Forest Chapel

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]

Forest Chapel
Forest Chapel
Forest Chapel
Location in Cheshire
OS grid referenceSJ 974 722
LocationMacclesfield Forest
Cheshire
CountryEngland
DenominationAnglican
WebsiteForest Chapel
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II
Designated14 April 1967
Architectural typeChurch
Groundbreaking1673
Completed1834
Specifications
MaterialsSandstone
Kerridge stone-slate roof
Administration
ParishRainow with Saltersford and Forest
DeaneryMacclesfield
ArchdeaconryMacclesfield
DioceseChester
ProvinceYork
Clergy
Vicar(s)Revd Stephen Derek Rathbone

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]

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See also

References
  1. 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. 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
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