ORIGINS

There has been a chapel on this site for over three hundred years. The first Hyde Chapel was built in the year 1708 during the reign of Queen Anne and it was the first place of Christian worship in Hyde.

The cost of building the chapel was £43 2s 6d (£43.12½p), which even for 1708 was low. Much of the building work was done by members. It was a stone building 16 yards by 8 with a gallery at the east end reached by steps on the outside which was enlarged in 1767 with the addition of a second gallery and a small vestry. The chapel could then seat 290. This is the building on the only picture of the Old Chapel, no picture exists of the chapel before enlargement.

A NEW CHAPEL

In the years which followed, the population of the area increased dramatically and there was a general feeling that the old chapel no longer reflected the local community or its aspirations. So, it was decided to build a new chapel and work began in 1846. The new chapel was opened on 5th July 1848 and the old chapel was demolished soon afterwards.

With its tower and spire, which rise to a height of 145 feet and its long nave and chancel it is often mistaken for the parish church – but this is a Nonconformist chapel just as the first Hyde Chapel was.

The architects, xBowman and Crowther, using what was considered at the time to be the most progressive style, created a building of historical importance because it was the first Nonconformist place of worship in the country built so entirely in the style of a parish church set it its graveyard – an example that many others were to follow.

THE REV HENRY ENFIELD DOWSON

During the long ministry of The Rev Henry Enfield Dowson (1867 – 1925) Hyde Chapel became established as one of the principal places of worship in the town. Mr Dowson himself was so respected that he was granted the Freedom of the Borough of Hyde and, in 1921, at the unveiling of the Cenotaph on Werneth Low it was Mr Dowson who was called upon to dedicate the War Memorial.

Dowson Road and Enfield Street are both named after him. His ashes and those of his wife Lucy are interred inside the chapel, the only two people to have been accorded that honour.

THE CHAPEL YARD

Many of the founders of modern Hyde were members of the chapel and are buried in the chapel yard, amongst them Thomas Ashton, son of a local mill owner who was murdered by union agitators on Apethorn Lane in 1831 and many other members of the Ashton family including Thomas Ashton the first Mayor of Hyde and his son Thomas Gair Ashton, 1st Baron Ashton of Hyde.

The Potter family were also associated with the chapel and Rupert and Helen Potter (Beatrix Potter’s parents) were married at the chapel and are buried in the chapel yard.

THE CHAPEL TODAY

The foundation stone of 1848 states that the chapel is dedicated to “The worship of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” and that is still the main activity today. Services are held every Sunday at 11am and everyone is welcome to attend. The chapel is also a popular choice for weddings, baptisms and funerals.

Hyde Chapel also continues to play an important role in the local community and both the chapel and the hall are used by local groups for meetings, fairs and larger events such as the Gee Cross Well Dressing.

THE FUTURE

The present Hyde Chapel, which is a Grade II listed building is now over 170 years old and age brings many challenges but in recent years the congregation have met them successfully, raising the money needed for important work to the fabric of the building and for the restoration of the chapel’s magnificent pipe organ, some of it with the assistance of the Heritage Lottery Fund.

There is still more to do though and the work continues to ensure that Hyde Chapel will be an important part of the local community for many years to come.