Monument record 2948/1/2 - Site of 'Providence' Congregational Chapel, Swanlow Lane

<1> Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME), 1994, An Inventory of Non-Conformist Chapels and Meeting Houses in the North of England, Cheshire, Report (Book). SCH4548.

Congregational Chapel. 'Providence Chapel', built in 1814-15, was superseded in 1865-8 but survived in Sunday school use until 1880. The present chapel (CHER 2948/1/0), by John Douglas of Chester, has walls of red and yellow patterned brickwork in the Lombardic style with an arcaded loggia entrance.

<2> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, Over Township, c1846 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

Two buildings are depicted on the tithe map for Over Township (c.1846) in Plot 330 which is described as Croft and Chapel, Acres 0, Roods 2, Perches 5, owned by John Heath and occupied by Martha Hodgkinson. Both buildings are located in the north-eastern extent of the plot, but one in the far north-east corner, orientated on Swanlow Lane, lies within a small rectangular plot defined by a boundary; this would appear to be the chapel. The second building lies just to the south within the boundary of the wider croft. By the time of the later First Edition OS map (source 3), the second building appears to have disappeared, however, the chapel is still depicted, sitting within its rectangular plot, which seems to be slightly enlarged and is labelled 'Grave Yard'. Also depicted, is the new 'Independent Chapel' built by John Douglas in 1864-5 (CHER 1948/1/0), together with two smaller buildings immediately to the east. By the time of the Second edition OS map (source 4), at the end of the nineteenth century, the old chapel has disappeared, though the 'Burial Ground' remains, also the buildings to the east of the new chapel are now conjoined and are labelled 'Manse' (see CHER 1948/1/3).

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.