Mapping Methodism – Chili Road United Methodist Free Church

Chili Road leads from Illogan Highway to Illogan village. This profile of Chili Road United Methodist Free Church has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.

 

Site of c 1809 Free United Methodist chapel (b1). Had elaborate 3-bay front with Italianate details, rebuilt 1888. Recorded on the 1st and 2nd Editions of the 1:2500 OS 1880 and 1907 Maps. Both maps show Sunday school extension-dating to pre-1880, shown on both OS Maps but only labelled on the 1907 OS Map. Demolished in 1973 and a pair of houses constructed on the site c1980. Rubble yard walls survive on part of site. Recorded on the modern Mastermap as 1 and 2 Chapel Court (b2). (Cornwall Heritage Gateway)

 

Circa 1809: Build date. (Cornwall Heritage Gateway) Possibly the square building at the rear of the chapel.

1850: Build date. (Date stone) Could this have been a re-build?

1851: Chapel opened. (http://www.visionwebsites.co.uk/Uploads/Site694/Files/CarnBreaboard.pdf)

Built as a United Methodist Free Church. (SWChurches)

1877 until the 1960s: Shown on maps.

Pre-1880: Sunday School built. (Cornwall Heritage Gateway)

The organist Thomas Merritt played here and composed all his music on the organ which was bought by St Andrews Church Four Lanes (see later) when the chapel was demolished.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/articles/2008/05/20/history_thomasmerritt_feature.shtml When he left, around 160 families in the local area donated money to buy him a black slate mantel clock, which is still kept in the family today.

1888: Re-built. (Cornwall Heritage Gateway) To what extent it was re-built is not known.

It soon became known as the ‘Top Hat Church’. (http://www.visionwebsites.co.uk/Uploads/Site694/Files/CarnBreaboard.pdf)

1892: Baptism records.

1892: Records of loans / agreements including ‘Illogan Highway United Methodist Church’.

1899: Recent renovations. (Cornishman – Thursday 01 June 1899)

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)

Circa 1920: Exercise book, deeds, leases and appointment of new trustees, Camborne Methodist Circuit. Information regarding the following churches: Camborne Wesley, Centenary, Tuckingmill, Troon, Pool, Penponds, Forest, Kehelland, Pengegon, Illogan Highway, Treswithian, Tregajorran, Beacon, Plantation, Roscroggan, Condurrow, Bolennow, Connor Downs, Pool St Martins and Trelowarren Street. Compiled c1920. (Kresen Kernow MRCB/176)

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

1932: Became Chili Road Methodist Church. (SWChurches)

Chilli Road Chapel (Photo: E A Bragg photographer & postcard publisher 1877-1928)

1940: Seating for 384. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)

1973: Closed.

1974: Closed in 1974. (SWChurches / David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)

1970-1975: Papers and correspondence, sale, Chili Road Methodist Church, Illogan Highway, Illogan. Includes copy licence for County Council to use part of property as school classroom, 1971. (Kresen Kernow MRCB/227)

Demolished.

The chapel location with the plaque on the garage wall (Photo: Jo Lewis)