Mapping Methodism – Rosewarne Road Bible Christian Chapel, Camborne

Camborne is a town in Cornwall. This profile of Rosewarne Road Bible Christian Chapel, Camborne, has been compiled by David Thomas.

 

The Bible Christian denomination was founded in North Cornwall in 1815 and 14 years later in 1829 the first local Bible Christian chapel was built in Rosewarne Road in Camborne. This building was later renovated in 1871. It was never fully completed and at its northern side in distant photographs of around 1900 can be seen a temporary wooden cap on its stumpy tower, rather like a pyramid, which was later removed.

A new organ was installed in the chapel in 1872 after the enlargement and refurbishment of the building during the previous year. It was built by Hele & Co of Plymouth, and was a two-manual and pedal organ with twelve speaking stops. This must have been one of the first organs that Hele built after his bankruptcy in 1871 and subsequent relocation from Truro to Plymouth. An account of the opening and technical detail of the organ appeared in the Royal Cornwall Gazette on September 28th, 1872. (Jeffrey Williams)

c1975 Hele organ of 1872 from Camborne Bible Christian in Trelowarren MC where it was moved to in 1909 (Photo: courtesy of Fr John Gilbert) (Jeffrey Williams)

In this view from the autumn of 1906 we see the decorations for one of the last chapel Harvest Festivals. The minister, Revd F J Highley Coles and his wife stand in the rostrum. There is a profusion of fruit and veg while corn dollies hang from the underside of the gallery. This is the only image I have ever seen in nearly 50 years collecting of this building when in use, taken by E A Bragg the Illogan photographer.

The building went out of use in around 1909, following Bible Christian Union with the United Methodist Free Church in 1907 and this event in Camborne was the catalyst for the construction of the Trelowarren Street United Methodist Church opened in 1909. There is a tantalising glimpse of the bottom of the organ case between the choir pews.

When the Rosewarne Road Chapel closed in 1909, I’m certain that the organ was taken across the road to Trelowarren Street and put into the newly-built United Methodist Free Church. The National Pipe Organ Register has an entry for the Trelowarren Street organ (N02379) and attributes the builder as Fleetwood of Camborne. However, Fleetwood had by then died, and what convinces me even more that the organ was Hele’s is that the tonal specification on the NPOR is identical to that in the press report of 1872, and it suggests tonal design that was earlier than 1909. Furthermore, the report mentions a facade of twenty-three metal, speaking pipes, and a photograph of the organ in ‘New Chapel’ (as we locals know it) has come into my possession and shows a facade of 23 metal, speaking pipes.  The photo attached, which comes courtesy of Fr John Gilbert, has the organ behind the SWEB male-voice choir at a concert given there c1975. What I haven’t yet  discovered is the fate of the organ when the chapel closed. I did go into Costa last year to ask if the organ is still in situ above the false ceiling and was told that there is nothing remaining up there. I wonder…! (Jeffrey Williams)

After it ceased to be a chapel the building had various uses, including Luke Anthony engineering and more recently as Camborne market. Today this structure, which once resounded to the Lord’s praises in true Bible Christian evangelical style, has reverted to residential accommodation.