Monument record 1563/10 - Wesley Chapel and Caretakers House

Wesley Chapel (Methodist) and Caretakers House. Situated on the East side of Sunderland Street. Built 1779, enlarged 1799. Interior restored later C19th, but now largely gutted. Red brick; 2 storeys; 4 Gothic head windows, the upper sashes with interlaced "Y" glazing bars and the lowers leaded and with coloured glass. Small contemporary caretakers house attached to rear. (Originally Ministers house of plain character. ) (1) Built on plot known as "Pickfords Eyes". Land and funds donated by John Ryle (first Methodist Mayor). In June 1798 several people killed in chapel when panic broke out as it was feared that the gallery was collapsing. Chapel enlarged July 1798, leaving only 3 original walls. In 1888 described as a "Square brick erection (which) possesses no features of beauty or attractiveness not common to ordinary Preaching rooms" (2).
Originally built in 1779 however a Chapel, Cottage and Stable had previously been used by the congregation since 1743. The Chapel was visited by John Wesley in 1780. Serious structural defects became apparent in January 1798 during a crowded service led by Dr Coke after which the chapel was rebuilt in it's present form. The rebuild was complete in 1799 and worked until 1969.
The walls are brick and the roof is hipped and slated. The West front to the street is of four bays with two tiers of pointed-arched windows. The North and South walls, which are similarly fenestered, have entrances in the foremost bays approached through arched gateways from the street. The interior (67.75 feet by 47.25 feet) has a continuous gallery supported by cast iron columns. In 1902 an organ recess was constructed at the East end at gallery Level and a rostrum pulpit was probably installed at the same time. The original box-pews remain on the ground floor but the gallery pews were renewed in the late 19th Century (4).

<1> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /2/26 (Report). SCH1934.

<2> Davies C S (ed), 1968, A History of Macclesfield, 334-336 1961 (Book). SCH73.

<3> Pevsner N & Hubbard E, 1971, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, /269 (Book). SCH3078.

<4> 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 Number 78 (Book). SCH4548.

<5> Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Revised List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, Borough of Macclesfield 1994/ 147 (Unpublished Report). SCH4570.