Churches of the British Isles

The chapel has been much extended and repaired since the original build. It became Carnon Downs Methodist Church in 1932, at the Methodist union, while the hall shown here was added in 1955. Today the chapel is Grade 2 listed but, in April 2022, closure hit both it and the chapel at Feock (see links). The merged congregation formed a new church which began meeting in the hall, with this meeting known as The Hub, Carnon Community Methodist Church.

Carnon Downs Ebenezer Meeting House stood on the east side of Valley Lane, a short way to the north of Bissoe Road. This is on the northwards part of the lane after it has become a track, and after passing the ford. Edward Budd, a local Methodist preacher, held an open air service in Carnon Downs in 1824. Edward Olive then built his house, calling it 'Ebenezer', to be used as a chapel, meeting house, and Sunday school. It was only recently demolished for a new building.

Carnon Downs Bible Christian Chapel stood on the northern side of Chyreen Lane, with Meadowside Nursery on its eastern flank in the hamlet of Chycowling immediately to the north of Carnon Downs. The original chapel was built in the 1800s. Seen on early maps, it became a Sunday school when the Quenchwell chapel was built in 1906 (below). The original railings and gate survive, although local knowledge states that the chapel was converted into the present house.

Quenchwell Bible Christian Chapel (Memorial Chapel) is east of the Carnon Downs chapel in Chycowling (above). Located at the north-west corner of the Chyreen Lane and Quenchwell Road junction, it was built in 1906. As a United Methodist church in 1932 it became Quenchwell Methodist Church. Its members decided in 1998 to become independent but ceased some time afterwards. The building was sold to become Cornwall Islamic Community Centre in 2009.

Head west back along Chyreen Lane and then Grenna Lane to find the site of Higher Bissoe Old Chapel. This hamlet sits midway between Grenna Lane and the River Carnon, after crossing the river itself. In this aerial shot, Higher Bissoe is on the far centre-left, to the left of the small 'white' field. Higher Bissoe ('Bedou' in 1250) was the Bedou family residence, and the chapel may have been private. It is shown on the 1842 Perranarworthal tithe map as 'Parc an Chapel'.

Five photos on this page by Jo Lewis, and one via Geograph under a Creative Commons licence.