Mapping Methodism – Chy an Gweal (Chyangweal) Wesleyan Teetotal Chapel
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Chy an Gweal is an area near Carbis Bay on the road towards St Ives. This profile of Chy an Gweal chapel has been initially compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell and added to substantially by Val Thomas.
Carbis Bay, as we now know it, was originally part of Uny, Lelant parish. Chyangweal was one of the many hamlets which were within this original parish and was built around employment in mining and farming.
The chapel can be found on the south side of the road before you get to The Cornish Arms. The site of this chapel is where the Carbis Bay Methodists and Wesleyans originally held their open- air services.
New Connexion Methodist chapel. Original chapel (now the Sunday school) circa mid C19, present chapel with datestone 1901. (Cornwall Heritage Gateway)
1849 Chapel
1849: First chapel founded. (West Penwith Resources)
Founded as a Wesleyan Teetotal Chapel according to West Penwith Resources and was situated on a slight rise above the road to St Ives from Lelant. It is the chapel on the left of the new chapel which is now linked to it by a corridor.
Seating for 112. (West Penwith Resources)
1851 Morgan Anthony was steward. (West Penwith Resources)
1869 – 1882: It was now a Methodist New Connexion chapel.
1871: Joseph Glasson writes in a letter to the Cornishman from Australia in February 1928 that, aged 15, he was engaged to play the harmonium at the New Connexion chapel at Chyangweal at a salary of £2.00 per year. He thought this was wonderfully good pay.
1877: Shown on OS maps but smaller than now.
If it was a Wesleyan Teetotal Chapel originally, it became a Methodist New Connexion chapel at some point before 1869.
1892: Chyangweal New Connexion and Canonstown Wesleyan: “… The weather was very inclement and undoubtedly prevented many from attending. Each school formed a procession led by the Lelant Downs and St Erth Brass Bands, respectively. The children were regaled with tea and bans, and a public tea followed.” (21 July 1892 – The Cornish Telegraph)
Cedric Appleby writes that Chyangweal New Connexion Methodists used the tearooms of Mr Williams.
1901 Chapel
1900: July 19th Cornwall Gazette. Plans for a new chapel at Chyangwheal were submitted, and the trustees recommended to proceed with the building as soon as possible.
1901: A new chapel was built on the same site. The stone-laying ceremony was postponed from Thursday until Saturday March 1901. The stones were laid by Miss Lizzie Trevorrow (of Chyangwheal), Mrs Blair, on behalf of Mrs Hain (St Ives), Miss Mitchell, on behalf of Mrs E Mitchell (Lelant), Mrs G Noall, (St Ives) and Mr J Daniel jnr on behalf of Mr J Daniel, J.P. of St Ives. Silver Trowels were presented by Mrs Williams of Carbis Valley, she being the oldest member of the society. After the ceremony tea was served in the old chapel. The proceeds amounted to £50.00. Thos Faull of St Ives charged 5s. 5. 9 for these elegantly carved trowels. The St Ives town crier was also paid to proclaim the event around town.
William Trevorrow, who lived at Bay View House, Chyangwheal was a prominent member of the Wesleyan Methodist. He was actively connected with the Chyangwheal United Methodist Church, in which he took a deep interest. The construction of the new chapel was in large measure due to him. On May 13th1903 the Cornish Telegraph reported that the Methodist New Connexion annual meeting was held in St Ives. Part of this report said that the new chapel at Chyangwheal cost £743 of which £481 had been raised. Also a Sunday school and chapel in Alexandra Road, Penzance had just been built at a cost of £3,000.
1902 January 16th The Cornishman. “Opening a new chapel at Chyangwheal. Interesting Ceremony. In response to a kind invitation to attend this ceremony of the new chapel, erected by the friends of the New-connexion, at Chyangwheal, I journeyed to St Erth by train, and started to walk to the place mentioned, not knowing exactly whereabouts it was. Remembering that it was somewhere in the neighbourhood of Carbis-bay I took the main road between St Erth and St Ives. After journeying about two miles I asked a youth if he could direct me to the place, but he did not know of any village by the name of Chyangwheal. Thinking I had pronounced it somewhat wrongly i thought if I asked him where Mr Hain, the member-of-parliament was opening a chapel, he would know, but it was entirely useless. He said he didn’t know anything about Mr Hain or politics. Notwithstanding this encounter kept on my way and resolved to ask the next person I met where Chyangwheal was. I did so, and the good lady soon put my doubts to rest by telling me to keep straight on and I should soon come to the chapel. Keeping straight on up the hill I soon made out a neat little chapel at the top overlooking the beautiful bay and sheltered from the winds by the hill at it rear….. The style of the chapel is Gothic, the elevations being effectively treated with granite and elvan, while the principal architectural feature of the front ids the bold granite traceried window. The roof is surmounted by a ventilating turret designed to harmonise with the building. Internally the edifice measures 42ft by 23ft and has a canopied ceiling20ft high, while the orchestra end is relieved with a moulded arch. All the joinery is of pitch pine, the seats being comfortably arranged and the windows glazed throughout with lead lights. Opening from the chapel is a pastor’s vestry, the public entrance being through a porch at the south east corner. There is seating accommodation for about 140…..” The chapel was opened by Mr Edward Hain, M.P.
1904 July ‘At Carbis Valley picnic grounds on Saturday Chyangweal Methodist New Connexion Sunday-school held its treat. A procession, headed by St Ives Artillery band, fist visited Treloyhan and Chyangweal.’ Mr Paynes Tea Gardens, Carbis Bay, were favoured by the Wesleyans while the New Connexion favoured Mr Williams’s Picnic Grounds further down the valley than Mr Payne’s, which is where the Cottage Hotel was in Carbis Valley. Mr Williams was a Methodist whose house was the last in the valley, next to the Carbis Bay Hotel on the other side of the viaduct.
1905 Mr Read, Mayor of St Ives opened the schoolroom after its renovation.
1905 November. A successful concert was given in the Chyangwheal schoolroom. The feature of the evening was the opening of a new piano, which through the untiring energy of Miss F May Mansbidge had been procured for the Chyangwheal branch of the Christian endeavour Society which is to be shortly instituted. The schoolroom was decorated in red, white and blue as it was the King’s birthday. At the back of the platform a display of flags had been arranged. Colan Williams, a local organist and composer performed among others. Mr J L Jacobs and musician who usually played in Bedford Road Church also helped.
The old chapel is pictured on the left with the arched windows. The new chapel is on the right.
These two images above are from the David Allan collection and are courtesy of St Ives Museum and Brian + Margaret Stevens
The link corridor between the old and new chapels. Image: Val Thomas
1907: The Methodist New Connexion, Bible Christians and United Methodist Free Churches amalgamated to become the United Methodist Church.
1907: Became a United Methodist Church. (SWChurches)
1909 July William Trevorrow died. He is listed in the St Ives Weekly Summary of July 17th 1909 as an ‘earnest and zealous worker in connection with the United Methodist Church at Chyangwheal, and a generous supporter of the cause.’ He was retired mine foreman who died on the 13th July. His father had been a tin/copper miner and William originally trained as a carpenter, probably in the mines.
1910 A memorial window was unveiled at Carbis Bay United Methodist Church. The proceedings were conducted by Revs T. Dodd and S. S. Dabill. It started with hymns and prayers before Mr. W Glasson, speaking on behalf of the Trustees. The church was described as his ‘one passion in life’. The window is situated in the north wall of the church facing St Ives. It is a two lighted stained glass window of Gothic pattern. The subject is the nativity of Christ. On the bottom of the window was painted in scriptural letters: “Unto us a child is born, unto us a child is given. To the glory of God.” In ever loving memory of William Trevorrow, born Dec 17, 1844, died July 13th, 1909.
On the same wall a tablet was placed explaining the object of the window. This was of Sicilian marble and engraved in Imperishable lead. The tablet is inscribed as follows: “To the glory of God. In ever loving memory of William Trevorrow. He laboured with untiring zeal for the welfare of this church until within a few months of his death – months of great weakness, borne with rare patience and Christian fortitude, when on the 13th July, 1909, the call came to “Come up hither.” He gladly obeyed the summons in the 65th year of his age. He had lived in Christ and for Christ as to defy time and change and death itself. This tablet and window are erected by his sorrowing widow Mary Trevorrow.” The work was carried out by Pascoe and Co., Riviera Monumental works, Causewayhead, Penzance.
After the unveiling a tea was given by Mrs Trevorrow in aid of the Church funds. Mary Trevorrow was listed as a Boarding House Keeper in 1921 but died in 1932.
This window is dedicated to ‘Uncle William’, who was the uncle of Lena Bray who wrote about him in her book. He was a mine ‘Captain’ in Redruth.
1914 A new organ was installed and dedicated before Feb 12th 1914 at a cost of £194.04p. Apparently this is the only example of a ‘Cartwright’ organ in Cornwall and Mr Rest Cartwright of London gave an organ recital in the evening. Prior to installation the organ chamber was constructed and a plaque placed in front of the church in memory of Henry Trevorrow, brother of William, who died in 1894 aged 58 by their sister Elizabeth Uren. (I could not find this plaque in 2024).
1926 December 22nd The Cornishman and Cornish Telegraph. In the spring of this year a most successful effort was effected in the complete renovation of the chapel and the installation of electric lighting throughout the whole premises including the Sunday-schoolroom and vestries. The cost of this work amounted to £113, a rather formidable sum for such a small rural church to face. After the re-opening services in the summer, however, this liability had been fully met. For some time the Sunday schoolroom had been needing renovation. Dampness in one of the main wall had for years been an eyesore and a source of trouble. …. certain provision for electric heating, especially for tea meetings would, it was found, amount to some £70. …” A sale was held in the schoolroom in December which raised £104.
1932: The Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist and the United Methodist Church amalgamated to become the Methodist Church of Great Britain.
1932: Became Chyangweal Methodist Church. (SWChurches)
1948 Chyangweal Methodist Church was, on the 23rd December 1948, registered for solemnizing marriages therein Dated January 1949
1990s: Pages from photograph album 4, Cornish Chapels. Chy-An-Gweal (St Ives and Hayle), Built 1901, 7-10-93, 1 Exterior photo 5 Interior photos Floorplan. (Kresen Kernow AD2827/4/26)
Chyangweal Methodist Chapel (Photo Bob Berry)
Chyangweal Methodist Chapel (Photo Bob Berry)
2022 May 22ndChyangweal Church has now closed for services after a 2.30 service led by Pastor Kenny Bassett who has been the pastor for many years following in the footsteps of Pastors Mary Rogers and Harold Stevens. The ‘new chapel’ is now locked while the original chapel building is being used as a food bank centre for the St Ives area.
2024 I have looked for memorial stone inscriptions and plaques on the outside of the church but can find nothing except an indentation in one of the granite bases where a plaque may have been.
There is a very time-weathered bench which does have a plaque on it to the memory of Dinah and Eddie Stratton.
Kresen Kernow has papers relating to this chapel MRIHY/13
Resources (Val Thomas)
St Ives Heritage – Recollection and records of St Ives, Carbis Bay and Lelant. Lena and Donald Bray.
St Ives Museum
Brian and Margaret Stevens
David Allan-Their sound has gone out into all the Land Churches, chapels and organs of St Ives.
Find my Past newspapers
west-penwith.org.uk