Situated in the heart of Woodlane campus sits an abandoned chapel. With boarded up windows and foliage sprouting through the brickwork, the building is now part of Cornwall Council’s 12 disused chapels up for sale. Often overlooked by many, the council’s aim is to repurpose the vacant chapels which are no longer required for cemetery work.
They are listed as requiring extensive repairs, which will become the ‘responsibility of the winning tenderer to undertake in order to bring the buildings up to a good and compliant standard.’
All chapels available through Cornwall Council are on offer for a lease of 15 years.
The council have stated that with planning considerations, it is advisable for a business that is ‘tasteful and respectful to it’s location’, ruling out ideas such as ‘residential conversions, pubs and creches’.
With the location of the Woodlane chapel, the conversation seems to be turning to if, and what, Falmouth University could use the space for.
The disused chapel nestled within the greenery of Falmouth Campus.
We reached out to students and individuals on Falmouth University campus to see what potential ideas they would like to see from the space, and if it could be a stepping stone to create a wider sense of community.
After talking to students on Falmouth Campus, it was obvious that the best option for the chapel was to become a space that is part of the university. Connie Watt, a third year student, suggested that a student run cafe would be a great addition to the campus, selling more affordable food and drinks. She said, “I like the idea of having a small cafe as a community hub.” A place with comfy seating, where people are able to relax and take time out from the brightly lit seminar rooms and work spaces. The current fox cafe sat in the main building of Falmouth campus sells food and drink for extortionate prices, with hot drinks costing around £5. It was also suggested that the disused chapel could be turned into an entertainment space, with board games and events such as open mic. This could be a a part of the cafe, making it more of a hub.
To Let sign on the front of the chapel.
James Stedeford, a graphic design student in his final year, wants the space to become an exhibition space for students, one that is not ties to a specific course. James stated, “students need more general exhibition spaces that are bookable all year round.” Having a building where students from across all courses can exhibit and showcase their work would make the space a lot more accessible. We also spoke about the space being turned into a comfortable and private setting for interviews, as there is currently nowhere like this within the campus.
When speaking to people about the possible uses of the chapel, many ideas were flung around. A prominent one being, turning the space into a place for neurodivergent students. Having a safe space to retreat to when feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated in the university environment is essential for making sure those who struggle in crowded or loud environments stay grounded. Students also spoke about making the space into a place for women to gather the feeling unsafe on campus, where they can seek sanctuary.
Graffiti on the door of the boarded up chapel.
The disused chapel sits in the centre of Falmouth University campus, after talking to students it became clear that it would be odd for the chapel to be turned into a space that sits separate to the university
If you have any idea for the space or are interested in purchasing the building, more information can be found here.