Following the proposed auctioning of a seafront "chapel" in Falmouth, town councillors have been told it was in such a state there was surprise it was still standing.

Cornwall Council is offering ten disused chapels, including Gyllyngdune Chapel opposite Gyllyngdune Gardens on Cliff Road, on the open market that are no longer required and which continue to be open to the general public. They are looking for businesses to take on the properties in order to re-purpose them.

The iconic Gyllyngdune chapel was built by Rev William John Coope, the Rector at King Charles Parish Church, in the 1840s. However, it's not really a chapel.

The accompanying blurb says the buildings are advertised as seen, requiring extensive repairs which will be the responsibility of the winning tenderer to undertake in order to bring the buildings up to a good and compliant standard.

All the chapels are being offered on a 30-year lease subject to a rent free period in recognition of the works required. Tenders have to be in by Thursday, November 30.

At a meeting of Falmouth Town Council’s finance and general purposes committee on Monday, during a discussion about the chapel, Cllr Jayne Kirkham asked about the state it was in as she’d been told that it was in “too much of a state to let go".

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Town clerk Mark Williams told the meeting he thought Cornwall Council were surprised it was still standing following an inspection.

Cllr Zoe Young said when she had visited it she thought it was “actually in quite a dangerous state”.

“We should consider whether Cornwall Council or somebody should ensure it is shored up and preserved,” she said. “One of the walls not in a good way.”

Cllr Alan Jewell said: “It’s listing.”

The committee noted the concerns of councillors.