Norcliffe Chapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Norcliffe Chapel |
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Norcliffe Chapel
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| OS grid reference | SJ 835 835 |
| Location | Styal, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Unitarian |
| Website | Norcliffe Chapel |
| History | |
| Founded | 1822 |
| Founder(s) | Samuel Greg |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 6 July 1984 |
| Architectural type | Chapel |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1822 |
| Completed | 1906 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick with stone dressings Kerridge stone-slate roof |
Norcliffe Chapel is a special building in the village of Styal, Cheshire, England. It's a Unitarian chapel, which means it's a place of worship for people who follow the Unitarian faith. This chapel is so important that it's officially listed as a Grade II historic building in England.
A mill owner built the chapel in 1822–23 for his workers. His son later made it bigger in 1867. More parts were added in 1906. The chapel is made of brick and looks like old Gothic buildings. Since 1977, the National Trust has owned it. But it is still used as a Unitarian chapel today.
Contents
The Chapel's Story
Building for Mill Workers
The chapel was first built in 1822–23. It cost about £308 back then. Samuel Greg, who owned the Quarry Bank Mill, paid for it. He wanted a place of worship for his workers. Samuel Greg was a Unitarian. However, many of his workers were Baptists. So, the chapel first served the Baptist faith. But since 1833, it has been a Unitarian chapel.
Early Design and Changes
The first chapel was quite simple. It had a rectangular shape and rectangular windows. It also had a flat roof and a small bell tower. There was even a full-sized pool for baptisms. The chapel did not have a chancel (the area near the altar) or a porch at first.
Samuel Greg passed away in 1834. His son, Robert Hyde Greg, took over the chapel. Robert was also a Unitarian. In 1867, he decided to make the chapel better.
Major Improvements in the 1800s
Robert Hyde Greg added a chancel and a porch. He also added buttresses (supports on the outside walls) and a plinth (a base). The main door was moved to a new spot. The flat roof was replaced with a sloped roof.
New windows in the Gothic style were put in. These windows had beautiful stained glass. A bigger bellcote (a small structure holding a bell) was also built. These improvements cost £1,000.
Later Additions and Ownership
Robert Hyde Greg died in 1878. The next year, a special group was set up to manage the chapel. In 1906, a council room and a vestry (a room for clergy) were added. These new parts were designed by an architect named Thomas Worthington.
The chapel continued to be managed by this group. By 1977, the National Trust owned most of the Styal estate, except for the chapel. The chapel needed repairs, but the managing group could not afford them. So, the ownership of the chapel moved to the National Trust. It is still used as an active Unitarian chapel today.
Chapel Architecture and Features
Norcliffe Chapel is built with brick. It stands on a stone base called a plinth. It also has stone details and a roof made of Kerridge stone-slate. The roof has a stone ridge at the top.
Layout and Windows
The chapel has a main area called a nave with five sections. It also has a chancel with three sections. There is a porch on the southeast side and a council room to the north. The sections are separated by buttresses. Each section has two lancet windows (tall, narrow windows with pointed tops) inside a rectangular frame. The window at the east end has three lights (sections) and a round rose window at the very top.
Porch and Bellcote
The porch is made of timber and is open. It has a pointed roof, like a gable. On the roof of the nave, there is a square, open bellcote. It has a pyramid-shaped roof.
Inside the Chapel
Inside the chapel, you can find special memorials to the Greg family. There is also a font (a basin for baptisms) that was designed by Henry Russell Greg. A pipe organ was put in the chapel in 1884. It was made by Foster and Andrews of Hull and cost £272. This organ has two manuals (keyboards), a pedal keyboard (for feet), and 13 stops (controls for different sounds).
The chapel was officially recognized as a Grade II listed building on 6 June 1984.
See also
- Listed buildings in Wilmslow
