chapel rebuilt in Gilbert’s Coombe at Lower North Country. (SWChurches)

1900: Certificate of registration, North Country Primitive Methodist Chapel, Redruth. Certificate of registration as place of religious worship. (Kresen Kernow MRR/1341)

1904: WANTED, at once, Harmoniumist for North Country Primitive Methodist Chapel. Apply to S. Richards, Sec., North Country. (Cornubian and Redruth Times – Saturday 30 April 1904)

1921-1922: Annual report, Sunday School, North Country Primitive Methodist Chapel, Redruth. (Kresen Kernow MRR/4290)

1932: The Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist and the United Methodist Church amalgamated to become the Methodist Church of Great Britain.

Numbers attending falling. (My Primitive Methodists)

1932: Became Lower North Country Methodist Church. (SWChurches)

1934: Closed as a Primitive Methodist Chapel (David Easton, Methodist Minister and Historian)

Circa 1934: Became Independent Congregation. (SWChurches / David Easton, Methodist Minister and Historian)

1936: Left the Circuit and became independent but numbers fell again. (My Primitive Methodists)

1934-1936: Correspondence, deeds, Lower North Country Methodist Church, Redruth. Chapel left the Methodist Connexion in 1936 and became an independent chapel. (Kresen Kernow MRR/1342)

1940: Seating for 50. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and Historian)

For a number of years it maintained a Sunday School, and the chapel open for local events such as harvest Festivals. (My Primitive Methodists)

1960s: Closed. (SWChurches)

1964: Closed. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and Historian)

Became Undertaker’s Chapel of Rest. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and Historian)

The converted chapel (Photo: Jo Lewis)

Bible Christian (Thought to be an error as all other indicators are of a Primitive Methodist Chapel) chapel, 1899, now used as chapel of rest. Stucco with rusticated quoins and moulded gable with finial and acroteria. Simple Italianate style with round-arched openings. Symmetrical 2-window front end with central doorway. Moulded name and date panel to centre of gable. It is not recorded on the 1st Edition 1:2500 OS map c1880, but it is recorded on the 2nd Edition 1:2500 OS map c1907. (Heritage Gateway)