Forest Chapel

Forest Chapel
Forest Chapel
Forest Chapel is located in Cheshire
Forest Chapel
Forest Chapel
Location in Cheshire
53°14′47″N 2°02′24″W / 53.2463°N 2.0399°W / 53.2463; -2.0399
OS grid referenceSJ 974 722
LocationMacclesfield Forest
Cheshire
CountryEngland
DenominationAnglican
Website[1]
History
Founded1673
DedicationSaint Stephen
Consecrated1834
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II
Designated14 April 1967
Architectural typeChurch
Groundbreaking1673
Completed1834
Specifications
MaterialsSandstone
Kerridge stone-slate roof
Administration
ProvinceYork
DioceseChester
ArchdeaconryMacclesfield
DeaneryMacclesfield
ParishRainow with Saltersford and Forest
Clergy
Vicar(s)Revd Simon Gowler

Forest Chapel, officially the Church of St Stephen, 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] Originally a chapel of ease for St Peter's Church, Prestbury, it became the district church for the chapelry of Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough in 1906, but in 1973 the latter was combined with St Michael's Church, Wincle, and Macclesfield Forest merged with the ecclesiastical parish of Rainow.[4]

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 on the 2nd Sunday in the month. Regular Services include monthly evensong on the first Sunday on the month at 3pm and weekly 'Light in the Forest' service on Wednesdays at 12.30pm.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c d Richards, Raymond (1947), Old Cheshire Churches, London: B. T Batsford, pp. 216–219, OCLC 719918
  4. ^ "St Stephen, Forest Chapel, Church of England". www.genuki.org.uk. UK & Ireland Genealogy. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  5. ^ Peak District Towns and Villages: Macclesfield Forest, Cressbrook Multimedia, retrieved 13 September 2007
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