Altarnun Wesleyan chapel facts for kids
The Altarnun Wesleyan chapel is an old Methodist church building. It is located in Altarnun, a village in Cornwall, England. The chapel was completed in 1859. Since 1988, it has been a special historic building, called a Grade II listed building. Today, the chapel is owned by private individuals.
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Exploring the Altarnun Wesleyan Chapel
What Does the Chapel Look Like?
The chapel is built from local slate stone. This stone is "snecked," meaning it's carefully fitted together. It also has special granite pieces for decoration. The roof is made of slate and has pointed ends. The building is shaped like a rectangle.
At the front, there are two entrances. They stick out a bit from the main building. Each entrance has a small, sloping roof. The doors are from the 1800s. They are set into granite arches. The left side of the building is covered smoothly. The right side has hanging slate tiles. On this side, there are three windows, each with three sections.
Inside the Historic Chapel
Inside, the chapel once had "box pews" from the 1800s. These were like individual seating areas. There was also a raised central pew at the back, but it has since been removed. The "rostrum" (a platform for speaking) also from the 1800s, had a shallow space behind it. Here, the words "Thy Word is God" were written.
The organ case, which holds the organ, was designed in a Gothic style. This style was popular during the Victorian era. Later, in the 1900s, a wall was added across the main hall. This divided the church into two separate areas.
Famous Connections to the Chapel
The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, often visited a nearby place called Trewint. He would stay at Digory Isbell's home. This house is now a museum about Wesley and Methodism.
A special sculpted portrait of John Wesley is above the chapel's doorway. This artwork was carved by Neville Northey Burnard. He was only 16 years old at the time. Neville lived right next door to the chapel.
