Forest Chapel
| Forest Chapel | |
|
Cheshire | |
|---|---|
| Status: | Parish church |
 The Forest Chapel | |
| Church of England | |
| Diocese of Chester | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SJ974722 |
| Location: | 53°14’47"N, 2°2’24"W |
| History | |
| Built 1673 | |
| Information | |
The Forest Chapel stands in an isolated position in the Macclesfield Forest in Cheshire, and within the Peak District National Park, four and a half miles from Macclesfield. It is a Grade II listed building.[1]
The chapel is Church of England church, in the Diocese of Chester. Its benefice is combined with those of Saltersford and Rainow.[2]
History
The original chapel was built in 1673. In about 1720 Francis Gastrell, Bishop of Chester noted that it was not consecrated. The chapel was almost entirely rebuilt in 1834.[3]
Architecture
Exterior
The chapel is built in sandstone with a Kerridge stone-slate roof. The nave and chancel are in one range of five bays. On the south wall is a porch. At the west end is a tower with a saddleback roof and there are louvres in the bell-openings.[1] The tower contains one bell.[3]
Interior
The interior is very plain. On the chancel wall is a white marble memorial to the memory of Rev Samuel Hall, a former minister of the church. Over the porch doorway is a benefaction board. Built into the east end wall is a stone altar.[3] The east window contains some Victorian]] glass.[1] The chapel registers begin in 1759 with some loose sheets dating back to 1746.[3]
Present day
The old tradition of rushbearing still takes place at the chapel each August.[4]
Outside links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 National Heritage List 1136676: Church of St Stephen, Forest Chapel (Grade II listing)
- ↑ St Stephen, Forest Chapel: A Church Near You
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Richards, Raymond: 'Old Cheshire Churches' (B. T Batsford, 1947); pages 216–219
- ↑ Peak District Towns and Villages: Macclesfield Forest (Cressbrook Multimedia)