Description

LAUNCESTON

SX3284 CHURCH STREET
660-1/4/53 (West side)
13/09/72 Wesley Methodist Church, and
attached schoolroom, vestry and iron
railings
(Formerly Listed as:
CHURCH STREET
(West side)
Wesley Methodist Church)

GV II

Nonconformist chapel. 1870 (on site of 1812 and 1862 chapel).
By James Hine and Alfred Norman of Plymouth; general
contractors Blatchfords of Tavistock; carving by Harry Hems of
Exeter.
Polychrome stone, brought to course with Bathstone, Portland
stone and granite dressings; very steep main roof, medium
pitch lean-to aisle roofs, all with dry Delabole slate and
coped ends; former tower spire removed early 1980s.
Nave, apsidal chancel, transept, aisles and attached tower.
Early Gothic style. Road front is symmetrical ritual west end
plus buttressed tower on right linked by courtyard doorway.
Church has tall central gable end with flanking buttresses,
quatrefoil vent over large 4-light pointed west window with
octofoil rose over 2 pointed arches enclosing quatrefoils over
trefoil-headed lights; triple entrance loggia with pointed
arches and sexfoil tympanae over polished granite shafted
piers and freestone abutments all with carved classically
inspired caps and imposts.
Flanking aisles each with 2-light traceried window; end
buttresses with crocketted pinnacles. All windows with leaded
glazing. 2-light clerestory windows to sides. 3-bay front end
of schoolroom on left has stepped 3-light window with round
arches and sill storey (reused from 1862 chapel) to projecting
central gabled bay and round-headed window with squat nook
shaft, to each side bay.
INTERIOR of chapel: arch-braced roof; 4-bay aisle arcades with
pointed arches; mullion shafts to clerestory windows; chancel
with painted wall panels by Harris of Plymouth.
Fittings: numbered pitch-pine pews, gallery at north (ritual
west) end with quatrefoil frieze; hexagonal-on-plan Bath stone
pulpit and round font; book stand and communion rail by Hart
Peard; desk in vestry by Whipple of Exeter 1890 from
schoolroom (qv) Castle Street.
Subsidiary features: Low rubble forecourt walls with chamfered
granite copings surmounted by iron railings with twist
stanchions with central balls and fleur-de-lis finials;
central gateway with square piers and pair of arched iron
gates with low frieze of roundels.
(Spencer-Toy H: The Methodist Church at Launceston:
Launceston: 1964-).

Listing NGR: SX3315484684

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26490534

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)