# Forest Chapel > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Forest_Chapel > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Forest_Chapel.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Chapel > Source revision: 1354497639 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use British English|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox church | name = Forest Chapel | full_name = | image = Forest Chapel.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Forest Chapel | pushpin_map = Cheshire | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_mapsize = 250 | pushpin_label_position = left | map_caption = Location in Cheshire | location = [Macclesfield Forest](/source/Macclesfield_Forest_and_Wildboarclough)
[Cheshire](/source/Cheshire) | country = England | coordinates = {{coord|53.2463|-2.0399|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}} | osgraw = SJ 974 722 | denomination = [Anglican](/source/Anglican) | churchmanship = | website = [http://www.rainowchurches.org] | former_name = | founded = 1673 | founder = | dedication = [Saint Stephen](/source/Saint_Stephen) | dedicated = | consecrated = 1834 | events = | status = | functional_status = Active | heritage_designation = Grade II | designated = 14 April 1967 | architect = | architectural_type = [Church](/source/Church_(building)) | style = | groundbreaking = 1673 | completed = 1834 | construction_cost = | closed = | demolished = | capacity = | length = | width = | height = | materials = [Sandstone](/source/Sandstone)
[Kerridge](/source/Kerridge) stone-slate roof | parish = Rainow with Saltersford and Forest | deanery = Macclesfield | archdeaconry = Macclesfield | diocese = [Chester](/source/Diocese_of_Chester) | province = [York](/source/Province_of_York) | rector = | vicar = Revd Simon Gowler | priest = }} '''Forest Chapel''', officially the '''Church of St Stephen''', stands in an isolated position in the civil parish of [Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough](/source/Macclesfield_Forest_and_Wildboarclough) in [Cheshire](/source/Cheshire), England, within the [Peak District](/source/Peak_District) [National Park](/source/National_Park) {{convert|4.5|mi|km|0}} from [Macclesfield](/source/Macclesfield). It is recorded in the [National Heritage List for England](/source/National_Heritage_List_for_England) as a designated Grade II [listed building](/source/Listed_building).{{NHLE |num= 1136676|desc= Church of St Stephen, Forest Chapel, Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough|access-date= 5 August 2012 |mode=cs2}} It is an [Anglican](/source/Anglican) church in the [diocese of Chester](/source/diocese_of_Chester), the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Macclesfield. Its [benefice](/source/benefice) is combined with those of [Jenkin Chapel, Saltersford](/source/Jenkin_Chapel%2C_Saltersford) and [Holy Trinity, Rainow](/source/Holy_Trinity_Church%2C_Rainow).{{citation |url= http://www.achurchnearyou.com/forest-st-stephen/ |title= St Stephen, Forest |access-date=21 March 2011 |publisher= [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England) }} ==History== The original chapel was built in 1673. In about 1720 [Francis Gastrell](/source/Francis_Gastrell), [Bishop of Chester](/source/Bishop_of_Chester), noted that it was not consecrated. The chapel was almost entirely rebuilt in 1834.{{citation | last =Richards | first =Raymond | title =Old Cheshire Churches | publisher =B. T Batsford | year=1947 | location =London | pages =216–219 | oclc =719918}} Originally a [chapel of ease](/source/chapel_of_ease) for [St Peter's Church, Prestbury](/source/St_Peter's_Church%2C_Prestbury), it became the district church for the [chapelry](/source/chapelry) of [Macclesfield Forest](/source/Macclesfield_Forest) and [Wildboarclough](/source/Wildboarclough) in 1906, but in 1973 the latter was combined with St Michael's Church, [Wincle](/source/Wincle), and Macclesfield Forest merged with the [ecclesiastical parish](/source/ecclesiastical_parish) of [Rainow](/source/Rainow).{{cite web |author= |date= |title=St Stephen, Forest Chapel, Church of England |url=https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/CHS/ForestChapel/StStephen |website=www.genuki.org.uk |location= |publisher=UK & Ireland Genealogy |access-date=12 August 2025}} ==Architecture== ===Exterior=== It is built in [sandstone](/source/sandstone) with a [Kerridge](/source/Kerridge) stone-slate roof. The [nave](/source/nave) and [chancel](/source/chancel) are in one range of five [bays](/source/bay_(architecture)). On the south wall is a porch. At the west end is a tower with a [saddleback roof](/source/saddleback_roof) and there are [louvre](/source/Louver)s in the bell-openings. The tower contains one bell. ===Interior=== The interior is very plain. On the chancel wall is a white [marble](/source/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. The east window contains some [Victorian](/source/Victorian_era) glass. The chapel registers begin in 1759 with some loose sheets dating back to 1746. ==Present day== The old tradition of [rushbearing](/source/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.{{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 |archive-date=26 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071026070620/http://www.cressbrook.co.uk/towns/maccforest.php |url-status=dead }} ==See also== *[Listed buildings in Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough](/source/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 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Forest Chapel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Chapel) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forest_Chapel?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.