Mapping Methodism - Nancledra (near Penzance)
Nancledra has been called Nancledry, Nancldrea and Nancldery in the past which probably means ‘valley’ in Cornish. This profile of Nancledra Wesleyan Chapel has been compiled by Val Thomas of St Ives Old Cornwall Society with additional information from Jean Nankervis of Wicca and Mr Sherwood of Wheal Kitty.
1836: Mr John White, the miller, placed his barn at the children’s disposal as a Sunday School. He was appointed Sunday School Superintendent and for eight years his barn was carefully swept and cleaned, and forms placed ready for the children every Sunday. The site was believed to be above the shop, which is now closed.
1844: The Sunday School was an established and thriving part of the village community, so much so, that the St Ives Wesleyan’s decided to include Nancledra in their circuit. The Nancledra Wesleyan Chapel was built and the Sunday School transferred to it. Lighting was with candles until oil lamps were used. For a time the singing was unaccompanied but later they had a fiddler. Next a harmonium was used which was later augmented by two brass instruments, a bass and a trumpet. Finally an organ was installed. In 1844 there was seating for 210 people.
1851: William Burgess was the minister (he completed the returns on many local chapels).
Later, a separate building was erected for the children beside the chapel. Eventually this proved to be inadequate for all the activities going on.
1870 July: Mr. Magniac presented a petition to the House of Commons on behalf of the Wesleyan Chapel Nancledra, St Ives, in favour of the Permissive Prohibitory Liquor Bill.
1873: The survey reports 200 seats.
1894: September 6th. The Cornishman newspaper carries an advert for a harmonium player. Apply to Thomas Eddy or William Mitchell, chapel-stewards.
1899: Tenders were invited for painting and decorating the chapel on or before 22nd April: Particulars to Thomas Eddy at the Post Office. In August the Tolverth choir gave a service of song. Miss Carbis accompanied on the harmonium and the collection was good.
1904: The front porch was added. The Cornishman newspaper of Thursday September 22nd reports:
1905: A successful mission was held by Mr Binks.
1906: The Band of Hope entertained in the Wesleyan Chapel, assisted by the choir. Mr T. Osborne presided.
Services were held on Christmas Day in both the afternoon and evening. Towednack brass band played carols throughout the village during the day.
1910: A larger Sunday School was built for the princely sum of £156.8s.6d.
1912: The Cornishman reported a procession of 120 children from the united chapels of the Nancledra Area. This Sunday School Treat on Easter Monday was a much-looked-forward-to event and led by the Towednack Brass Band. The children, faces washed and tidily dressed, proceeded around the district with banners flying before going back to the Sunday School for tea. This always consisted of a 16oz. Saffron bun for each child and tea with sugar. Lots of emphasis was put on the sugar, so maybe this was a treat in itself. After tea they went into the adjoining field to let off high spirits with fun and games.
1917: August. The St Ives Platoon V.T.C. attended the morning service. They were joined on the march by the Lelant, Zennor and Towednack sections. An excellent sermon, befitting the third anniversary of the war, was preached by Mr. John Vivian, J.P.
1922: The chapel formed part of ‘The Gilbert Estate’, West Cornwall and was offered for sale on 18th May at St John’s Hall Penzance. ‘No 11, A Wesleyan Chapel & school. Nancledra, Towednack, leased for 1892 + 99 years to Thomas EDDY’.
1932: The chapel became Nancledra Methodist Church. In June large congregations attended the chapel anniversary services. Mr T. J. Matthews of Paul was the special preacher. In the afternoon a musical service was given by the Newlyn Prize Male Quartet who performed gain after the evening service. Mr Williams accompanied. Mr. T. H. Eddy was the steward.
1934: Nancledra Chapel was registered to perform marriages. One of the first couples to be married there celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary at morning service in October 1984. They were Kathleen and Willie Osborne, now living at Ponsandane in Penzance.
1944: The harvest festival services were held over the last weekend of September. It is now called Nancledra Methodist Church. The first service was on Friday evening and there were two services on Sunday – morning and evening, which were well attended with a concert following the evening service after which there was a sale of fruit and vegetables.
1947: On June 12th The Cornishman newspaper carried an advert inviting people to the chapel to hear one of the two concerts by the CLIMAX Male Voice Choir. The Chairman for the afternoon was Tolfree Parr, Esq, Penzance and the evening Rev. C.H.S. Buckley, Gulval.
1995: Nancledra Chapel closed.
The Chapel and front courtyard walls, gate piers, gates and railings are all Grade II listed.
The following information is from Jean Nankervis who remembers the inside of the buildings:
It had wooden pews and wooden kneeling planks. Inside the porch was another porch where you could take off your coats. Stairs led up to the balcony which was very steep and you could look down on those below. The sun shone in through the big, rounded windows on the white walls during morning services. The organ was on the left at the front, as in the photo. The pastor entered from a door on the right. The communion things were kept at the back where a corridor joined it to the school room. The schoolroom had a stage and I remember the WI doing refreshments when we met there but the kitchen was very small.
Lying between St Ives and Penzance. then a coinage town. the village grew as tin mining boomed in the area in the early 18th century. With tin stamps and 22 mines in the parish of Towednack. and smelting houses at Chyandour. Blowing House. Ludgvan and St Erth. Cledry became the social and spiritual centre for the farming and mining communities. The population dropped and changed with the collapse of industry but. as now. the area continued to attract gifted people.
On the site of an ancient oratory, away from the road, a strong sense of quiet pervades Towednack church. It was a struggle for the people of the parish to find the time and monies to build the church, and later the chapels. During the rebellion of 1549. for which the then mayor of St Ives was hanged, the squat tower was still being built. Despite the spiritual decline which followed, the fervour of our forefathers somehow survived to welcome Wesley. The congregation is slovAy growing again. Three of the bells are medieval. Though competitive ringing has gone, when the ringers from Ludgvan join Nancledra it is possible to hear the full peal of eight.
One of the most looked for days was the Easter Monday Treat. Towednack Brass Band led the children round the district, with banners flying. Treat teas always consisted of the same repast: a one pound saffron cake and. a treat in itself, sugar in the tea. Afterwards. it was into the field for high spirited fun and games. In 1912 a newspaper reported 'a procession of 120 children from the United Chapel Sunday schools around Nancledra'.
Towednack Brass Band was formed in the late 18th century. In great demand, the band gave priority to Towednack Feast Monday and Annual Horse Race. and to Sunday school treats. As young miners left to work in Australia and elsewhere, often three or four at a time, it became difficult to keep the band together, disbandment came in 1950 when Mr Pope died. Band rehearsals for Comish Christmas carols started in October, ready for the band's tour of the village and surrounding houses and farms on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Happily this tradition has been revived by Mr Ralph. family and friends.
Of the many notable artists, craftsmen and writers who have chosen to live in the village, Mr and Mrs R. Morton Nance lived and raised a family here. Mr Nance's series of plays based on the old Cornish droll-tellers' stories, starting with Duffy were produced in the school room with the children as the cast. Mrs Nance designed and made the costumes. The performances led to the start of the Old Cornwall Movement in St Ives, and later to Mr Nance being made the Chief Bard.
NB The village information above is taken from The Cornwall Village Book. written by members of the Cornwall Federation of Women's Institutes and published by Countryside Books. Click on the link Countryside Books to view Countryside range of other local titles.
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