Baldhu is a former mining village situated above the Carnon Valley 3 miles (5 kilometres) west of Truro. The profile for Baldhu Wesleyan Chapel was compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.
Follow the Baldhu road, taking a right turn signposted to Wheal Jane and Baldhu chapel. Follow the road and the chapels appear on the right. The chapels can be seen on old maps.
Wayside Wesleyan chapel, new chapel 1889, the original chapel with attached schoolroom now all used as the schoolroom. Good washed rubble vernacular example with original scantle slate roof, porch and sash windows. Later chapel unaltered and is a good simple example of its date. Listed in Stell (b1). (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway)
Baldhu Methodist Church and Sunday School later becoming Sunday School when later chapel built in 1889. The right-hand corner of the 1889 chapel adjoins the rear left-hand corner of the schoolroom and this chapel has a small rectangular aisle-less plan. 1889 chapel retains pews and rostrum with decorative railing to low partition across front of choir area, 1925 organ. (Historic England)
(Photo: Jo Lewis)
(Photo: Jo Lewis)
(Photo: Jo Lewis)
(Photo: David Philp)
(Photo: David Philp)
(Photo: David Philp)
1820 (or thereabouts): Baldhu Wesleyan Chapel built (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway)
1832: The church website, and the banner, intimates that the Sunday school was established. This suggests the original chapel was built before or around this time.
The original chapel is slurried rubble and was originally a rectangular plan.
“The trustees of Baldhu Wesleyan Chapel received the following tenders for the proposed new chapel: J. Langdon, Devoran (carpentry), £192 10s.; R. Jose, Truro (all the work). £330; W. H. Moyle. Chacewater (carpentry), £179 10s. J. Martin, Baldhu (masonry), £147 15s. The tenders of Messrs. Moyle and Martin of £327 5s, being the lowest, were accepted.” (West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser – Thursday 13 June 1889)
Circa 1882: Baldhu Wesleyan Chapel built. (SWChurches)
1889: New Baldhu Wesleyan Chapel built. (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway)
Seating for 150. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)
Baldhu second chapel;
1889: This first chapel became the Sunday school when the second chapel was built.
It is grade 2 listed.
1905: Baldhu chapel re-opened following refurbishment. (Royal Cornwall Gazette – Thursday 19 October 1905)
1907: Baldhu Sunday school re-opened following refurbishment. (West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser – Thursday 07 November 1907)
1932: The Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist and the United Methodist Church amalgamated to become the Methodist Church of Great Britain.
1932: Became Baldhu Methodist Church. (SWChurches)
Early 1980s: Closed as a Methodist Church. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)
Congregation left Methodism. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)
Used by Independent Congregation. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)
Became a Messy church.