Sunny Corner is in the Gwennap mining area. This profile of Sunny Corner Wesleyan Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.
Sunny Corner Chapel (Photo: courtesy David Thomas)
Built as a Wesleyan chapel. (SWChurches)
The chapel was part of Gwennap Wesleyan Circuit. (SWChurches)
1892: The tenancy of the chapel was surrendered. (SWChurches)
Early 20th century: Photograph of Sunny Corner Chapel, demolished early 20th century, with photograph of present remains. Not dated. (Kresen Kernow X667/13-14)
1892-1909: Correspondence, closure of Sunny Corner Wesleyan Chapel, Gwennap. Letter from superintendent minister of Gwennap Wesleyan Circuit to Lord Clinton’s agent, Charles Benett in Devonport, informing him that the circuit is surrendering the tenancy of Sunny Corner Chapel, from immediate effect, 15 July 1892; letter of acknowledgment from Mr Benett, 19 July 1892. Also letter of 20 October 1909, from Wesleyan Chapel Committee, Manchester to The Reverend Broad, Carharrack, informing him that the tenancy was surrendered in 1892. (Kresen Kernow MRR/3192)
1906: Concert held in Sunny Corner Wesleyan Chapel, (Royal Cornwall Gazette – Thursday 22 March 1906)
1906: Harvest Festival in Sunny Corner Wesleyan Chapel. (Royal Cornwall Gazette – Thursday 13 September 1906)
The chapel has been demolished. (Cornwall Council Gateway Heritage)
“In one of Ralph Dunstan’s books he refers to ‘the old days’ when the children marched to the residence of the local squire, ‘tea-drinking’ cup in hand, headed by a band of players from their chapel ‘or some other band’. He says that the music would have been played slowly so that the children and old people could keep up. He also suggests that ‘Sunny Corner March’, ‘Frogpool March’ and ‘Point March’ were some of the most popular tunes played at school treats in the west-central mining district.” (From the Cornish National Music Archive Tea Treat Project) It is clear that these pieces of music relate to place names and likely that they had a connection with chapels. If that is the case then the “Sunny Corner March” could well connect with this chapel.
Location of former chapel (Photo: Jo Lewis)
My grandmother, Ethel Morcom (nee Rapson) told me that a forebear, who I take to be my gt. gt. grandfather, Mark, built the chapel. He lived at Sunny Corner until about 1845, when he moved to Liskeard. His wife, Sarah Gregor, came from Carharrack. The family remained Methodists.
Theres a big barn on our farm in Gwennap that was built using the stone from the Sunny corner Chapel.