This profile of Wesleyan Methodism in Polperro has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.
1768: John Wesley disliked the smell in the meeting house.
By 1792 it was possible to build a large chapel accommodating 250 people and Methodism flourished in Polperro during the 1800s. (De Burlet Portrait of Polperro; pp. 16–17) Possible the building bottom right on the map.
“An 1800 letter can be found, from a John Eastlake to Mrs Geake about obtaining a licence for a house in Polperro. Attached is a photocopy of a licence dated 26 March 1800 granting the use of a building in Polperro in the parish of Talland for public worship”. We do not know to which property this relates.
A licence dated 26 March 1800 grants the use of a building in Polperro in the parish of Talland for public worship and there are records from 1816.
1814: Jonathan Couch leads the local Methodists out of Talland Parish Church, i.e. out of Anglicanism, in protest at the anti-Methodist sentiments from the pulpit. This was almost certainly a consequence of The Great Revival which commenced in Redruth in February 1814, and whose influence appears to have spread as far east as Polperro. Many Anglicans denounced the revival, N. Kemdall, vicar of Talland, being only one.
The Refuge / Old Market House / Wesley House
Located on The Big Green.
John Wesley stayed at this property in 1760.
It is recorded that he preached in the village in 1762 and 1768.
1835: Became a meeting room for members of the Wesleyan Methodist church (see slate sign above) and was known as The Refuge. (It may have been the early meeting place for Jonathan Couch and his ‘splitters’ as they caused a schism in the Methodist congregation by moving to the Wesleyan Methodist Association in 1837).
Re-named Wesley House and became a holiday cottage.
1815-1818 Chapel in Fore Street
The original chapel is just in shot – to the right.
Small chapel built in the middle of the town – at the bottom of Fore Street on the right.
Original early C19 chapel is now the Sunday school. Original building has rubble walls and a rag slate roof. Original chapel has round-arched openings with original windows with Y-traceried heads. Good example where the original chapel has become the schoolroom but retains its architectural identity. (Heritage Gateway)
An original early C19 (1 January 1801 – 31 December 1900) chapel which was the first Wesleyan chapel in the village and is likely built after 1815-1818.
1814: Jonathan Couch, a staunch Methodist is said to have led the Polperro Wesleyans out of Anglicanism and oversaw the construction of a Wesleyan chapel.
21st July 1815: Kresen Kernow records the assignment of lease for a Methodist meeting house, Talland. Parties: Zebedee Minards of Polperro, fish curer, and Jonathan Couch of Polperro, surgeon Edward Hocken of Lansallos, yeoman.
The baptismal register for Polperro Wesleyan Chapel opens on March 15th 1818, when Mary Paul of Water Gate was baptised by William Jewel.
The first Couch to appear on the register was Jonathan (son of Jonathan) on November 28th 1821. (Jonathan’s previous son, Richard was christened in the Anglican Church in 1816.)
In 1837, Jonathan Couch caused a schism in the village when he led some of the Society to the Wesleyan Methodist Association.
1800s: Chapel enlarged twice.
1835: From the slate sign above it will be seen that 40 members seceded from the Society and met in the Old Market House.
1816 – 1855: Polperro Wesleyan Chapel record book
1816 – 1837: Records of Polperro Methodist Church. Typescript copy of minutes of meetings, list of pupils at Sunday School, list of preachers, accounts and correspondence.
1896 Hints to Trustees of Church Property and Caretaker’s Manual’ by J Wills. Belonged to Polperro Wesleyan Chapel.
1904: Became the Sunday school when a new chapel built.
1962-1968: Improvements to Sunday school building. (Kresen Kernow)
1993: A flood severely damaged the building. (Kresen Kernow)
Building replaced it with a small room with kitchen and toilets.
1904 – Polperro Wesleyan Chapel in Fore Street
(Photo: Tony Mansell)
Present chapel is late C19 with stuccoed walls and dry slate roof with pierced and crested ridge tiles. Gothic style to present chapel. Present chapel has 3-bay buttressed front with large 4-light Perpendicular style traceried window to central bay; original planked doors; flanking lancets. (Heritage Gateway)
Records of the building and chapel fund exist from 1901 for the new build.
1904: Build date at the bottom of Fore Street on the right.
1904: The opening services the new Wesleyan Chapel, Polperro, were continued on Sunday. (Cornish & Devon Post – Saturday 22 October 1904)
1932: The Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist and the United Methodist Church amalgamated to become the Methodist Church of Great Britain.
1932: Became Polperro Methodist Church and remains open (2023).
1993: Chapel refurbished: the pews were replaced with chairs, a heating system installed and carpets laid.
(Photo: Tony Mansell)
1998: Chapel rededicated.