Chapel In The Ward Of Peckforton Castle

The chapel in the ward of Peckforton Castle is a private chapel built in the mid-19th century by Salvin. It is constructed from rock-faced sandstone and features a tile roof. The building consists of a two-bay nave and a single-bay chancel that is narrower and less lofty. It has a projecting weathered plinth and diagonal buttresses at the nave corners. The north entrance to the nave has a Gothic-headed oak door with ornamental strap hinges, set in an opening with an edge roll and hood mould that includes faces as stops. The windows are designed with one to three lights, featuring trefoil heads and multifoil-crown lights in those with mullions. The chapel has a moulded stone eaves cornice and shaped rafter feet, along with gable coping that includes moulded kneelers and gablet finials. Stone cross finials adorn both the nave and chancel, and there is a cruciform stone bellcote over the chancel arch, which is partly corbelled out on the chancel side and topped with a stone pyramidal roof and weather-vane.

Inside, the chapel features an arcade of three shallow Gothic arches that separate the south aisle from the nave, with a stone-vaulted ceiling that supports the castle's wall walk at that point. An oak reredos is inscribed with the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments, and the communion rail is held up by twisted wrought iron supports. The choir area has single benches with poppyheads, and the nave benches also feature poppyheads. The south vestry has a studded door with ornamental strap hinges, set in an opening with a shouldered lintel. The chancel boasts an arch-braced roof supported by corbels carved as faces, along with an eaves cornice based on open trefoils. The west baptistry contains a carved stone font with a carved oak cover. The nave is supported by arched braced trusses with single hammer beams and braces that rest on stone face corbels, and there are ashlar pieces at the feet of the rafters.

Although modest in size, the chapel is an important part of the overall ensemble of Peckforton Castle.