Indian Queens Pit History
Indian Queens Pit is a Methodist preaching pit, that has served the communities of Indian Queens, Fraddon and St Columb for over 150 years.
Origins of The Pit
In 1850, members of the local Wesleyan Methodist Chapel approached Henry Jenkyn Rowse (of Carworgie Manor) with a plan to convert a mining openwork to the south of Indian Queens into a preaching pit, which emulated the Pit at Gwennap. A lease was agreed and the new facility was opened by local preacher Capt. Elvins of Retew in May 1850. It was named the “Indian Queens United Wesleyan Sunday School Amphitheatre.”
From these early days, the Pit was being used by the established Wesleyan Chapel, as well as the splinter group which broke away under the name of Wesley Reform Society in 1857 and became the United Methodist Church. They built Immanuel Chapel in 1876. It was also used by the Bible Christians at Fraddon and, during the later 19th century, by the Rechabites, a temperance organisation. Events often featured Indian Queens Band, which was itself founded in 1856.
Analysis of historic mapping shows how the Pit developed. The 1880 Ordnance Survey six-inch map shows the Pit as a hollow with sloping sides and a building at its entry point to the north. The next edition of Ordnance Survey mapping produced in 1907 meanwhile showed that the preaching platform and tiered seating had been constructed.
The 20th Century
The lease agreement with the Rowse family continued for seven decades. In 1920, Henry Rowse’s son decided to increase the rents of his tenants around Indian Queens, but also offered his tenants the opportunity to buy their own properties. A number of individuals from the local chapels and the Rechabites formed a consortium to secure ownership of the Pit.
Under the leadership of Charles Old, who owned a shoe shop in St Columb Road, the Pit and an area of associated land were bought for £60.
In 1921, a body of trustees was set up with three from each of the Indian Queens Wesleyan Chapel, the Indian Queens United Methodist Chapel, the Fraddon United Methodist Chapel and the Rechabites. Early improvements included the addition of a stone-faced bank around the Pit, the construction of a toilet block and a store for tables and chairs.
The Pit was used for numerous religious and community events up until around the 1970s, when the monument fell into disuse for a short period.
The Re-opening
In 1976 work began to bring the Pit back into use. Under the leadership of Mr Lloyd Truscott, local residents invested two years of hard work to bring the Pit back to life. The works included the improvement of tiered seating along the northern edge of the monument and the restoration work was advanced enough for a Silver Jubilee Thanksgiving Service to be conducted there in June 1977. The Pit was officially reopened eleven months later, following a procession from St Columb Road.
Looking Ahead
Indian Queens Pit continues to be used for religious services, fetes, fundraising events for local charities, concerts by performers such as Johnny Cowling, as well as plays from theatre companies such as Miracle. Gorsedh Kernow held its Awen ceremony at the site in 2018.
The venue also has an associated Community Building which was built in the car park next to the Pit in 2013. The bulk of the funding came from grants of £60,000 from the Clay Country Local Action Group, £30,000 from the Cornwall SITA Trust, £12,000 from St Enoder Parish Council, £6,000 from the Lottery’s Awards for All programme and £4,500 from the former Restormel Borough Council. The remainder of the costs were met from local fundraising. The new building, replaced a substandard modular building, a small store building and an out-dated toilet block.
