Fulwood Old Chapel

The Chapel and its History

The Chapel itself is a very attractive but simple building built in 1728. This was thanks to William Ronksley of Fulwood, who left £400 in his will, the interest to be saved and used to build 'a large and handsome Chapel'. It was built as a chapel for Dissenters from the Church of England, and has sometimes been served by ministers from Upper Chapel, the Unitarian Church on Norfolk St, Sheffield. The present congregation dates from 1934, when the chapel was re-opened for Unitarian worship by Rev John McLachlan.
		It is a Grade 2 listed building with an adjoining school room on one side, now the meeting room, known as the Deeley Room and home for the Junior Chapel. To the rear is a well equipped kitchen and on the lower side is the old Chapel House where once the chapel minister would reside. To the front is the garden which, although small, is lovingly cared for and, facing south, catches the sun for much of the day. Work in July 2003 has changed the look of the garden, many of the old and well loved plants were moved to other locations to make room for the new disabled access.
	The Ancient Village Stocks were moved to the Chapel's garden when the road was widened some years ago to accommodate the advent of the motor car ... and remain there to this day! Directly opposite the chapel is one of the entrances to the park leading to Forge Dam where there is a cafe and children's play ground. The park is not only appealing to photographers for Christenings, Baptisms and Weddings but also to the children of the Junior Church who can often be seen enjoying themselves there on the more sunnier of Sundays rather than being constrained to the slightly more tedious restraints of the Chapel Meeting Room