The place-name Chadkirk means 'the church of Chad' and local legend has it that Chadkirk Chapel occupies the site of an ancient monastic cell of St. Chad, dating as far back as the 7th Century. The Chad in question was a cleric who played a prominent role in the conversion of the Mercians to Christianity and was, from 669 to his death in 672, bishop of the Mercian diocese of Lichfield. After his death Chad was elevated to the position of patron saint of Lichfield.
Old documentation implies that there was a church on this spot in the early 14th Century and amongst the earliest occurrences of the place-name is a reference to William de Chadkirk in 1340. The chapel itself is first explicitly mentioned in 1535, which is around the same period to which the oldest parts of the chapel have been dated. Archaeological excavation to the interior of the chapel in 1994 did not reveal any evidence of a building earlier than this, although it cannot be discounted due to the extent of ground disturbance that has occurred over the passing centuries. Also, being limited to the interior, this excavation would not have revealed the foundations of another structure even just a few feet away from the existing building.
Why the chapel was sited in this location is not certain but it could be that the presence of the nearby well, known as St. Chad's or Holy Well and fed by a natural spring had some influence on this. The existing well-housing is quite recent and was probably built in the 18th or 19th Century but it's possible it was a also a much earlier site of pagan worship that was later Christianized, as is often the case with wells elsewhere. It's equally possible that the site was chosen due to the nearby ford across the river Goyt at Chadkirk or the proximity of an early bridge across the river at Otterspool which is know to have been in existence by the end of the 13th Century.
Chadkirk was part of the estates in Romiley and Bredbury owned by the Davenport family after they acquired them from the Lords of Stockport in the 14th century. Since these times the fortunes of the chapel have fluctuated between neglect and reconstruction several times. The present building was originally of an all timber-framed construction on a stone plinth. Today this framing only survives in the north and east walls of the chancel, the others being reconstructed from stone in around 1747.
The chapel is now owned by Stockport Council and has been extensively restored and refitted again during the 1990's. Most recently, in 1999, the finishing touch was completed when new stained glass fitted to the East Window was unveiled on July 18 by The Mayor of Stockport, Councillor Maureen Rowles. The window, designed by artist Kate Davis in consultation with local community groups, was constructed by Ian Hartless using unconventional modern techniques. These involved the sandwiching together of different coloured sheets of glass that were then etched away with acid to achieve the variation in colour required. Elements visible in the final design include children and a dog, with the Marple Aqueduct spanning the River Goyt in the background.
Other notable modern additions to the chapel include a sandstone sculpture of St. Chad, a carved oak gallery front and metal worked crucifix and candle holders. Since completing the chapel restoration work moved on to the Victorian walled garden, which has been superbly restored and is now maintained by the Friends of Chadkirk, a community group formed with Chadkirk's interests at heart.
The chapel is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 1pm to 5pm in the summer, 1pm to 4pm in winter and at other times by appointment for groups and community use. A audio-visual presentation is available which explain the chapel's long history and the story of St. Chad. The chapel is accessible by the disabled, there is no entry fee charged and refreshments and souvenirs can be purchased. The Chadkirk Estate is open 7 days a week and more details can be found about its attractions and facilities at www.chadkirkchapel.org.uk
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On the second info board Martha Gee died on AB/CD/EFGH. N53 Gx4 (B+D)(G-H)(A+B) W 002 05.F(G-E)(F+H)