Mapping Methodism – Ladock Wesleyan Chapel

Ladock is a village about six miles north-east of Truro. This profile of Ladock Wesleyan Chapel was compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.

 

Wesleyan chapel, now converted to house. Extended late C19 with small brick wing and dressed stone forecourt walls. Original chapel is stone rubble with a stuccoed front gable; dry slate roof with crested clay ridge tiles and a “witch’s cap” ventilator. Round-arched openings. 2-window front has simple fanlight heads to windows and similar fanlight over pair of panelled doors. Rounded plan forecourt walls surmounted by wrought-iron railings with spear-head finials and scrolled detail under top rail. Listed in Stell (b1). (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway)

(Photo: Jo Lewis)

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

(Photo: Barry West)

1816: Build date. (Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway / Plaque)

(Photo: Barry West)

Built as a Wesleyan chapel. (SWChurches)

Circa 1875: Date stated but probably refers to registration or re-registration. (SWChurches / Kresen Kernow)

1879: PARISH OF LADOCK. Important and valuable Freehold Estate, Flour Mills, Dwelling-houses, and Meadow and Pasture Land, for MR. W. J. JOHNS will SELL by AUCTION, on Tuesday, the 20th day of May next, at Three o’clock in the Afternoon, at the Red Lion Hotel, Truro (subject to such conditions may be then produced, and in the following or such other lots as may be determined on at the time of sale), the undermentioned desirable FREEHOLD FARM, FLOUR MILLS, DWELLING-HOUSES, ORCHARDS, MEADOW AND OTHER LAND, situate in and near the village of Ladock, being the lands of Robert Tweedy…Lot 13. All that Building known as the WESLEYAN CHAPEL, situate in the village of Ladock aforesaid, subject to a lease for 999 years, held by the trustees of the Wesleyan Society at Ladock, under the annual rent of 2s. 6d…” (West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser – Thursday 15 May 1879)

1879: Appears on map. (https://maps.nls.uk/view/101438891)

1880: Appears on map. (old.maps.co.uk)

1880: Ladock Wesleyan Sunday School Tea Treat

1880: Register of removals, Ladock Wesleyan Chapel. (Kresen Kernow MRT/915)

1883: WESLEYANISM AT LADOCK. The Wesleyans of Ladock on Tuesday inaugurated an undertaking which for a long time has been under consideration. The little chapel in which they have been accustomed to worship has become altogether unsuitable to the purpose, and there is a pressing need for its reconstruction. The old high pews are now to be abolished and more convenient sitting accommodation is to be provided. Besides this a portion of the fabric is to be rebuilt, some of the old material to be incorporated in a new Sunday-school building, the foundation stones of which were laid on Tuesday. The school will be erected near the site of the existing chapel. At the ceremony on Tuesday there was a large attendance of members of the society both from Ladock and the adjacent parishes. The first stone was laid by Mr. W. H. P. Martin, Mayor of Truro. Although, he said, it might seem a small undertaking to lay the foundation-stone of that Sunday-school, yet it was fraught with important consequences for the future, in the training of their youth and those committed to their care, and certainly in religious training the Sunday-school occupied a very high and prominent position. They had on every side the means of secular education, and it behoved all the varied branches of the Christian Church to give the closest attention to the spiritual interests of the young, to see that the proper means were provided for religious instruction, and that the agencies for promoting this were maintained in a state of efficiency. For a long time the desirability of a Sunday-school had been felt at Ladock; they were glad now that such a school was about to be built, and hoped and believed their efforts would be crowned with abundant success. The Rev. A. Freeman, superintendent of the Truro Wesleyan Circuit, also made a few remarks Having pointed out that the old chapel was not equal to modern requirements, he said they proposed to put on a new roof, to refurnish the interior, and remove the old schools, so that substantially they would have a new chapel. While the alterations were being effected the Sunday-school would be ready, so that there would be no fear of the congregation not having a place in which to worship God About £250 would have to be spent on the chapel, besides which money was wanted for the school, and he hoped it would be forthcoming…” (Royal Cornwall Gazette – Friday 04 May 1883)

1883: Major re-building as referred to in the above newspaper report.

1915: Ladock Wesleyan Church. Opening of the New Vestry and Organ. There was a large gathering of members and friends at Ladock Wesleyan Church on Friday, when a new vestry, erected at a cost of £75, was opened Lady Smith, of Treliske, and a new pipe organ, costing £150 was opened by Mr. J. Herbert Williams, Mus. Bac., of Truro…” (West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser – Monday 11 January 1915)

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

1932: Became Ladock Methodist Church. (SWChurches)

1940: Seating for 140: (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)

1899-1951: Trust minutes, Ladock Wesleyan Chapel. (Kresen Kernow MRT/164)

1910-1960: Minutes, Wesley Guild, Ladock Wesleyan Chapel. (Kresen Kernow MRT/118)

1966: Book – A short history of Ladock Methodist Chapel by R G House published by Ladock Methodist Church.

1959-1972: Minutes, Leaders’ meetings, Ladock Methodist Church. (Kresen Kernow MRT/420)

1952-1976: Trust minutes, Ladock Methodist Church. (Kresen Kernow MRT/174)

1990s: Specification, pipe organ, Ladock Methodist Church. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1065)

1996: Closed in 1996. (SWChurches / David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)

Circa 1996: Photographs, interior of Ladock Methodist Church. Photographs of pews and pulpit. Includes negatives. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1066)

1996: Correspondence, removal of pews, Ladock Methodist Church. Letter from Reverend Tony Broad, Truro to Chilton Architectural Antiques, Chorley, Lancashire, concerning removal of chapel pews, … Also reply from Barry Chilton, 24 May 1996, and location map of chapel. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1069)

Circa 1996: Note, pews and members, Ladock Methodist Church

Note concerning removal of pews and three members who had not transferred membership. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1067)

Feb-Apr 1996: Correspondence, transfer of war memorial, Ladock Methodist Church. Letter from Reverend Tony Broad, Truro to the Reverend David Dixon, Ladock Team Ministry, concerning transfer of war memorial from Ladock Methodist Church to Ladock Parish Church, 14 February 1996. Also Reverend Dixon’s reply, 23 April 1996. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1068)

1977-1996: Minutes, Ladock Methodist Church. (Kresen Kernow MRT/1061)

Converted to dwelling. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian / Cornwall Council Heritage Gateway)

Sale information: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-27132034.html. This link may be removed by Rightmove at some point.