2A00:23C4:929B:AA01:5836:CF54:7896:818E: /* Present day */

2023-01-07T18:52:52Z

Present day

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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox church | name = Forest Chapel| fullname = | image = Forest Chapel.jpg| imagesize = | imagealt = | caption = Forest Chapel| pushpin map = Cheshire| pushpin map alt = | pushpin mapsize = 250 | pushpin label position = left| map caption = Location in Cheshire| location = [[Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough|Macclesfield Forest]]<br />[[Cheshire]]| country = England | coordinates = {{coord|53.2463|-2.0399|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}} | osgraw = SJ 974 722| denomination = [[Anglican]] | churchmanship = | membership = | attendance = | website = [http://www.rainowchurches.org] | former name = | bull date = | founded date = | founder = | dedication = | dedicated date = | consecrated date = | cult = | relics = | events = | past bishop = | people = | status = | functional status = Active| heritage designation = Grade II| designated date = 14 April 1967| architect = | architectural type = [[Church (building)|Church]]| style = | groundbreaking = 1673| completed date = 1834| construction cost = | closed date = | demolished date = | capacity = | length = | width = | width nave = | height = | diameter = | other dimensions = | floor count = | floor area = | spire quantity = | spire height = | materials = [[Sandstone]]<br />[[Kerridge]] stone-slate roof| parish = Rainow with Saltersford and Forest | deanery = Macclesfield | archdeaconry = Macclesfield | diocese = [[Diocese of Chester|Chester]]| province = [[Province of York|York]]| rector = | vicar = Revd Simon Gowler| curate = | priest = | asstpriest = | minister = | assistant = | honpriest = | deacon = | chaplain = | reader = | organistdom = | director = | organist = | organscholar = | chapterclerk = | laychapter = | warden = | flowerguild = | musicgroup = | parishadmin = | serversguild = | logo = | logosize = }}

'''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]] {{convert|4.5|mi|km|0}} from [[Macclesfield]]. It is recorded in the [[National Heritage List for England]] as a designated Grade II [[Listed building#England and Wales|listed building]].<ref name="images">{{NHLE |num= 1136676|desc= Church of St Stephen, Forest Chapel, Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough|access-date= 5 August 2012 |mode=cs2}}</ref> 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 Church, Rainow|Holy Trinity, Rainow]].<ref>{{citation |url= http://www.achurchnearyou.com/forest-st-stephen/ |title= St Stephen, Forest |access-date=21 March 2011 |publisher= [[Church of England]] }}</ref>

==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.<ref name="richards">{{citation | last =Richards | first =Raymond | title =Old Cheshire Churches | publisher =B. T Batsford | year=1947 | location =London | pages =216–219 | oclc =719918}}</ref>

==Architecture==
===Exterior===
It is built in [[sandstone]] with a [[Kerridge]] stone-slate roof. The [[nave]] and [[chancel]] are in one range of five [[bay (architecture)|bays]]. On the south wall is a porch. At the west end is a tower with a [[saddleback roof]] and there are [[Louver|louvre]]s in the bell-openings.<ref name="images"/> The tower contains one bell.<ref name="richards"/>

===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.<ref name="richards"/> The east window contains some [[Victorian era|Victorian]] glass.<ref name="images"/> The chapel registers begin in 1759 with some loose sheets dating back to 1746.<ref name="richards"/>

==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.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.cressbrook.co.uk/towns/maccforest.php |title=Peak District Towns and Villages: Macclesfield Forest |access-date=13 September 2007 |publisher=Cressbrook Multimedia }}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Listed buildings in Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.thornber.net/cheshire/htmlfiles/maccforest.html Photographs by Craig Thornber]

{{Churches in Cheshire}}

[[Category:Churches completed in 1673]]
[[Category:Churches completed in 1834]]
[[Category:Church of England church buildings in Cheshire]]
[[Category:Grade II listed churches in Cheshire]]
[[Category:Diocese of Chester]]
[[Category:17th-century Church of England church buildings]]
[[Category:1673 establishments in England]]

Forest Chapel - Revision history

2A00:23C4:929B:AA01:5836:CF54:7896:818E: /* Present day */