Hugus is a hamlet three miles (5 km) west of Truro and on the road from Threemilestone to Baldhu. This profile of Hugus Wesleyan Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.
Methodist church with integral manse and wall surrounding adjoining courtyard. 1830 and refitted late C19C. Painted killas rubble with slate sills, some granite lintels and some shallow brick arches. Hipped scantle slate roof partly replaced by corrugated asbestos. Brick chimney over external breast to rear wall of manse. Plan: chapel at right (west) end and later manse over a schoolroom at left (west) end. The chapel has an entrance in the right (east) end wall under a west gallery. There is also a gallery at the opposite (west) end of the chapel. Manse entrance to first floor rear left is approached by a rubble sided ramp from left (west) end. Regular south front: manse over schoolroom, left, with ground and first floor 12-pane horned sashes; and 2-window chapel right, with circa early C20 wooden windows with simple tracery within round-headed openings. Entrance to middle of right-hand (east) end with brick porch with corner acroteria and Gothic style window with horned sashes. Entrance to far left with C20 ledged door. Interior has circa late C19 pine fittings but part of east gallery is original, supported on 2 wooden Doric columns. West gallery is later extension of rostrum area into first floor of manse. Rostrum has canted pulpit and flanking flights of stair with splat balusters and turned newel posts. Round cast iron stove is fitted to north side. Original roof structure. Boundary wall is of heavily mortared killas rubble with gateway to middle of west wall with rounded-headed dressed granite square-on-plan piers. Wooden gate with chamfered stiles, rails and cross bracing with pointed dowelling bars, double-spaced to lower half. Source: NONCONFORMIST CHAPELS, by Christopher Stell. A typically simple and good example of a Methodist chapel with a slightly later manse. (Historic England)
Wayside chapel, probably Wesleyan, opened in 1830 re-fitted late C19, now converted to a house. Good vernacular example with colour-washed rubble walls, round-arched windows. Interesting vestry extension at ritual west end. Listed in Stell (b1). (Heritage Gateway)
Hugus Wesleyan Chapel (Photo: Jo Lewis 2021)
Built as a Wesleyan chapel. (SWChurches)
1830: Hugus Wesleyan Chapel opened. (Heritage Gateway)
Seating for 161. (David Easton)
1886: “Mr. Daddow, of St. Agnes, who has for some time past been working as a missioner in various parts of the county, has been holding a three weeks revival at Hugus chapel, Chacewater. The services, which were brought to a conclusion last Friday, are said to have resulted in great spiritual good.” (Royal Cornwall Gazette – Friday 24 December 1886)
Late 1800s: Hugus Wesleyan Chapel re-fitted. (Heritage Gateway)
1906: “Miss Smith has been conducting successful revival services at Hugus Wesleyan Chapel, near Chacewater. Her brother lives near Greenbottom.” (Royal Cornwall Gazette – Thursday 03 May 1906)
1932: The Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist and the United Methodist Church amalgamated to become the Methodist Church of Great Britain.
1932: Became Hugus Methodist Church. (SWChurches)
Part of Truro Methodist Circuit. (SWChurches)
Closed. (SWChurches)
1990: Closed. (David Easton)
Congregation joined Threemilestone Methodist Chapel. (David Easton)
Converted to dwelling. (David Easton / Heritage Gateway)