Catalogue description Truro Baptist Church

Minutes, annual reports, leaflets, letters and agreements.

Truro Baptist Church, Cornwall

Records of Truro Baptist church, deposited on 26 September 1968 (accession 1240), on 29 October 1985 (accession 3490) and on 17 May 1995 (accession 4885)

The formation of the Truro Baptist Church is described in the opening minute in the first Church Minute Book, as follows:-

"Mr. Redding being about to leave Falmouth in the middle of the year 1789, Mr. Charles Turner, Mr.T.B.Rouse and Mr. Sholl being unwilling that the Church at Chacewater should be destitute, came to a resolution to connect with them, and gave him a call to supply Truro and Chacewater alternately. The Presbyterian Meeting House (in Kenwyn Street, built in 1708) being vacant, they took it to make trial, and it was opened October 11th, 1789."

There were several Baptists living in Truro at that time, some of whom were members of the Chacewater Church, and others in communion with the Independent Church meeting at Bethesda.

The Meeting House in Kenwyn Street was taken on trial at an annual rent of six guineas for a term of 3, 10 or 16 years - and this turned out to be 60 years

The call to the Rev. Robert Redding was accepted and he began his ministry at Truro at once. It meant preaching at Truro in the morning and evening, and at Chacewater in the afternoon.

In December 1790 the church decided to enlarge the meeting house, owing to the growing number of worshippers, and the meeting house was re-opened on 15th May, 1791. The enlargement made it double its original size. Afterwards a gallery was added, and an indoor baptistry.

Early in 1807 Mr. Redding was taken ill and he died on 26th March, at the age of 54, having been pastor of the Truro Church for 17 years and of the Chacewater Church for 27 years. He was buried at Kenwyn Churchyard, next to where Anna Hornblower was buried. The attendance at the funeral was one of the largest ever known there. The Rev. Richard Polwhele preached the funeral sermon and has left it on record that the funeral was "one of the most impressive occasions he had known".

In June 1847 the church decided that a new chapel was desirable. A site was found in River Street, part of what was then called "Matthew's tenement", immediately to the east of the Savings Bank (now the County Museum). It was purchased for £400. In September 1848 tenders were received, and one from a Mr. Prior was accepted. The foundation stone was laid on 2nd November, 1848, and the new building was ready in January, 1850, and the opening services were held on 14th February. The architect was Mr.Philip Sambell Junion, one of the deacons.

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