Independent School-Chapel, Mobberley Road, Morley Green, Wilmslow

Also called        Congregational Chapel (1881) United Reform Church 

• Opened              21 February 1869  
• Extended           1876, 1883? Early 20^th century

 The chapel at Morley Green opened on 21 February 1869 on land bought from a ‘Mr Henshall’ for £120 and erected at a cost of £700. It became both a day and Sunday school in 1874 and was extended again in 1883 to accommodate all the children. Early twentieth century OS maps indicate an extension to the left of the main building in matching style but with a red tiled roof.

Pevsner suggests that the architect was probably J W Beaumont. Beaumont had completed his articles in 1869 and was employed as an assistant to Corson and Aitken in 1870-1871. Whether he was also acting as an architect on his own account between these dates before formally setting up his own practice in 1873 has still to be established.

The chapel also contained two twentieth century works by the stained-glass architect Walter J Pearce: 

1921     Glass mosaic War Memorial panel. Walter John Pearce.  Commissioned by Morley Chapel at a cost of £33. Following closure of the chapel in 2010 the panel was removed to Wilmslow URC.

1925     Stained glass by Walter John Pearce. Four stained glass windows in memory of John Beaumont who died in 1925- Faith Hope, Charity and Truth. Text – In loving memory of John Beaumont who for 57 years was connected with this church and school as teacher and superintendent. Died 27 January 1925. The windows remain in situ. Information       Richard Fletcher by email

Reference    Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser Saturday 27 May 1876 page 2-   description
Reference    Alderley and Wilmslow Advertiser Saturday 3 June 1876 page 2 – gathering to mark  the completion of alterations and enlargement of Morley Green Schools.
Reference    Macclesfield Express 12 May 2010 - closure