Mapping Methodism – Coombe (St Stephen-in-Brannel) Wesleyan Chapel

Coombe is approximately four miles (6 km) west of St Austell in the civil parish of St Stepen-in-Brannel. This profile of Coombe (St Stephen-in-Brannel) Wesleyan Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.

 

Sunday 25th of September 1757: John Wesley preached “near a lone house, on the side of a barren mountain, but neither the House nor the court could contain the people; so we went into a meadow where all might kneel and stand to hear…” (My Methodist History – Richard Yelland’s account)

Methodist chapel. Extended 1890. Dressed granite and granite rubble; dry slate roof. Simple Classical style with round-arched openings at the front end. 2-window front has tall windows with margin panes and fanlight heads. Central doorway has spoked fanlight over planked doors. Original 12-pane sashes to side elevations. Interior has end gallery with stencilled detail. (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway)

Methodist Sunday school now used as Methodist chapel, and associated road-frontage walls and earth closets at rear. Late C19. Local rubble with brick dressings; dry slate roofs with crested clay ridge tiles. Simple building with 3 windows to each side elevation and a window on either side of a gabled porch at the front end. Part of a good group. (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway)

Methodist church. Dated 1859; enlarged 1890. Granite rubble with stone dressings. Slate roof with ridge tiles and gable ends. Plan: Single auditorium plan, with entrance at the front gable end and ritual east at the rear. Exterior: The front gable end is symmetrical, with central round-arched doorway with C20 plank double doors and margin-glazed fanlight; the doorway is approached by a flight of 6 granite steps with plain cast iron railings to each side and cast iron footscrapers. Tall round-arched window to right and left with 4-panes each light and margin glazing. Upper central circular recessed datestone with inscription in upper case lettering: WMC 1859 ENLARGED 1890. The right and left sides have three C19 12- pane sashes with cambered brick arches. Interior: Not fully accessible at time of survey (October 1987). There is a gallery at the front gable end, with panelled front with stencilled painted Gothic decorations, supported on shaped brackets. Organ at the rear gable end. The church may retain other features such as benches and rostrum.
Listing NGR: SW9497451319 (Historic England)

 

1765 Chapel

1765: The Society rented an old dwelling house under Bodinnick Wood. (My Methodist History – Richard Yelland’s account)

 

1783 Chapel

1783: Chapel built and opened. (My Methodist History – Richard Yelland’s account)

 

1788 Chapel

1788: Chapel built in Church Town. (My Methodist History – Richard Yelland’s account)

 

1807 using the 1783 Chapel again

1807: The old chapel (1783 chapel) was purchased again and fitted up for Preaching in again where it remained as a Preaching House for the Wesleyans until the year 1833. (My Methodist History – Richard Yelland’s account)

 

1833 Chapel

The 1833 Wesleyan Chapel which later became Coombe UMFC/UM Chapel (Photo: Jo Lewis)

Circa 1829: New Chapel being built.

1829-2010: Chapel life. (Kresen Kernow)

Coombe Wesleyan Chapel in existence by 1829. (SWChurches)

1833: New Chapel built. (Date stone)

11th of September 1833: New Chapel opened. (My Methodist History – Richard Yelland’s account)

Built as a Wesleyan Chapel. (SWChurches)

Probably circa 1859: Became Coombe UMFC.

 

1859 Chapel

Coombe Wesleyan Chapel (Photo: Jo Lewis 2021)

1859: Chapel build date. (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway / Historic England / Date stone)

1890: Chapel enlarged. (Historic England)

1907: Forms, grant for new schoolroom, Coombe Wesleyan Chapel. (Kresen Kernow MRA/86)

Aug 1907: Notice, foundation stone laying of new Sunday School, Coombe Wesleyan Chapel. (Kresen Kernow MRA/494)

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

1932: Became Coombe Methodist Church. (SWChurches)

1940: Seating for 155. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)

1997: The chapel closed and services held in Sunday school. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)

1996: Planning approval to convert the chapel to a studio dwelling.

Sunday school became a community hall.