St Mary's Chapel, Arley

St Mary’s Chapel stands beside Arley Hall in the quiet countryside of Cheshire. Built in the 19th century for Rowland Egerton-Warburton, it was designed by Anthony Salvin in Gothic style to match the owner’s Anglo-Catholic beliefs. A north aisle and porch were later added by G. E. Street in the 1850s. The chapel is made of red sandstone ashlar and brick, with a plain west wall and a richly decorated east end. An octagonal bellcote rises above the south wall, and the east wall holds an oriel window framed by buttresses carved with beasts. The chapel is listed at Grade II*, recognising its special architectural importance. Inside, the nave roof rests on corbels carved with angels holding different shields. A string course along the south wall is covered in ballflowers, and the north arcade has foliage-carved capitals. Three corona chandeliers hang from the roof, and the lectern was made by Singer of Frome. The screen, also by Street, is painted in bright colours, including a radiator grill disguised as a 13th-century tomb. The font’s bowl is carved with foliage and the Agnus Dei, supported by marble columns. The chancel contains a piscina and a triple sedilia, and the east window holds glass by Kempe. Visitors walk through the chapel’s Decorated Gothic spaces and see the fine carvings and stained glass. The porch once linked the chapel to the hall, and the bellcote’s lancets catch the light. The pierced parapet runs around the nave and chancel, adding to the building’s delicate detail. The gardens and hall nearby complete the visit, offering a peaceful setting in the countryside. The chapel remains a private place of worship but opens to the public at times.