Mapping Methodism – St Marys, Isles of Scilly, Wesleyan Chapel
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Map: This profile of St Mary’s Wesleyan Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell
Located on the southern side of Garrison Road in Hugh Town, St Mary’s.
1742: John Wesley first visited the Islands (some references 1743)
1788: A society was formed.
1790 St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly Wesleyan Chapel
1790: The first Methodist Wesleyan chapel built.
1825 Re-built/Replaced St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly Wesleyan Chapel
1825 to 1828: Underwent substantive rebuilding /replacement on the same site.
Now Isles of Scilly Council Chambers (Ann Cunningham)
Circa 1832: Some documents suggest that a faction of the methodists, the Bible Christians, left. It is probable that the growing Bible Christian congregation with their 1836 chapel, attracted some of the congregation ‘across the road’.
There are records of the Isles of Scilly Methodist Circuit from 1838.
1869: Sunday school anniversary celebrated. (The Cornish Telegraph – Wednesday 28 July 1869)
1884: The church was renovated. The body of the chapel was reseated and a rostrum and communion-rail added. The front of the gallery was painted white, relieved with gold. With the addition of a school room the works cost £500. The church was renovated again in 1905.
Music was originally provided by a flute, bass viol and clarionet. Later a harmonium was used until in 1905 with the renovations, the church installed a pipe organ by Messrs Heard of Truro.
1932: The Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist and the United Methodist Church amalgamated to become the Methodist Church of Great Britain.
In the 1932 Union, the Wesleyan church merged with the Bible Christians and the decision was taken to use the building on Church Street. Worship ended and the building was left empty. The rostrum and communion rail were moved and installed in the Church Street chapel.
1936: Closed. (Revd David Easton) Probably 1932.
1940: Seating for 320. (Revd David Easton)
The building became a builder’s merchant and then for some time a cinema, possibly called The Plaza, although different references mix up Chapels, Sunday schools and a purpose built building – probably all were used at some point (for those interested, links to Cinema history are below!).
Now (in 2024) it is being used as a council chamber by the Isles Council.
It is a Grade 2 listed building.
Further reading:
HER: A disused Wesleyan Methodist chapel, built c1826, on site of earlier c1790 chapel. The east doorway of the chapel bears the remnant of Georgian craftsmen and inside, the gallery is supported on classical iron columns (b2). The blockings of the west windows retain traces of the painted tables of the decalogue and on a panel below are the remains of a black letter text. The chapel is now in a semi-delapidated state, but is a Grade II Listed Building (b3). Some of the furnishings from this chapel are now in St Mary’s Methodist church (7773). Recorded on the 1908 OS map (b1). Listed and sketched in Stell (b4). Building currently used by Council of the Isles of Scilly offices and Tourist Information Centre (Spring 2002).https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MCO30536&resourceID=1020
Listing: Former Wesleyan Methodist Chapel. Early C19. Coursed granite rubble with ashlar to 2 facades; hipped asbestos roof. Two storeys; 2 x 2 bays. Semi-circular arches over 2 ground and 3 first-floor sashes with glazing bars, and boarded replacement doors with blank fanlight. Similar return elevation has four 6-pane casement windows. Rear elevation has 18 and 12-pane sashes set in 2 semi-circular arched “preaching windows”. Interior: U-plan panelled first-floor galleries supported on cast-iron Tuscan columns. Angle staircases with swept handrails, turned newels and stick balusters.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mary%27s_Methodist_Church,_Isles_of_Scilly
https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/23964
https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/65276