Mapping Methodism – Breage (Troon) Wesleyan Chapel

Breage is a village three miles (5 km) west of Helston. This profile of Breage (Troon) Wesleyan Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.

 

John Wesley, the great Methodist preacher, visited Breage in 1750 and many converted to Methodism. Chapels were built in the village, today only one remains open.

John Wesley preached at Breage five times between 1750 and 1765. He wrote in his journal on September 5th 1755, ‘I had given no notice of preaching here, but, seeing the poor people flock from every side, I could not send them empty away. So I preached a small distance from the house, and besought them to consider our ‘great High Priest’, who is passed through into the heavens.’ And none opened his mouth, for the lions of Breage too are now changed into lambs. That they were so fierce ten years ago is no wonder, since their wretched minister told them from the pulpit (seven years before I resigned my fellowship) that ‘John Wesley was expelled the College for a base child, and had been quite amazed ever since; that all the Methodists, at their private societies, put out the lights etc,’ with abundance more of the same kind. But a year or two since it was observed he grew thoughtful and melancholy, and, about nine months ago, he went into his own necessary house – and hanged himself.’ (http://ukwells.org/wells/breage)

William Carvosso (see this website) wrote in his journal in April 1817, ‘On my way back, I called for the first time on Mr Glasson Sr at Breage. Here I saw the power of God displayed in convincing and converting many sinners. Several backsliders were restored, and four laid hold on the blessing of perfect love.’ It is probable that Breage would have been touched by the revival in 1823 in the Helston circuit. (http://ukwells.org/wells/breage)

Non-Conformist. There were chapels in Breage belonging to the Wesleyan Methodists, Bible Christians, and the Methodist New Connexion. (https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/CON/Breage)

Breaney Methodist chapel is on Trewithick road in Breage, past the school.

There is an Ordnance Survey Benchmark on a corner of the chapel.

The chapel is listed as having architectural merit and must be painted white as it is a marker for fishermen in the bay. (Wikipedia)

Wayside Wesleyan chapel. Interior remodelled and other alterations late C20. Painted rubble walls under a hipped roof. Original windows (fixed lights and sashes), intersecting glazing bars to first floor, panelled doors to front end; low forecourt walls with dressed granite monolith gate-piers. Interior has (at date of listing) horse-shoe gallery with box pews and marbled columns. Floor inserted late C20. Good simple example. Illustrated in Stell (b1). (Cornwall Council Heritage gateway)

Detached Sunday school (now converted to house) near Wesleyan chapel. Late C19, Granite rubble with granite dressings; dressed granite brought to course at the front; grouted scantle slate roof. Simple Gothic style with pointed-arched windows at the front; central porch with embattled parapet. Granite rubble perimeter walls with low dressed granite wall surmounted by hooped railings and with granite monolith gate-piers in front of building. (Cornwall Council Heritage gateway)

Methodist chapel. Circa 1833. Painted rubble with dressed granite quoins, sills, jambstones and lintels; painted round-headed brick arches to 1st floor openings. Hipped asbestos slate roof. Rectangular aiseless plan with organ chamber in later projection at the middle of rear. Gallery on 4 sides. Stable adjoining the rear right-hand side. Two storey elevations. The south-east (ritual west) front has central flat headed doorway with original pair of flush-beaded 6-panel doors. The 2 first floor (gallery) windows are round-head fixed lights with intersecting glazing bars to the window heads. Each side wall has 2 ground floor flat-headed windows and 2 round- headed 1st floor windows, 16-pane sashes to the ground floor and sashes with interesting glazing bars to the 1st floors. Some of the windows are original with crown glass, others are copies. Interior has its complete original gallery fitted with box pews. The gallery is carried on wooden Tuscan columns, originally marbled, (Christopher Stell) and the front of the gallery is panelled, the panelling ramped up from the ritual east end. The flat plaster ceiling has a fine central concentric circle rose with central pendant. Fluted Corinthian pilasters flanking the organ chamber are probably late Cl9 as, is the large bow fronted pulpit with blind arcading. At each side of the pulpit is a winder stair with turned newels and splat balusters. At the front of the chapel is a low granite ashlar wall with 3 entrances, each entrance with round-headed granite monolith gate piers. The original iron railings are replaced with pierced concrete blocks. This is an exceptionally fine chapel with a complete gallery, the whole building little altered since the C19. Source: C Stell, draft of RCHM inventory of Non-Conformist Chapels. (Historic England)

Listing NGR: SW6157728111

1829: Built for and by the Miners of Breage. (Wikipedia)

Built as a Wesleyan chapel. (SWChurches)

1833: Build date. (Cornwall Council Heritage gateway)

1879: “Bazaar. The Breage Wesleyan Chapel being much out of repair, a bazaar was held to raise funds. The large sum of £42 was raised, which is considered most satisfactory when the depressed state of the district is considered.” (West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser – Thursday 26 June 1879)

1879: “BREAGE. The Wesleyan Chapel is undergoing thorough repairs, and, when completed, the edifice will be one of the best in the newly-formed Porthleven circuit…” (Cornishman – Thursday 14 August 1879)

1890: New organ costing £160. (Cornishman – Thursday 02 October 1890)

1903: “Breage Wesleyan Sunday School annual tea took place on Wednesday. The procession from the school was led by the Redruth Hungarian Band, and perambulated the village, returning to a field near the chapel, where tea was provided. …” (9 July 1903 – West Briton and Cornwall Advertiser)

1908: Breage Wesleyans have closed their chapel for renovation and are holding their services in the schoolroom. (Cornishman – Thursday 06 August 1908)

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

1932: Became Breage (Troon) Methodist Church. (SWChurches)

1940: Seating for 298. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)

1948: Breage Chapel organ re-opened. (Cornishman – Thursday 23 December 1948)

1894-1956Trust minutes, Breage Methodist Church. (Kresen Kernow MRPL/15)

9^th October 1982: Re-opening of Breage Methodist Chapel: http://cornishmemory.com/item/YOCN_4_556

1982: Reopened. (picture in Cornish Memory)

1980, before the gallery was filled in. (Photo: Denys Bryant, who grew up in the village and whose family was  associated with the chapel for many generations. courtesy Sonia French of Camborne – his daughter)

1990: Breage Sunday school sold to fund chapel renovation.

Former Breage Sunday school (Photo: Paul Phillips 2022)

Former Breage Sunday school (Photo: Paul Phillips 2022)

1991: Closed. (David Easton, Methodist Minister and historian)

1992: Became Breaney Methodist chapel. (Wikipedia)

Officially called Troon Methodist chapel until 1992 when the name changed to Breaney. Breaney was the name chosen by the uniting congregations of Breage and Sithney obviously taking half of each name. (Wikipedia)

1992: Renovated with a new first floor worship area, new seating, new carpets, new paint, a new organ and more whilst key features such as the gallery pews and plaster columns were retained. (Wikipedia)

1992: The very old, mainly wood pipe organ in the organ loft but in was removed and replaced by an electronic organ.

2021: Chapel is still active.

Breage Methodist Chapel (Photo: Paul Phillips 2022)

Breage Methodist Chapel (Photo: Paul Phillips 2022)

Various documents held at Kresen Kernow: https://kresenkernow.org/SOAP/search/RelatedNameCode.keyword/CRO%7CUK%7C741/