St Just, known as St Just in Penwith, is the most westerly town in mainland Britain and is situated approximately 8 miles (13 km) west of Penzance. This profile of St Just Wesleyan Reform Union Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.
On Bosorne Terrace is St Just Free Church, the sole surviving Wesleyan Reform Union chapel in Cornwall. Its origins lie with the Wesleyan Reformers of the 1850s but drew strength from various local separations from the Wesleyans. (A Dictionary of Methodism)
St. Just Free Church is the sole surviving Wesleyan Reform Union chapel in Cornwall. Its origins lie with the Wesleyan Reformers of the 1850s. It is affiliated to the Wesleyan Reform Union of Churches (WRU). The Free Church here in St. Just is the sole representative of this denomination in the west of England, the next nearest being at High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire. (St Just Free Church)
A Wesleyan Reform Union chapel with auditorium over a schoolroom basement (the last remaining example of this independent offshoot of Methodism to survive in use and one of very few in Cornwall not run by the Methodist Church). It is a good complete example, built of painted granite rubble with granite dressings and with original sash windows throughout. The interior has good ceiling rose, horse-shoe gallery plus choir and organ gallery and original box pews in the gallery plus original veneered bow-fronted pulpit built into the rostrum. Good forecourt walls and iron railings. (Cornwall Heritage Gateway)
1859: A parcel of land was acquired on what was then the edge of St. Just for the express purpose of constructing a permanent building to replace what had become known as the “Tent Church”, later to become the Free Church. (St Just Free Church)
St Just Wesleyan Reform Union Chapel (Photo: Jo Lewis)
1860: Build date.
Built as a “Free Church”.
This building later acquired another epithet of the “Pump Church” when a hand operated water pump was installed in the northeast corner of the site. (St Just Free Church)
Maps show it as a Congregational Church
1888: “ST. JUST. Chapel Reopening. On Sunday sermons were preached in connection with the reopening services of the Free Church…” (Royal Cornwall Gazette – Thursday 01 November 1888)