Dean Row Chapel, Wilmslow
Encyclopedia
Dean Row Chapel is a Unitarian
place of worship near Manchester
, England
. It is located 2 miles (3 km) east of the town of Wilmslow
, Cheshire
, near the junction of the A5102 and B5358 roads. The structure has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building. The congregation is a member of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
, the umbrella organisation for British Unitarians.
. By 1843 it had become a ruin. It was restored but during the process many of the internal fittings and furniture were lost. The chapel was rededicated on 23 April 1845. A further restoration took place in 1971. Initially Presbyterian
, it later became Unitarian
and is still in use as a Unitarian chapel.
dressings and is in two storeys. The roof is of Kerridge
slates with a stone ridge. The eastern gable
is surmounted by a stone ball and the western gable has a bellcote with a single bell, and a stone ball on its top. Two external staircases lead to the upper storeys and under each staircase is a porch providing an entrance to the lower storey. At the lower level are four two-light chamfer
ed stone mullion
ed windows, and at the upper level six similar windows. In the centre of the wall are bronze
war memorial plaques.
which was formerly on the north side. At the west end is a board containing the names of the past ministers.
with three dials dating from 1871, which was restored for the 2000 millennium
.
and Cross Street Chapel
.
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
place of worship near Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located 2 miles (3 km) east of the town of Wilmslow
Wilmslow
-Economy:Wilmslow is well known, like Alderley Edge, for having many famous residents, notably footballers, stars of Coronation Street and rich North West businessmen. The town is part of the so-called Golden Triangle in the north west together with Alderley Edge and Prestbury...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, near the junction of the A5102 and B5358 roads. The structure has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building. The congregation is a member of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches is the umbrella organisation for Unitarian, Free Christian and other liberal religious congregations in the United Kingdom. It was formed in 1928, with denominational roots going back to the Great Ejection of 1662...
, the umbrella organisation for British Unitarians.
History
The chapel was built around the end of the 17th century soon after the passing of the Act of Toleration 1689Act of Toleration 1689
The Act of Toleration was an act of the English Parliament , the long title of which is "An Act for Exempting their Majestyes Protestant Subjects dissenting from the Church of England from the Penalties of certaine Lawes".The Act allowed freedom of worship to Nonconformists who had pledged to the...
. By 1843 it had become a ruin. It was restored but during the process many of the internal fittings and furniture were lost. The chapel was rededicated on 23 April 1845. A further restoration took place in 1971. Initially Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
, it later became Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
and is still in use as a Unitarian chapel.
Exterior
The chapel is built in red brick with sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
dressings and is in two storeys. The roof is of Kerridge
Kerridge
Kerridge is a village in Cheshire, England, part of the parish of Bollington. Kerridge borders the neighbouring parish of Rainow.It gives its name to Kerridge Ridge – one of the western foothills of the Pennines – by which it stands. It is overlooked by the local landmark of White Nancy...
slates with a stone ridge. The eastern gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
is surmounted by a stone ball and the western gable has a bellcote with a single bell, and a stone ball on its top. Two external staircases lead to the upper storeys and under each staircase is a porch providing an entrance to the lower storey. At the lower level are four two-light chamfer
Chamfer
A chamfer is a beveled edge connecting two surfaces. If the surfaces are at right angles, the chamfer will typically be symmetrical at 45 degrees. A fillet is the rounding off of an interior corner. A rounding of an exterior corner is called a "round" or a "radius"."Chamfer" is a term commonly...
ed stone mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
ed windows, and at the upper level six similar windows. In the centre of the wall are bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
war memorial plaques.
Interior
At each end are galleries with the organ occupying the east gallery. The altar table is at the east end and is enclosed by a curved rail. Also at the east end is the three-level pulpitPulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
which was formerly on the north side. At the west end is a board containing the names of the past ministers.
External features
In the graveyard is a sundialSundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
with three dials dating from 1871, which was restored for the 2000 millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
.
Religious life
Two nearby Unitarian congregations are Chowbent ChapelChowbent Chapel
Chowbent Chapel is a Unitarian place of worship in Atherton, Greater Manchester, England. It was built in 1721 and is the oldest place of worship in the town. It is a member of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches, the umbrella organisation for British...
and Cross Street Chapel
Cross Street Chapel
Cross Street Chapel is a Unitarian church in Manchester, England, famous in civic and national life for its contributions to piety and civil society. Jane Barraclough currently serves as minister at Cross Street, having been inducted in September 2008...
.