24 April 2021

Mapping Methodism – Goon Piper (Feock) Wesleyan Chapel

Goon Piper is a hamlet in the parish of Feock. This profile of Goon Piper (Feock) Wesleyan Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.

A Victorian Wesleyan Methodist chapel of rubble masonry construction under a slate roof, designed by Silvanus Trevail and built in 1818 (earlier chapel). The SW elevation is rendered and has stone quoins. There is a small porch on the SW elevation which has a Gothic arched window to the front and a Gothic arch doorway to the side which is the main entranceway. There are two Gothic arched stained-glass windows on the main SW elevation and the SE elevation also contains Gothic arched windows. All the windows are original. There is a small date plaque high up on the SW elevation. (CRO AD 396/92) The 1866 building had a very high and heavy roof that was damaging the walls so Trevail was responsible for extensive re-building in 1880. The walls were lowered, the gallery removed and the roof replaced. Still in use. (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway)

Situated on the main road to Feock.

Genuki lists a Penelewey Wesleyan Methodist built in 1866 but doesn’t list the Goonpiper Chapel (Feock), built 1866, so they are likely the same.

By 1780: Methodists were meeting in Feock. (SWChurches)

1807: Registered meeting house at Sandoe’s on the road to King Harry Passage. (SWChurches)

1807: Licence for a Methodist Meeting House granted also to a property in Feock, thought to be on the Sandoe’s Gate site. It is not thought that this was a purpose-built Chapel, but more probably the home of one of the prominent members of the Methodist Congregation. (Feock Trails – History Information)

1819: Replacement chapel built and registered at Goonpiper. (SWChurches)

1819: The first mention of a site at Goonpiper comes in the granting of a Licence in 1819. (Feock Trails – History Information)

Seating for around 180 people. (Feock Trails – History Information)

The building cost £154 – £44 had been raised by subscription, the rest was borrowed. (Feock Trails – History Information)

1845 Tithe Map shows a building on a site at “Gunpiper”, which is clearly the site of the present Chapel. (Feock Trails – History Information)

1860’s: Larger building needed. (Feock Trails – History Information)

Seating for 250 and the building included an upper gallery. (Feock Trails – History Information)

1866: New chapel built on the same site as the 1819 chapel. (SWChurches)

1866: Build date. (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway)

1873: “METHODIST NEW CONNECTION: On Good Friday a new Harmonium was opened at Gunpiper Chapel, Feock, In the afternoon, Mr. Magor junior of Truro preached and at a public tea, Mr. H.B. Champion of Feock presided.” (Royal Cornwall Gazette 19th April 1873)

Late 19th century: Plan, reconstruction of roof, Feock Wesleyan Chapel. Signed Trevail, scale 1 foot to quarter inch, size: 47 x 37.5 cm, pen and ink, colour wash on good tracing paper. (Kresen Kernow AD396/92)

1880: Extensively rebuilt. (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway)

1881: The walls were found to be too weak to take the weight of the roof, the roof was lowered and the gallery removed. The Sunday School under the Chapel remained and the building took on the appearance we see to this day. (Feock Trails – History Information)

1921: Freehold purchased from the Trelissick Estate. (SWChurches)

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

1932: Became Feock Methodist Church. (SWChurches)

1937: Renovated and electricity installed.

1950: New pipe organ.

1951: New toilets.

1962: The old stable converted into a kitchen.

1965: School yard made into a car park.

Subsequent work: Oil-fired heating, replacement of pews with those from Chilli Road Chapel, Illogan, redesign of the entrance lobby and complete redecoration of the interior of the chapel, the placing of a new communion rail and cross in the chapel and the installation of an amplification and recording system.

1996: New toilet block and enlarged kitchen.

Cornish Story article about Feock Methodist Church: http://cornishstory.com/2016/07/01/feock-chapel/

Feock Methodist Church website: http://www.feockmethodist.org.uk

Feock Methodist Chapel (Photo: Jo Lewis)