Carnyorth is a hamlet in west Cornwall approximately one mile south of Pendeen and six miles northwest of Penzance. Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell have compiled this profile of Carnyorth UMFC.
A Free Methodist chapel, plus attached Sunday school, later a Wesleyan Reform Union, now disused. A Free Methodist chapel, plus attached Sunday school, later a Wesleyan Reform Union, now disused. Granite with granite dressings under a granite coped scantle slate roof with crested clay ridge tiles. It is a tall chapel with pointed-arched windows and doorway. The front end has symmetrical 2-window. It probable has a gallery, although the interior was not inspected. (Heritage Gateway)
1857: The Wesleyan Methodist Association and the Wesleyan Reform Church amalgamated to become the United Methodist Free Churches. Despite it being built after 1857, it is sometimes referred to as Carnyorth Wesleyan Reform Union Chapel.
1886: Build date. (Methodism in West Penwith – A Heritage at Risk)
1887: Referred to as Carnyorth Free-Church Chapel. (Royal Cornwall Gazette – Friday 25 March 1887)
1898: Referred to as U.M.F.C. chapel, Carnyorth. (Cornishman – Thursday 28 July 1898)
1901: Referred to as Carnyorth Free-Church Chapel. (Cornishman – Thursday 26 September 1901)
1907: The Methodist New Connexion, Bible Christians and United Methodist Free Churches amalgamated to become the United Methodist Church.
1908: Appears on maps.
The chapel is on the east side of the B3306 as you go through the village with the old school rooms behind.
1919: Carnyorth Free Methodist Church: “The United Methodist School met in a field kindly lent by Mr. White, and paraded the district, headed by the St Just Old Town Band. The Free Methodist Church School met in Mr. Olds’ field, and joined in the procession, headed by the Trewellard Brass Band. Returning to the field, the children were supplied with buns and tea…” (11 June 1919 – Cornishman)
1924: Referred to as Carnyorth Free Methodist Church. (Cornishman – Wednesday 10 December 1924)
1932: The Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist and the United Methodist Church amalgamated to become the Methodist Church of Great Britain. Despite that, Carnyorth seemed unwilling to change its name or, indeed, to settle on one name. Perhaps a case of CIWYW (Call it what you will).
1939: Referred to as Carnyorth Free Church Chapel.(Cornishman – Thursday 13 April 1939)
1940: Referred to as Carnyorth Free Methodist Church. (Cornishman – Thursday 19 December 1940)
1944: “The Summer Festival of the Carnyorth Free Methodist Church Sunday School was held on Whit-Monday. The Pendeen Band, under Bandmaster J Marks, was in attendance, and the children had a happy time with tea and buns in the field…” (1 June 1944 – Cornishman)
1886-1957: Register of baptisms, Carnyorth Wesleyan Reform Union Chapel, St Just in Penwith. (Kresen Kernow X1370/4)
1959-1996: Register of baptisms, Carnyorth Wesleyan Reform Union Chapel, St Just in Penwith. (Kresen Kernow X1370/5)
1940s: Seating for 150. (Methodism in West Penwith – A Heritage at Risk)
1986: Chapel centenary. (Methodism in West Penwith – A Heritage at Risk)
Late 1980s: Closure date. (http://www.thecentrenewlyn.org/methodism-in-west-penwith-a-heritage-at-risk-draft/) Although it seems that baptisms continued until 1996.
1997: Planning was initially approved for conversion although it took a few more years for this to happen.
Both the chapel and school rooms are converted and are now holiday accommodation