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Churches of the British Isles

Gallery: Churches of Cornwall

by Jo Lewis, 5 June 2019

Restormel (South) Part 1: Churches of Tregellas, Creed, & Grampound

Tregellas Old Chapel, Tregellas, Cornwall

The site of the lost Tregellas Old Chapel is in the hamlet of the same name, midway between Grampound and Grampound Road. It is one of Cornwall's 'lost chapels' of Probus. A wayside cross was found at Chapel Field, Tregellas, 5.5 km north-east of Holy Trinity Church, Tresillian Bridge. Possibly a route marker for the chapel, in 1863 it was moved to the Tresillian mission church. In 1904 this was replaced by Holy Trinity, and the cross was re-erected to the west of the church.

St Crida Creed, Creed, Cornwall

St Crida, Creed, lies on the western side of Creed Lane, a short way to the immediate south of Grampound. The church was founded by the Normans but in its existing form it is more or less a fifteenth century construct. The tower which already existed in 1447 was rebuilt in 1734. St Crida is said to have been the daughter of King Mark of Cornubia. According to legend she founded a community of Celtic Christian nuns on the site. Between 1869-1906 the church was unused.

Grampound Bible Christian Chapel, Grampound, Cornwall

On the return north to Grampound, Grampound Bible Christian Chapel is on the left-hand side, directly opposite Old Tannery Lane. The chapel was built in 1881 to replace a former thatched chapel on the same site. Documents of registration exist from 1898. The chapel became Grampound East United Methodist Church (1907-1932), and then Grampound East Methodist Church. It closed and then was sold in 1982. It was converted into a private dwelling around 1990.

Grampound Congregational Chapel, Grampound, Cornwall

The former Grampound Congregational Chapel lies tucked back from Fore Street in Grampound, about sixty metres west of Creed Lane and almost opposite the Wesleyan chapel (below), the chapel building has either been demolished or is impossible to distinguish as a chapel, and access is now restricted. Local history has it being built in 1784 by the disciples of Samuel Walker. It may also be the Independent and Baptist Chapel of the the 1820s which closed in the 1940s.

Grampound Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Grampound, Cornwall

Another twenty metres or so west along Fore Street from the Congregational chapel (above), was Grampound Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, sitting down a narrow passage to the south of Fore Street. Built in 1825 it became Grampound West Methodist Chapel in 1932. The Sunday School was built in 1875-1885. The chapel was sold in 1970 and, after several failed planning applications, was demolished. The present private dwelling is the former school.

St Nun's Chapel, Grampound, Cornwall

St Nun's Chapel sits at the north-east corner between Fore Street and Pepo Lane in Grampound. It replaced the old chapel at Trevillick in 1370 as a chapel-of-ease to St Crida (above). The name of St Naunter was gradually corrupted to St Nun. By 1821 the chapel was in ruins, the site was cleared, and for almost seventy years it was used as a pound for sheep and cattle on market days. In 1869 the church of St Nun was rebuilt and remains in use today.

All photos on this page by Jo Lewis.

 

 

     
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