Forest Chapel

Forest Chapel

Forest Chapel
Forest Chapel
Location in Cheshire
Coordinates: 53°14′47″N 2°02′24″W / 53.2463°N 2.0399°W / 53.2463; -2.0399
OS grid reference SJ 974 722
Location Macclesfield Forest
Cheshire
Country England
Denomination Anglican
Website Forest Chapel
Architecture
Functional status Active
Heritage designation Grade II
Designated 14 April 1967
Architectural type Church
Groundbreaking 1673
Completed 1834
Specifications
Materials Sandstone
Kerridge stone-slate roof
Administration
Parish Rainow with Saltersford and Forest
Deanery Macclesfield
Archdeaconry Macclesfield
Diocese Chester
Province York
Clergy
Vicar(s) Revd Stephen Derek Rathbone

Forest Chapel stands in an isolated position in the civil parish of Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough in Cheshire, England, within the Peak District National Park 4.5 miles (7 km) from Macclesfield. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.[1] It is an Anglican church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Macclesfield. Its benefice is combined with those of Jenkin Chapel, Saltersford and Holy Trinity, 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

It 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]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Historic England, "Church of St Stephen, Forest Chapel, Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough (1136676)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 5 August 2012
  2. ↑ St Stephen, Forest, Church of England, retrieved 21 March 2011
  3. 1 2 3 4 Richards, Raymond (1947), Old Cheshire Churches, London: B. T Batsford, pp. 216–219, OCLC 719918
  4. ↑ Peak District Towns and Villages: Macclesfield Forest, Cressbrook Multimedia, retrieved 13 September 2007

External links

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