Mapping Methodism – Pikes Hill, Falmouth Wesleyan Chapel

Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall. This profile of Pikes Hill Wesleyan Chapel has been compiled by Tony Mansell.

 

1865: Pikes Hill opened as a Wesleyan Chapel. (SWChurches)

Built in 1866 to house the Methodists in this part of the expanding town. (Heritage Gateway)

1885: Tenders invited for the erection of new Sunday school premises. (Lake’s Falmouth Packet and Cornwall Advertiser – Saturday 20 June 1885)

1890: “The Rev. Michael Westcombe, the newly appointed Wesleyan minister, took a prominent part in the Harvest Festival and recognition services at this chapel on Sunday and Monday last…” (Lake’s Falmouth Packet and Cornwall Advertiser – Saturday 20 September 1890)

1891: Pike’s Hill Wesleyan Sunday school opened. (SWChurches)

1894: “To Builders and Decorators. The Trustees Pike’s Hill Chapel require Tenders for enlarging classroom, making provision for new organ, renovating the chapel, and other work. Drawings and specification may be seen on application to the Chapel Keeper. Tenders, endorsed ‘Pike’s Hill Chapel’, to be sent to me on or before the 30^th August inst. S. Roberts, Secretary to the trustees, 13, Albany Bead, Falmouth, 16^th August 1894.” (Lake’s Falmouth Packet and Cornwall Advertiser – Saturday 18 August 1894)

1912: “Miss Jewell, who has been organist of Pike’s Hill Wesleyan Chapel for over twenty years, was presented with a massive marble clock on Friday, on the occasion of her retirement. The committee responsible for the arrangements were Messrs. P. Roberts and J. Prior, who are the only two members of the church who transferred to Pike’s Hill Chapel when the old Ebenezer Chapel in Porhan-street was closed…” (Lake’s Falmouth Packet and Cornwall Advertiser – Friday 27 December 1912)

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

1932: Became known as Pike’s Hill Methodist Church. (SWChurches)

Pikes Hill Methodist Chapel (Photo: courtesy Alan Cox of Penryn & Falmouth Old Cornwall Society)

Pikes Hill Methodist Chapel (Photo: courtesy Alan Cox of Penryn & Falmouth Old Cornwall Society)

1967: Pikes Hill Methodist Church Falmouth: Centenary celebrations 1867-1967. (Kresen Kernow 287.142378)

Pikes Hill Methodist Chapel surveyed and found to be unsafe. (Alan Cox)

This was a great shock to members of the congregation. (Alan Cox)

April 1979: Serious structural damage in both the chapel and schoolroom identified. (SWChurches)

26 August 1979: Last service on the premises. (SWChurches)

1979: Pikes Hill Methodist Chapel closed. (SWChurches / David Easton)

Membership at closure 61. (David Easton)

Many of the congregation joined Falmouth Central on the Moor. (Alan Cox)

Joined with other town Church (David Easton)

The congregation amalgamated with the congregation at Falmouth Central Methodist Church to form a new society, Falmouth Methodist Church. (SWChurches)

The 1867 pitch pine communion table & chairs from Falmouth Pikes Hill Wesleyan Chapel were rescued by Graham Jackett and moved to the opposite side of the Fal River to Flushing Methodist Chapel in 1980 when the former closed. (David Craine)

Buildings demolished.

Now demolished. (Heritage Gateway)