Map: This profile of Porthleven Wesleyan Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.
1790 Wesleyan Chapel
Located in Loe Bar Road Methodist Chapel, Mounts Road at the westerly end of current houses on Mounts Road. The building still exists (The Old Chapel) with a date plaque (1790-1820)
Heritage Gateway: The tithe map of 1840, TA 2503 shows an old chapel of the Wesleyan Methodists to the east of Portleven (b1) which is mentioned in 1951 (b2). [The maps don’t exactly match but likely to be the same building] https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MCO10128&resourceID=1020
There is record that it must have been of singular appearance, as one of the gentlemen who lent money for its erection insisted on chimneys being added to the structure. He must have been of the opinion that Methodism was only a passing craze and when the Chapel was no longer required as such, it could be turned into a dwelling house. In this way he found security for his loan.
This Chapel soon became too small for the many followers of John Wesley’s beliefs and a second chapel was built (although there is a gap in the timeline between 1820 and the new chapel, built 1840).
Planning documents exist for various additions to the building.
1961: It appears to be part of two houses, next door to The Breakers (1, Mount Road).
(Photo: Jo Lewis)
Further reading:
https://porthlevenmuseum.wordpress.com/streets-houses/when-was-it-built/
https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~helstonhistory/history/methodisminporthlevenpage.htm
1840 Wesleyan Chapel
(Photo: Jo Lewis)
Located on Chapel Terrace, opposite Church Lane. The old chapel is on the north side between Chapel Terrace and The Gue but can also be seen from views overlooking the town.
Heritage Gateway: Wesleyan chapel with Sunday school extension at rear, later all becoming the Sunday school for 1883 Wesleyan chapel built nearby (PRN 143151), now disused but for sale at last inspection. Thin courses of granite ashlar to front; asbestos slate roofs replacing original scantle slate roofs. Simple classical style. Chapel probably galleried originally. Symmetrical 2-window pedimented front with central doorway; round-arched windows, elliptically-arched doorway; late C19 panelled doors and Y-traceried fanlight; similar detail to window heads. Interior not inspected.https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MCO37256&resourceID=1020
1840: Build date.
Indicated on early maps as a Wesleyan Chapel.
It had an attached schoolroom.
1883: When the larger chapel in Fore street was built, this became the methodist school room and Sunday school with room for 500 children.
2002: Permission for conversion to residential use and was beautifully converted.
2021: Returned to community use for the Porthleven Town Band and is used for rehearsals, small concerts, fundraisers and even as an alternative venue for rained-off events.
Further reading:
The building is Grade 2 listed: Non-conformist chapel. 1840 datestone to central niche of pediment. Thin courses of granite ashlar to front with dressed granite plinth, 1st-floor sill string, voussoirs and pediment frame, otherwise rubble with granite dressings and asbestos slate hanging to rear wall of schoolroom; asbestos slate roofs, hipped over schoolroom. L-shaped plan with rectangular chapel end on at the front with aisleless plan. 2 storey elevations to chapel, single-storey over basement to schoolroom. Chapel is symmetrical 2-window front plus single-storey C20 extensions left of central doorway and on right. Round-arched windows with Y tracery; elliptically-arched doorway with pair of chamfered late C19 four-panel doors and Y-traceried fanlight; 4-pane window right of doorway. Rear is 3-window range with 3 central stepped lights, all round-arched lights with Y-traceried windows. INTERIOR not inspected.
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1207601?section=official-list-entry
1883 Porthleven Wesleyan Chapel
(Photo: Jo Lewis)
Located in Fore Street.
Heritage Gateway: Wesleyan chapel, built in 1883 to supercede 1840 Wesleyan chapel that then became a Sunday school.
Faced rubble with granite dressings; asbestos slate roof with some courses of fishscale slates to resemble original dry Delabole slate roof. Gothic style. Galleried plan. Tall single-storey elevations with side windows bridging gallery. Unaltered elevations with original glazing and doors. NW entrance front end is symmetrical: 3 bays with bays divided by weathered buttresses surmounted by open bellcotes with pinnacles. Central 5-light traceried window with central rose. Pair of gabled doorways flanking a central buttress. Side walls are 4: 1 bays with 2-light transomed windows with lancets and round traceried heads. Interior has original gallery carried on slender iron columns. Trefoil shaped ceiling to suggest nave and aisles. Round-arched apse. Original numbered pitch-pine pews. Granite-coped forecourt walls; cast-iron railings and gates with overthrow. Relating to Chapel Keeper’s Cottage, Record ID 143152. This chapels towers like a cathedral over the fishing port of Porthleven.
https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MCO37254&resourceID=1020
Build date: 1883.
Also known as the Torleven Chapel, the new Wesleyan chapel was built in Fore Street from 1880 and opened in May 1883. Designed by James Hicks.
Seating for about 800 or 850.
1908: The Bible Christian Chapel closed and the congregation joined this church.
1932: The Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist and the United Methodist Church amalgamated to become the Methodist Church of Great Britain.
1932: Became Fore Street Methodist Chapel.
(David Philp 2022)
Grade 2 listed:
Listing: Nonconformist chapel. 1883 datestone. Slatestone rubble with granite dressings including plinth, strings, kneelers and copings; asbestos slate roof with some courses of fishscale slate resembling features of original dry Delabole slate roof. Rectangular aisleless plan with gallery on 4 sides; pair of entrances and staircases at ritual west end; organ loft projection at ritual east end. Gothic Revival style. Tall single-storey elevations with side windows shared by galleries. NW entrance front is 3 bays with wider central bay flanked by weathered buttresses surmounted by open bellcotes with pinnacles; end buttresses to octagonal pseudo bellcotes with pinnacles and finials. Central bay has gable ventilator over large 5-light traceried window with pointed lights and central rose; coloured leaded glass; sill string. Ground floor has pair of gabled doorways flanking a central buttress; stepped trefoil-headed overlights and original panelled doors. Side walls are 4:1 bays with stair bays flanked by pinnacled buttresses; all bay with paired transomed lancets with round tracery; similar end buttresses. INTERIOR: large auditorium with oval between gallery with panelled front carried on slender iron columns; trefoil-on-section barrel ceiling with heavy moulded cornice and visible steel tie rods. Fittings: original pitch pine pews except for small number removed at the front; tiered pews to gallery; balustraded rostrum and communion rail in front; organ with round-arched panels in round-arched apse. Subsidiary features: forecourt has low slatestone walls with granite coping surmounted by ornate cast-iron railings between gabled granite piers including central gate piers with arched panels, overthrow and pair of cast-iron gates. HISTORY: this large Wesleyan chapel was built at a cost of »3,500, including the site and the chapel-keeper’s house (qv). (Kelly’s Directory of Devonshire and Cornwall: 1902-1902: 273).
Further reading:
Kresen Kernow holds multiple documents relating to this and the previous chapel. There have been several renovations and roof replacements. https://kresenkernow.org/SOAP/search/RelatedNameCode.keyword/CRO%7CUK%7C746/
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1208344?section=official-list-entry