Forest Chapel

Forest Chapel is a sandstone building with a Kerridge slate roof and a saddleback tower at its western end, displaying a straightforward design typical of its construction period. The structure remains a simple, functional place of worship with visible period features throughout.

The chapel was founded in 1673 as an outstation serving the parish of Prestbury for the distant forest communities. A major reconstruction in 1834 updated the building while keeping its fundamental form intact.

The chapel holds an annual rushbearing festival on the first Sunday following August 12, keeping alive a custom that has roots in earlier centuries.

The chapel sits in a remote location reached only by narrow country roads through the Peak District, so planning your route ahead is essential. Visitors should prepare for rural driving conditions and allow extra time for the journey.

Inside the chapel hangs a board recording Edmund Brough's 1796 gift of 100 pounds for poor parish members, distributed annually on Candlemas Day. This record shows how charitable giving shaped local welfare long ago.

Location: Macclesfield Forest and Wildboarclough

Inception: 1834

Website: http://achurchnearyou.com/forest-st-stephen

GPS coordinates: 53.24630,-2.03990

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:24