Woodhey Chapel

Woodhey Chapel is a private chapel dating from circa 1700, built against an early 17th-century loggia. It is located in Fadfieldly, Staffordshire. The chapel is constructed of red brick in a Flemish bond pattern, with a slate roof. It consists of a three-bay nave and a single-bay chancel.

Architecturally, the chapel features a moulded stone plinth and rusticated stone quoins. A north-facing entrance door, with a matching dummy door on the south side, provides access. These doors are oak, with four panels, fitted with "L" hinges within semicircular, moulded stone frames topped with keystones. Brickwork fills the fanlight areas at gallery level. Three timber, semicircular-headed, cross windows with leaded glazing are positioned on both sides of the nave, with two similar windows at the east end of the chapel. Bullseye windows, also with leaded glazing in stone frames with four keystones, are located above the nave doors at gallery level.

The loggia, constructed in English bond, projects from the west end of the chapel at gallery level, and is accessed by a flight of nine steps. A wide, oak-boarded door on ornamental strap hinges in a stone dressed opening leads to the space below. The loggia's west-facing facade is characterized by an arcade of three segmental archivolts supported by Roman Doric columns. Above the arcade is a strapwork-decorated frieze and an overhanging moulded cornice. Single, two-light mullion windows in moulded stone frames are incorporated into the north and south flanking walls of the loggia. A south wall door leads to stone steps descending to ground level, and a similar external staircase ascends to roof level at the south-west corner. A pair of oak bolection-moulded and fielded-panel doors with HL hinges connect the loggia to the chapel gallery. The chapel’s eaves feature a moulded cornice and a wide soffit. The hipped roof is finished with sandstone hips and a ridge. The loggia’s roofline continues the west chapel roof slope, but with a lower pitch and a parapet gutter behind the frieze and cornice.

The interior includes east windows flanking a carved, pedimented reredos inscribed with the Ten Commandments in gold. A square, panelled oak pulpit with carved fruit and leaf motifs is positioned in front of the reredos; it has a flat circular base and ogee-shaped support brackets leading to a single turned column. The walls are panelled to window sill level, with plaster above. Oak-panelled stalls are arranged along the north and south walls, and a single row runs along the west wall. A coved, plastered ceiling sits below the gallery. The oak cased, pulvinated gallery beam is separated from the panelled gallery rail by a cornice. The gallery also contains oak pews, fireplace openings in the north-west and south-west corners, and an oak screen with split cane grilles, separating a wall seat for servants from the Woodhey Hall family pews. The chapel and gallery ceilings are formed into thirty panels by slender timber mouldings.

The chapel is a handsome and intact example of a religious structure from a period when few were constructed.