Building record 327/2 - The Chapel of St Nicholas, Cholmondeley Park

A private chapel, dating from the late fifteenth century, with later seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth century additions and alterations. The chapel was rebuilt in brickwork in 1717 and the transepts were added in 1829. The chapel has a cruciform plan, a 3-bay chancel, transepts, and a 2-bay nave. The elaborate full height oak panelled interior dates from 1651-55 and is an outstanding example of the craftsmanship of that time. The hammer beam chancel roof dates from the fifteenth century, but the carved trefoil panels, daggers and angels heads indicate that only the canted beams and purlins of the roof remained unaltered after the seventeenth century alterations. The chancel screen dates from 1655, and consists of six carved Corinthian columns supporting an elaborate cornice of strapwork, brackets and dentils surmounted by the carved arms of Lord Leinster, facing east, and the Earls of Cholmondeley facing west. The centre arched opening in the screen has pendant and vine motifs. The communion rail is oak, in five panels, with cross, diamond and roundel motifs. The choir stalls are early nineteenth century oak box pews panelled to contrast slightly with the wall panelling. The large east window contains fragments of Flemish monastic stained glass, with Latin inscriptions, collected by the first Marquis. A stone shell-font, with built-up ogee oak cover and crucifix handle, is against north wall of the chancel. Near the south transept the chancel screen is fronted by a carved oak Jacobean style pulpit approached up a short flight of steps with turned balusters. An oak reading desk occupies a similar position near the north transept, both date from the 1655 alterations. Commandment boards, dated 1655, formerly in the chancel, now occupy positions over the pulpit and reading desk. The nave and transepts are fitted with softwood panelled box pews dating from 1829. The gates to the chapel were formerly part of the/attached to the railing of the Old Hall (1).

The chapel was originally half timbered and was erected in the thirteenth century. Around 1300 a petition was made to make the chapel parochial, this was unsuccessful, but a special license for the celebration of 'divine services'. The chapel became dilapidated through age and through damage sustained during the civil wars, was repaired by the Earl of Leinster in 1652. During the restoration of the chapel and old hall in 1716 the timber framing was found to be insecure and the wattle perished. Sir John Vanbrugh, the architect, encased the chancel in brick and rebuilt the rest in brick with stone facings. In 1829 transepts were added to allow more seating and further repairs and cleaning were undertaken in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The chancel screen is carved in the Tudor Renaissance style and is surmounted by the carved arms of the first Earl of Cholmondeley. The chancel roof dates from the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. The chancel furniture, which includes a reading desk, pulpit, altar rails and holy table, date from the Commonwealth (1649 to 1660). The Cholmondley family pew or ‘Stae Gallery’ is located at the western end of the chapel and extends across the entire breath of the nave and is panelled in the Jacobean style. The east window, containing ancient Flemmish stained glass, was damaged by a German land mine in 1940 (3).

The chancel woodwork has been described by F H Crossley as "the most valuable post-Reformation church furniture we possess in the country"(4).

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, Waggott T 1964 SJ55SW6 (Index). SCH2487.

<3> Richards R, 1947, Old Cheshire Churches, /126-9 (Book). SCH2309.

<4> Dunn F I, 1978, The Ancient Chapel of the Lords of Cholmondeley (Book). SCH3019.

<5> IPC Media, 1897-Present, Country Life, Jackson-Stops G 1973 (Newspaper-Magazine). SCH993.