Mapping Methodism – Treen Wesleyan Chapel

Treen is a small village in the parish of St Levan, in the far west of Cornwall. It is about three miles inland from Land’s End on a short unclassified spur road from the B3315. This profile of Treen Wesleyan Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.

 

ST LEVAN TREEN SW 32 SE 7/239 Treen Methodist Chapel including – forecourt walls GV II Methodist chapel including forecourt walls. Date plaque 1834. Painted granite rubble with granite dressings. Grouted scantle slate roof with gable ends. Crested clay ridge tiles. Cast-iron ogee-section gutters. Plan: Rectangular aisle-less plan with entrance at the south-west end and rostrum at the northeast (ritual east) end. Shallow rectangular courtyard in front of the entrance. Exterior: South-west entrance front has central doorway and shuttered oculus ventilator to the gable over. C20 door. Each side wall has 2 windows; original 12- pane hornless sashes to right-hand wall, later horned copies to left-hand wall. Rear wall has central blocked window opening. Shallow rectangular courtyard in front of doorway has walls on 3 sides and a gateway aligned with the doorway. The walls are granite rubble and have square-edged dressed granite copings. Interior: Plain plastered walls; central ceiling rose, 2 pine pews numbered 8 and 9; C19 benches and panelled pulpit with canted front with moulded cornice and bow- fronted ledge. Listing NGR: SW3942722994 (Historic England)

TREEN METHODIST CHAPEL ITS HISTORY By Herbert Richards The following record of the history Tie en Methodist Chapel, near the Land’s End, was published in “The Wesleyan Methodist Magazine” for 1833 and written the Rev. J. Circuit Minister. Treen was at this time in the Penzance Circuit. Times have greatly changed since the erection this Little chapel, more than a century ago, but one can imagine the crofters from the countryside listening to the simple Gospel the Methodist preachers of .that day. They have long since gone, never return. A verse from Gray’s Elegy ‘to Country Churchyard” is very fitting here: No’ more for them the blazing hearth shrill burn, ” Nor busy (housewife ply her evening care; No children run to meet their sire’s return, ” Nor climb his knee the envied kiss to share.” He observes: On Friday, 22nd March, we opened our new chapel this place. The building is 36 feet by 22 feet without and has a small gallery the end. The stones and material, for this building were given. The chapel, without the gallery, cost upwards o4′ £80. This sum was most cheerfully paid by Mr. and Miss Richards, two friends who were not even members our Society at the time, and the expense our gallery has been very nearly paid… Two sermons were preached on the occasion, that in the afternoon the Rev. B. Carvoso. The chapel was crowded during the services, almost to suffocation. Many were powerfully awakened that day; I relieve more than half the adult population elf this district are converted God and meet in class. Treen is in the parish of St. Levan, about three miles from the Land’s End, and not far from the celebrated Logan Rock, which is estimated weigh about 80 tons; yet this rock is nicely balanced that it may be rocked to and fro. Methodism was introduced into the village in the year 1755, when Messrs. Green, P. Walker and R. Gamble were in the Circuit, and in the year 1815 the labours of the Rev. J. Sutcliffe were greatly blessed. .They preached in the house of Mr. Joseph Richards, but at last, the old members being removed by death and by other means, the Society became extinct. 1799 another Class was formed, and Thomas Taskis. with five companions from Mousehole, walked over rough and rocky down and re-established the Class, and preaching was continued in this house until the opening of the chapel. (Cornishman – Thursday 13 July 1944)

Small Wesleyan chapel in agricultural village. Good vernacular example built of painted rubble under a scantle slate roof. 2 windows to each side and a doorway central to entrance end. Original fittings described in Stell removed. Listed and illustrated in Stell (b1). (Heritage Gateway)

Treen chapel sits in the south of the village  opposite the large car park entrance.

Treen Wesleyan Chapel (Photo: Barry West)

Treen Wesleyan Chapel (Photo: Barry West)

Treen Wesleyan Chapel Plaque (Photo: Barry West)

1833/1834: Build date. (SWChurches/Date Plaque)

1887: Chapel was restored. (SWChurches)

1888: Chapel re-opened. (SWChurches)

1903: New seats. (Cornishman – Thursday 05 March 1903)

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

1932: Became Treen Methodist Church. (SWChurches)

Part of St Just Wesleyan Circuit. (SWChurches)

Part of St Just Methodist Circuit. (SWChurches)

The Chapel had not been used since mid-2007 and worship was held either in the adjacent schoolroom or, once a month, at Treen. (Methodism in West Penwith – A Heritage at Risk) 

2013: Closed. (Methodism in West Penwith – A Heritage at Risk) 

Seems to be used as an exhibition space.

It is Grade 2 listed.