Mapping Methodism – St Ewe Wesleyan Chapel

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St. Ewe is a small village in the parish of the same name, approximately five miles South West of St. Austell. This profile of St. Ewe Wesleyan Chapel has been complied by Mark Mitchley.

 

Denomination:                                    Wesleyan Methodist

Location:                                             Tucoyse crossroads, St. Ewe

Opened:                                              c.1818

Closed:                                                1892

Sunday School:                                    No

Sunday School building:                      No

Current status:                                    Converted to agricultural storage shed called ‘The Old Chapel’.

 

Few records about this chapel survive. The chapel is sometimes known as Coose or Tucoyse but much more often as St. Ewe Wesleyan. A baptismal register survives for 1840-1845 at Kresen Kernow (MRA/299) containing five entries, including two children of the then steward, Joseph Body.

1818 Founding

This is the most likely date for the chapel starting.

 

1825 Wesleyan Circuit Plan

Shown on the plan with services at 2.30pm and 6pm.

 

1826, Local Wesleyan Preachers’ quarterly meeting minutes

The volume at Kresen Kernow (MRA/56) records that at the 10th October meeting, Brother Trethewie was censured for forgetting to attend his appointment at St. Ewe. Brother Row was accused of neglecting St. Ewe because he thought ‘… his preaching to them would have been a burden’. It is recorded that Brother Row ‘… now sees his error…’.

 

1842 Tithe map

Shown as Cox Meadow, plot 2530 and owned by the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe and leased by Henry Dungey. Described as a meeting place occupied by Methodists.

 

1851, Religious census 1

The first census return was completed by Joseph Body (of Tucoyse), the chapel steward, and he enumerates it as Coose Wesleyan Chapel, St. Ewe. He states about 1818 for the founding and estimates room for 30 free sittings and 60 other available at the chapel with services in the afternoon and evening attended by 40 in the afternoon and 60 in the evening.

 

1851, Religious census 2

The second census return was completed by the St. Ewe Parish Churchwarden and he also enumerated it as Coose Wesleyan Chapel, St. Ewe. He states ‘about 1815’ for the founding and estimates room for 150 to 200 worshippers available at the chapel with services in the afternoon and evening attended by 60 people each.

 

1891 Closure

The St. Austell Wesleyan Circuit book for 1883-1909 at Kresen Kernow (MRA/70) shows St. Ewe as a functioning chapel until 1891-1892 where entries are shown with no services taking place or funds being raised. There is also a list of trustees and a record that the land on which the chapel is built was leased for three lives but there are no dates which may be the reason for closure.

 

28th January 1892, Royal Cornwall Gazette

Mr. E. Searle presented a collection of 6s 6d to the Royal County Infirmary on behalf of the chapel. This represents any monies collected after 1st June 1891 (suggesting the chapel closed in the last half of 1891) and is the first and last mention of the chapel in the newspapers.

 

 

 

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