Delabole Me(a)drose Zion Bible Christian Chapel

This profile of Delabole Me(a)drose Zion Bible Christian Chapel has been compiled by Jo Lewis and Tony Mansell.

In 1784 John Wesley sent Adam Clarke to Delabole Quarry to preach and the spot was named after him as ‘Clarke’s Hole’. The quarry is still called that locally.

The Bible Christians were formed in 1815, and by 1818 were operating in Michaelstow.

In 1820, a cottage ‘occupied by 2 old persons’ at Rockhead (north of Meadrose) was used for preaching by a congregation known as Byranites. The cottage location has not been identified.

1835-7 Delabole Medrose Zion Bible Christian Chapel

Location – 2 Medrose Street, Medrose, Delabole. Entering Delabole on the B3314 from the north east, Medrose (Meadrose) was the northern area of the village. The chapel with Sunday school is on the south (east) side of the road. The chapel with Sunday school is on the south (east) side of the road.

The first chapel was built on the site where the current Sunday School now stands.

On 30th June 1835, land was granted to the Trustees for 80 years and on 17th June 1836 the land and chapel built on it were conveyed on behalf of the trustees.

The building was later enlarged to create seating for an additional 60 people.

In 1847/48 and 1855 there were big religious revivals in the village and the chapel became too small.

1863 Delabole Medrose 2nd Zion Bible Christian Chapel, Medrose Methodist Church, Delabole Methodist Church

Delabole Medrose Bible Christian Chapel was substantially rebuilt with the original chapel then used as a School and Sunday school.

1863: Mr W D Hanson from Delabole Barton struck a deal with the Zion Chapel. He agreed to give 10 yards of land for a new chapel if he could have the old one to use as a Day school. This was agreed and the new Chapel was built.

April 1863: Foundation stone laid. (SW Churches confirm that it was built in 1863.

October 1863: The chapel opened and between 500 and 600 sat down for tea.

The chapel was arranged to seat 250 people

The Bible Christians built the new chapel next to the Sunday school with the entrance door to the new chapel on the south side, facing the High Street.

1879: The entrance was moved to face the main road.

Pre 1880 maps show the new Chapel and older School as two separate buildings.

The old chapel was used as a British School (also a Sunday school) from 1864. Scholars paid 2d a week and this continued until 1880, when the Silvanus Trevail Board School was opened (Built 1878-9).

“Medrose Bible Christian chapel and attached Sunday school. Originally built in 1837 but almost completely rebuilt in 1863. Chapel re-fenestrated late C19 or early C20. Local slatestone rubble under dry slate roofs, the chapel with a hipped roof. Chapel has 2-window entrance end with late C20 flat-roofed porch obscuring original entrance. 3-light windows with traceried heads.” (HER)

Delabole Zion Bible Christian Chapel (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122234264966193378&set=pcb.122234265380193378)

Sunday School attached to Zion Bible Christian Chapel was used as a British School from 1864. (HER)
(https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MCO32705&resourceID=1020)

1898: Sunday school rebuilt on the same site to match the newer chapel, possibly with an internal connection to the chapel as now seen.

1911: Pipe Organ installed.

Kresen Kernow records:
https://kresenkernow.org/SOAP/search/delabole%20medrose%20bible%20christian/
https://kresenkernow.org/SOAP/search/RelatedNameCode.keyword/CRO%7CUK%7C829/

1907: The Methodist New Connexion, Bible Christians and United Methodist Free Churches
amalgamated to become the United Methodist Church.

1907: Became Medrose United Methodist Church. (SWChurches)

Picture here shows the porch from the 1930s: (https://www.delabole2020.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/High-St-from-Medrose-Chapel-1930s-768×492.jpg)

1932: The Wesleyan, Primitive Methodist and the United Methodist Church amalgamated to
become the Methodist Church of Great Britain.

1932: Became Delabole Medrose Methodist Chapel. (SWChurches)

In 1978 the three Methodist Churches in the village agreed to merge to this building and progress was made towards this with a plan to restructure and refurbish the premises.

The Lecture and Cross for the new church were made with wood from the three churches by Cyril Hicks of the Medrose Chapel. The sale of the Pengelly Chapel and cottage paid for the new organ, carpet and chairs. The old Medrose Organ went to Twelveheads Methodist Church along with the Pengelly organ to rebuild the organ there. The Pengelly Pulpit was modified and reused as it fit perfectly both in design and colouring.

1979/80: The Delabole chapels merged to become one Society located at the renovated, modernised and renamed Delabole Methodist Church.

2023: The Chapel underwent substantive renovation.

Delabole Methodist Chapel 2023 mid-renovation (Photo: Jo Lewis)