Ripley School Chapel facts for kids

The Ripley School Chapel is a beautiful old building. It is part of the Ripley St Thomas Church of England Academy in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. This chapel is very important for its design and history. It is officially recognized as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's a special building that needs to be protected.

A Look Back: The Chapel's History

The school where the chapel stands started as a special place for children. It was an orphanage and school called the Ripley Hospital. It was built especially for children whose fathers were lost at sea.

Who Built the School and Chapel?

A kind merchant named Thomas Ripley left money in his will when he died in 1852. He wanted a school built, similar to the Bluecoat School in Liverpool. His wife, Julia Ripley, made sure his wish came true.

The first stone for the school was laid on July 14, 1856. The school officially opened on November 3, 1864. Years later, Julia Ripley passed away in 1881. She had set up a trust to pay for new parts of the school, including the chapel.

When Was the Chapel Built?

The chapel was designed by famous local architects, Paley and Austin. They drew up the plans in 1884–85. The building work took place from 1886 to 1888. The chapel was officially opened and blessed on November 3, 1888.

Exploring the Chapel's Design

The Ripley School Chapel is built in the Gothic Revival style. This means it looks like old churches from the Middle Ages. It is made from sandstone, with a roof of Westmorland slate.

What Does the Outside Look Like?

The chapel is next to the main school buildings. You can reach it by walking through a covered walkway. The outside stone blocks are shaped to match the rest of the school.

The chapel has a main hall called a nave and a special area for the altar called a chancel. These are under one long roof. There's also a side section called a south aisle. At the back, there's a north vestry (a room for clergy) and an organ room.

Look up, and you'll see a tall, thin spire called a flèche. It's at the spot where the nave and chancel meet. This spire has an open wooden section with a balcony and holds one bell. A weathervane sits at the very top. On the north side, there's a small stair turret with a flat top. The windows have fancy stone patterns called tracery.

What's Inside the Chapel?

The chapel is quite large, like a local church. It can seat about 400 people. At the front entrance, there's a waiting area called a narthex. An oak screen separates this area from the main part of the chapel.

The inside design is a bit uneven, which makes it interesting. There's a row of arches, called an arcade, on the south side. In the organ area, the vestry is on the ground floor, with the organ above it.

The chapel's furniture was designed by C. Blades and carved by John Jackson. The choir stalls, where the choir sits, are very detailed. They have fancy tops called canopies and seats with unique "lollipop" shaped decorations. The pulpit (where sermons are given) is made of oak on a stone base. The pews, or benches, are also made of oak.

The large windows at the front and back have beautiful stained glass made by Shrigley and Hunt. In the narthex, you can see white marble busts (sculptures of heads and shoulders) of Thomas and Julia Ripley. There are also special metal plaques, called brasses, to remember them. The large pipe organ was built in 1888 by Wilkinson and Sons. It was updated in 1988.

See also

• Grade II* listed buildings in Lancashire
• Listed buildings in Lancaster, Lancashire
• List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin