Mapping Methodism – Bethel (Twelveheads) Bible Christian Chapel

Twelveheads is a hamlet east of St Day in the parish of Chacewater between Truro and Redruth. The name comes from its mining history. Sets of stamps, machines for crushing ore, were once used on the dressing floors in the village. The stamps had a total of twelve ‘heads’. Billy Bray, the Methodist preacher, was born here. This profile of Bethel (Twelveheads) Bible Christian Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.

 

Bible Christian chapel and attached small house, possibly incorporating an earlier chapel that Billy Bray (the charismatic and eccentric Bible Christian minister) built with “his own hands”. Good example with 3-bay front end with original round-arched windows and spoked fanlight to doorway, scantle slate roof. Listed in Stell (b1). (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway)

Methodist chapel (now studio) attached derelict cottage to south and former school-house adjoining north east corner. 1842 and later. Stucco to entrance front of chapel, otherwise painted rubble walls and slate sills. Low-pitched grouted scantle slate roof with gable ends. Plan: Square aisless plan with entrance at liturgical ‘west’ end (north) and rostrum (removed) at liturgical ‘east’ end. Adjoining left of entrance front is former schoolroom, now single-storey house, but it has been suggested that this was the original chapel that Billy Bray built ‘with his own hands’. Adjoining at liturgical east end is later 2-storey manse/cottage, 1-room wide and 2-rooms deep. Schoolroom and cottage are single-storied but cottage is 2 storeys under same eaves line to right of liturgical south side of chapel. Chapel has symmetrical gable-ended north entrance front now partly obscured to left by schoolroom. Original features of central round-headed doorway with flanking tall round-headed windows and round recessed plaque to gable with Bethel Methodist Church 1842. Doorway has panelled reveals, pair of 2-panel doors and traceried fanlight. Sash windows have 30 panes plus tracery to tympana. Lower half of left-hand window is obscured by schoolhouse. East and west walls of chapel each have 2 similar regularly spaced sashes but with larger panes ie, 12 panes plus tracery. Mortared arches. Cast iron ogee gutters. West wall of chapel has 1-window front of cottage adjoining to right. Cottage has gable porch to entrance, left, and 4-pane sash to middle and over. Shallow brick arches. Schoolhouse has rendered 2-window west front with nearly central C20 door and flanking C20 windows probably in original C19 openings. Interior of chapel is simple with flat plaster walls and ceiling. Fittings removed. Original roof structure with 4 king post trusses. Ruin of building a few yards to north which it is said, Billy Bray helped to build. Listing NGR: SW7634842310 (English Heritage)

From Twelveheads, head north, following the road up the hill away from the village, turning right by an ivy clad stone. The Bethel Chapel can be found down here on the right.  It is reported to have been one of the three chapels built by Billy Bray who was born in Twelveheads. The former school room was likely the original chapel.

Billy Bray became so popular as a preacher that he was able to raise the money to build three chapels: ‘Bethel’ at Cross Lanes near Twelveheads, ‘Great Deliverance’ at Carharrack and ‘Three Eyes’ at Kerley Downs. Of these only Kerley Downs is said to be still standing.

1842: Bethel Bible Christian Chapel Built. (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway)

Seating for 120. (David Easton)

1907: The Methodist New Connexion, Bible Christians and United Methodist Free Churches amalgamated to become the United Methodist Church.

1907: Became Bethel United Methodist Church.

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

1932: Became Bethel Methodist Church.

1938: Annual tenancy agreement, Bethel Methodist Church, Twelveheads, Kea. Parties: Lord Falmouth to chapel trustees. Annual tenancy agreement for chapel. (Kresen Kernow MRT/675)

1962: Closed. (David Easton)

1956-1963: Correspondence, Bethel Methodist Church, Twelveheads, Kea. Minister’s correspondence. Covers purchase of freehold and sale of chapel. (Kresen Kernow MRT/676)

Circa 1963: Sold. (SWChurches)

Photographs held at Kresen Kernow X540/36-38 and AD2431/3/11.

Converted to Dwelling. (David Easton)

The chapel building is now a studio and the buildings together are Grade 2 listed. (Jo Lewis)

This view from the gate shows the chapel with the school room nearest, now a single-storey house, suggested to have been the original chapel built by Billy Bray built ‘with his own hands’. (Photo: Jo Lewis)

Information and photographs: https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC7706P_church-micro-10912-billy-brays-bethel-chapel?guid=1042a9f2-9517-4977-a91a-7eab3b1ab37b