Rescorla is a small village in mid Cornwall, near St Austell, in the heart of the Clay Country. Its Chapel, central to village life for generations, was closed in April 2001 and now lies unused — the focus of the village, gone. Some share the opinion that centralisation of resources in our towns and cities is forcing the decline of villages up and down the country and community life in general.

A group of like-minded people, the Friends of Rescorla (FOR), has got together in order to stem the tide. We have launched a campaign to establish the village's former Methodist Chapel as a rural centre for cultural and educational activities. With the support of the Cornish Audio Visual Archive (CAVA) project at the Institute of Cornish Studies, we envisage the use of this historic building as the principal research centre for Chapel Voices, an audio-visual collection on Cornish Methodism. While the centre will serve as a collection point, interview centre and transcribing base for parallel multi-media projects on the Clay Country, rural folklore and migration, the use of the premises for related cultural and educational events is also being explored. With these objectives in mind we would welcome the involvement of other individuals and organisations so that Rescorla can be developed as a centre for the study of rural life.

"I am very sympathetic to your plans for the Rescorla Centre ... I think it is very important that the kind of use that you are outlining for the chapel is allowed to happen." — The Rt Rev William Ind.

"It is particularly fitting that a former chapel should continue as the focus for educational and cultural events for the area. As a member of the Cornish History Network and a supporter of the Cornish Audio-Visual Archive I believe the Chapel could serve as a focus for a range of local initiatives." — Bob Keys., College of St Mark and St John.

"The development of our former chapel ... would be an excellent use of this building. It would enable the chapel to continue to be a resource for the local community and a place where the heritage and traditions of the area are celebrated, researched and preserved. It would be doubly appropriate if the "Chapel Voices" project were to be based there." — Rev Dr Stephen Dawes.

The Friends of Rescorla are raising funds to purchase the building and secure its future. Applications have been made to various bodies, including the EU's Objective One fund and a pledge of £2000 has been received from Treverbyn Parish Council. As well as this, there is a small campaign fund, raised, mainly, through sponsored events and sales of promotional items...mugs, car stickers, T shirts and the like.
Local support is strong, but we need your support too! Whether you are local, an ex-patriot or simply an interested onlooker, your help is invaluable.
If you are interested in the Rescorla project, please email us.