Church Of St Peter (At Tabley House)

The Church of St Peter, located at Tabley House, is a chapel originally constructed between 1675 and 1690. An 18th-century tower was added later, and the entire structure was moved to its present location between 1927 and 1929. Previously, the chapel stood adjacent to the Old Hall. The building is constructed of red Flemish bond brick with stone dressings and a stone slate roof. It comprises a three-bay nave and a one-bay ante-chapel with a gallery above, along with a tower to the west end.

The north front features four bays, with the three bays to the left having stone mullioned and transomed windows with Tudor heads and hood moulds. Buttresses are located to the left and between the windows. The right-hand bay contains an arched doorway with a tablet above and a winged angel head with a pediment. Stone quoins mark the corners, and ball finials are situated above stone kneelers and at the apexes of the shaped gables. A five-light pointed window is located at the east end. The south front mirrors the north front’s arrangement, except for the addition of a passageway in 1927-9, linking the chapel to the house. The west front has two upper arched windows with stone surrounds and a shaped gable.

The tower, dating back to around 1714, is superimposed on the west front and comprises three stages, the lower stage being wider with stone quoins and a two-light Tudor window with a hood mould. A parapet with stone balusters and ball finials tops the tower. The clock stage is recessed, featuring diamond-shaped clock faces on three sides. Above this is a belfry stage with two-light louvred Tudor openings and stone surrounds, topped with a parapet featuring stone balusters and ball finials.

The interior features a coved ceiling and Jacobean-style panelling along the lower walls, divided by Ionic pilasters with swags across the capitals and an entablature with winged angel heads to the frieze. A reading desk is located in the south-east corner, with ball finials and two large gilded winged angel heads. An octagonal pulpit includes arched panels, a panelled sounding board, and a spiral balustrade. Similarly, the communion rail has spiral balusters. The stall fronts are adorned with bolection moulded panels, and the stalls are arranged down each side. A western screen has a central double door set within an arched doorcase flanked by Ionic half-columns and panelled plinths. The frieze displays winged angel heads, and a broken pediment above is decorated with split pea-pods. At the center of the pediment is a sculpture of St Peter holding keys. The chapel contains panels of Flemish stained glass, and one window, dating to 1895, is by Morris and Co., designed by Burne-Jones and depicting the patron saints of the children of the 2nd Lord de Tabley.