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]
Contents
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)
