St Buryan lies five miles west of Penzance; and was anciently a town of great importance. This profile of St Buryan Wesleyan Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.
John Wesley, the founding father of Methodism, visited the parish on several occasions, but was not well received at first. He first visited St Buryan in 1747 when he preached at Tredinney, and later attended services at the church in St Buryan during which the local clergyman is reputed to have made several caustic remarks about him. A second visit in 1766, during which he preached from outside the church, led to him being threatened with a whip by the local squire, however this only strengthened his resolve to return. The first Methodist chapel was built in 1783 on a site opposite the present chapel, on land purchased the previous year and inspected by Wesley himself during his last visit to the parish. In 1833, as Methodism became more popular in Cornwall, a second larger chapel was built on the site of the current one. This was subsequently rebuilt in 1981 after suffering storm damage to the old structure. Further chapels were built in the parish, at Crows-an-Wra in 1831 with seating for 220 as a replacement for an earlier chapel at nearby Treve and at Borah in 1817 with seating for 100, which was rebuilt in 1878. Both of these closed in 1981 to coincide with the enlargement of the St Buryan Chapel. (Wiki)
Mr. Wesley’s first visit to this place was August 7, 1766. He observes, “I went to Buryan church, and as soon as the service was ended, preached near the churchyard, to a numerous congregation. Just after I began, I saw a gentleman before me, shaking his whip, and vehemently striving to say something; but he was abundantly too warm to say anything intelligibly: so, after walking a while to and fro, he wisely took horse and rode away.” After this Mr. Westley renewed his visits to St. Buryan. In 1783, while Mr. Joseph Taylor, sen., was in the Circuit, the friends built a small chapel, which needed no enlargement for the following thirty years. During this period, the society was generally stationary as to its numbers; and at one time it was very low. In 1813 the friends spent 114 on the enlargement of the old chapel; but in the course of last year, our hearers so mightily increased, that our chapel would not always contain our week-night congregations: hence the absolute necessity [p523a] of “enlarging the place of our tent.” A beautiful plot of land, in the very best situation, belonging to Mr. Hodge, was kindly ceded to us on a very reasonable ground-rent for the term of 999 years; on which we have built a very neat chapel, 49 by 3 feet; with a neat gallery at one end, and two at the sides. Our old chapel we sold for 100, and raised, by subscriptions and public collections, 180 more. This and Treeve chapel are settled upon the same Trustees. The united debts of both chapels are nearly £400: this they have borrowed at four per cent. The interest and ground-rent will be £17 per annum, and their income is £50 a year. This chapel was opened on Good Friday, April 5th, when three sermons were preached on the occasion; one by the Rev. Benjamin Carvosso, and another by the Rev. R. Moody. The congregations were overflowing, and the collections £60; twice as much as we expected. It was a day of great joy and gladness; and I have no doubt but that it will long live in the grateful remembrance of our hundred and eighty members, who compose our society in St. Buryan. (West Penwith Resources)
Wesleyan Methodist chapel. Newlyn Road frontage is the least altered elevation and is built of granite. This 2-window gable end has a spoked oculus to its gable and round-headed window openings. Attached outbuildings probably the old trap house and stables and good vernacular examples built of granite rubble with granite dressings under grouted scantle slate roofs. (Heritage Gateway)
The population of St Buryan is now growing after a period of decline growing but that village has already lost its historic chapel (and those that preceded it) and its Methodist people are now served by a building about thirty years old. (Methodism in West Penwith – A Heritage at Risk)
1783 Chapel
The first Methodist chapel inspected by Wesley himself during his last visit to the parish.
1783: Build date. (Methodism in West Penwith – A Heritage at Risk)
1813: The chapel was enlarged but still was not big enough for the congregation.
The 1783 chapel was sold in order to build the new chapel opposite in 1832.
1832/1839 Chapel
The second chapel was built in 1832 across the road from the previous chapel.
1832: Build date. (Methodism in West Penwith – A Heritage at Risk / SWChurches)
Good Friday, April 5th 1832: Opening.
Built as a Wesleyan chapel. (SWChurches)
Built on a site opposite the 1783 chapel. (Wiki)
Part of St Just Wesleyan Circuit. (SWChurches)
Seating for 600. (West Penwith Resources)
1851: John Williams was the minister. (West Penwith Resources)
1873: Survey reports 350 seats. (West Penwith Resources)
1886: St Buryan Wesleyan Sunday School: “…a public tea was provided in connection with the Wesleyan Sunday-school, which a goodly number partook. The St Buryan Independent Brass Band was present during the tea and added much to the pleasure of the occasion…” (14 January 1886 – The Cornish Telegraph)
1894: Chapel renovated. (Cornishman – Thursday 23 August 1894)
1895: Drift Brass Band played at St Buryan Wesleyan Sunday school tea treat. (John Brush)
Circa 1900: Sunday school built adjacent to existing Wesleyan chape. It was further altered and extended to provide a new Sunday school late C20. Recorded on 2nd Edition 1:2500 1907 OS Map. (Heritage Gateway)
The Sunday school is behind the Old chapel (and new church building) and is best seen from the back on Newlyn Road. The plaque says Wesleyan Sunday school.
1932: The Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist and the United Methodist Church amalgamated to become the Methodist Church of Great Britain.
1932: Became St Buryan Methodist Church. (SWChurches)
Part of St Just Methodist Circuit. (SWChurches)
1940: Seating for 340. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)
1980 Chapel
1980: Chapel demolished and replacement built on Sunday school site. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian / Methodism in West Penwith – A Heritage at Risk)
1981: The chapel suffered significant storm damage and was replaced by the new building. The church remains central to the village working closely with the Parish Church. It serves as a community hub as well as a place of worship. Worship is mainly traditional, but with an openness to innovation, including guitar accompanied choruses and quarterly reflective Iona-style services in candlelight, some of which are joined by the local Anglicans.
Apart from The Centre, St Buryan chapel is the Circuit’s newest building, constructed some thirty odd years ago on the site of the former chapel. In a village with a number of community spaces, there is little opportunity for income other than from the pockets of a shrinking and elderly congregation. Nevertheless, the congregation is making renewed efforts to develop community uses for the building which will leave it less reliant on income from the congregation alone. (Methodism in West Penwith – A Heritage at Risk)