ChadKirk Chapel Updates
News and updates from the Friends of Chadkirk
The Friends of Chadkirk £295 to The Cherry Tree project
The Friends of Chadkirk are very pleased to donate £295 to The Cherry Tree project – the money will go towards providing food this Christmas for local families in need.
The Friends of Chadkirk are very pleased to donate £295 to The Cherry Tree project – the money will go towards providing food this Christmas for local families in need. The money was raised from our free Christmas events (the Singalongasanta, two Christmas Carol services and the performance of A Christmas Carol.
Rachel Bresnahan of The Cherry Tree Project (left) with Angie Clark (centre) and Pat Baker from the Friends of Chadkirk.
This is half of the takings and donations for those events – the other half goes to the Friends of Chadkirk to help fund activities during the year, and towards the chapel and garden. The photo shows Rachel Bresnahan of The Cherry Tree Project (left) with Angie Clark (centre) and Pat Baker from the Friends of Chadkirk.
Our thanks to everyone who everyone who attended our events and supported us. A Merry Christmas to you all!
Car park closure
In order to carry out essential tree work, Electricity North West will be operating in Vale Road Car Park on Sunday 13 July. For this work to be carried out safely, it will be necessary to temporarily close the car park to the public on this day.
In order to carry out essential tree work, Electricity North West will be operating in Vale Road Car Park on Sunday 13 July. For this work to be carried out safely, it will be necessary to temporarily close the car park to the public on this day.
We apologise for any inconvenience- but the work does need to be carried out. Thanks very much.
Friends of Chadkirk chair and president receive Mayor’s award for services to the community
Pat Baker and John Pengelly received framed certificates from Councillor Suzanne Wyatt, Mayor of Stockport in a ceremony at Stockport Town Hall. Councillor Wyatt paid tribute to their commitment; Pat's work in the gardens and the Coronation Meadow were celebrated, as was John's work at Chadkirk, at Stockport Hydro and for his years as a school governor.
It’s hard to know where Chadkirk Chapel, and the estate, would be without the support of the Friends of Chadkirk. Almost certainly, the chapel would no longer be open to the public at all, apart from weddings. The walled garden would likely not be maintained in the way that it is now.
Certainly, there would no community events. From the well dressing to the regular end-of-month open days, Chadkirk as a community space wouldn’t exist without the Friends of Chadkirk.
The Friends is not a large group. It has separate ‘teams’ for gardening, events and the kiosk – and there is a committee to provide oversight. All of these people work hard on behalf of the community, but the driving force behind the Friends is its leadership – Pat Baker, our president, and John Pengelly, our chair.
Pat also manages the gardening team and oversees the work there – and has for many years. John’s involvement runs deep, he liaises with the council on many issues, manages many of the Friends’ initiatives, and proactively works hard on behalf of the community for the chapel and the estate.
This hard work has just been recognised by the council, when both Pat and John this week received a Mayor’s award for their services to the community.
They received their framed certificates from Councillor Suzanne Wyatt, Mayor of Stockport in a ceremony at Stockport Town Hall. Councillor Wyatt paid tribute to their commitment; Pat's work in the gardens and the Coronation Meadow were celebrated, as was John's work at Chadkirk, at Stockport Hydro and for his years as a school governor.
It's hard to imagine Chadkirk without the Friends of Chadkirk, and it’s hard to imagine the Friends of Chadkirk without Pat and John.
Ghost story night, 2024
I thought I would share a few pictures and thoughts of the ghost story night, held last Friday (13 December).
As ever, the evening was run by our amazing volunteers – and it was quite an amount of work to prepare the event. Our kiosk team provided the refreshments, I was aided by John and my wife Ruth setting up the chapel the day before. One the evening the whole team helped to run the event and then put everything away at the end. The large candelabra was provided by Judith, and it really helped to set the scene. I think you’ll agree it looked amazing.
We were again fortunate to have both Colin Sykes and Janette Sykes join myself in telling the stories. Colin has a long career in journalism, including as a BBC presenter. Janette is also a highly experience journalist. Both are wonderful performers and we thank them for bringing their time and talent to the event.
Telling ghost stories at Christmas was a Victorian Christmas tradition – although it’s something that has taken place for many years before. The Victorians view Christmas a little differently to use – yes, a festive time, but also a period of closeness to the spirit world. Close to the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, this was seen as a time when the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead was at its thinnest – making ghostly apparitions seem at least possible.
Charles Dicken is, in many ways, the man who invented much of how we now see Christmas. He wrote many ghost stories, and his classic ‘A Christmas Carol’ blended both the spirit of the season and the supernatural in a way which not only set into place how we think about Christmas but also popularised the telling of ghost stories during the holiday season.
During that period, and for some time before and since, there was an explosion of writing tales of the supernatural. Except to enthusiasts like me, much that writing is unknown to many people. Yes, we’ve all heard of writers such as MR James, Bram Stoker and Edgar Allan Poe, but there were many, many other popular writers.
We drew the core of the performance from that time, but also added a modern tale by Ray Bradbury. The set list was: The Raven, by Edgar Allan Poe; The Marble Hands, by Bernard Capes; The Crowd, by Ray Bradbury, The Four-Fingered Hand, by Barry Pain; The Mystery of the Semi- Detached, by Edith Nesbit; A Vine on a House, by Ambrose Bierce; A Man Who Dwelt in a Churchyard, by MR James.
The event was free (as many of our events are) but we received a record amount in donations and our refreshments enjoyed brisk business. Other than costs, all time is donated free – and the income from the night, minus those costs, goes towards creating other events and our projects in the chapel and around the estate.
Thanks to all who took part and to everyone who came.
We also added more signatures to our petition to help us raise funds to improve the path around Chadkirk, making it accessible to all and safer to walk.
Please sign our petition to help get Chadkirk’s path’s repaired
The footpath around the Chadkirk fields is in desperate needs of repair, and the Friends of Chadkirk are seeking grant funding. Part of the criteria is to demonstrate Chadkirk's value to the community. We need your support to do this, by gathering signatures and support via this online petition. If you'd like to see improvements made to the path, please add your name and share this petition with others.
If you’d like to see the path around Chadkirk repaired, we need your support (and signature).
As those of you who walk around Chadkirk will have noticed, the path around the fields is in desperate need of repair. Rain floods even the good parts of the path, creating muddy puddles. Many parts of the path are eroded, rocky and uneven. Some parts of the path are too narrow for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
What the Friends of Chadkirk would like to see happen is for the path to be repaired, widened where possible – and made accessible. This will also include improved (accessible) gates and signage.
The council is prepared to put up some of the money required, if the Friends of Chadkirk will match the amount offered by them. We have some money set aside from your donations and income from the open days. However, this is a substantial and expensive project, and we are far from having the necessary funds.
To achieve this, we’re applying for funding from various sources. Part of the funding criteria is to show Chadkirk's value to the community. We really do need your support to do this – and it will only take a minute. If you'd like to see improvements made to the path, please sign our petition and share it with others.
Sign here, it will only take a minute
Open day – October 2024, all dressed for Halloween
Some photos from Sunday's open day at the chapel, taken by our volunteers - the chapel dressed for Halloween. A very busy day, with lots of visitors. If you were one of them, thanks for coming!
Some photos from Sunday's open day at the chapel, taken by our volunteers - the chapel dressed for Halloween. A very busy day, with lots of visitors. If you were one of them, thanks for coming!
It takes a fair bit of work to do something like this, so special thanks to our volunteers for setting this up and clearing it away.
Chadkirk ‘Mark Matthews’ Photography Competition 2024
The entries for the Chadkirk ‘Mark Matthews’ Photography Competition 2024 - held in memory of Mark Matthews, a keen photographer who loved Chadkirk, who died last year. There is some fabulous work here from people of all ages.
Here are all of the entries for the Chadkirk ‘Mark Matthews’ Photography Competition 2024 - held in memory of Mark Matthews, a keen photographer who loved Chadkirk, who died last year. There is some fabulous work here from people of all ages. These include the winners, but I'll pop those into a separate post. We had two prize winners who each received a £50 Amazon voucher. Our thanks to Gavin Sturgeon of Dog Haus Creative for judging the entries.
Winner: adult category
Winner: under 16s category
Chadkirk Artist of the Year 2024
Fabulous day yesterday at the Chadkirk Artist of the Year competition. The weather wasn't fantastic, no doubt leading to us having fewer artists than expected, but there were still enough to make it a spirited competition.
Fabulous day yesterday at the Chadkirk Artist of the Year competition. The weather wasn't fantastic, no doubt leading to us having fewer artists than expected, but there were still enough to make it a spirited competition. The work was outstanding - it's amazing how different people can look at the same things and create something that is so utterly different. The three winners stood out from some tough competition and, as with last year, it was very hard to narrow it down to the finalists. Well done and thank you for all who took part and made this such a great day - and thanks to everyone who came down to watch. Each of the winners went away with a £50 Amazon voucher. We also displayed the entries (and winners) in the Chadkirk ‘Mark Matthews’ Photography Competition 2024 - again, a great creative effort and two people won £50 Amazon vouchers.
Our thanks to local artists Sarah Riley and Pippa Hicks for helping judge the event.
Chadkirk well dressing 2024
Chadkirk’s well dressing took place on Saturday 27 July. Hundreds of people attended and, while the weather wasn’t its best, it kept mostly dry. The day was a great success and raised hundreds of pounds for Chadkirk.
Chadkirk’s well dressing took place on Saturday 27 July. Hundreds of people attended and, while the weather wasn’t its best, it kept mostly dry. The day was a great success and raised hundreds of pounds for Chadkirk.
The well dressing is Chadkirk’s largest community event. It centres around the blessing of the ancient well – a tradition which likely began in the late 1700s, although it is based on the veneration of wells, which took place for many hundreds of years before that.
Above photos courtesy of Gavin Sturgeon of Doghaus Creative, based in Romiley.
Running up to the day, our volunteers create the floral designs used to dress the well. This begins with a collaboration of ideas – this year’s was to celebrate Chadkirk’s industrial past. Designs are created first in pencil; then they are coloured as a reference for those who will create the panels. However, it is the availability of specific flowers, more than anything else, which dictates the final colours of the designs.
Damp clay is placed into wooden panels – it is damp so that the plants can live for as long as possible, and to allow them to be pressed easily into the panels. The pencil designs are placed over the panels, and pins are used to ‘trace’ the design onto the panel by creating pinpricks where the lines are. This provides an accurate framework within which to place the flowers and seeds which make up the design.
Finally, the flowers are pressed into place. The whole process takes a few days. The volunteers work incredibly hard; the work takes place within the chapel and members of the public are welcome to come along, visit, and join in.
Early on the day, volunteers place the panels around the well – on a specifically made framework, built around the well’s sloping ground.
Above photos by Peter Labrow
The well was blessed by Father Gregory Hallam, from St. Aidan's Orthodox Church, Manchester, accompanied by Stockport’s Major, Councillor Suzanne Wyatt. The Mayor was held up in traffic (well, it is Romiley!) so the blessing began before her arrival.
Above photos by Peter Labrow
Entertainment was provided by the Stockport Silver Band, Stockport Ukulele Players and Stockport Morris Men. There were stalls selling locally grown plants, second-hand books, cards, paintings, crafts and Chadkirk Comfrey Oil. Local community groups also took part; there was a making and crafting stall and, of course, a tombola!
It takes a lot of work to organise and run the day. Volunteers are on site from early in the morning, dressing the well, setting up gazebos, setting out the stalls, putting out road signs, preparing refreshments and so on. The road is closed for the blessing and the team uses walkie-talkies to manage the crowds and the traffic. All of the money raised goes to the Friends of Chadkirk and is used to provide entertainment on open days and for projects to help maintain and improve the Chapel, garden and estate.
Chadkirk ‘Mark Matthews’ Photography Competition 2024
After our hugely successful ‘artist of the year’ competition last year, we decided this year we would add another competition: The Chadkirk ‘Mark Matthews’ Photography Competition. The competition is named after the late Mark Matthews, a prolific photographer who loved Chadkirk. The winner in each category will receive a £50 Amazon voucher.
After our hugely successful ‘artist of the year’ competition last year, we decided this year we would add another competition: The Chadkirk ‘Mark Matthews’ Photography Competition. The competition is named after the late Mark Matthews, a prolific photographer who loved Chadkirk. The winner in each category will receive a £50 Amazon voucher.
The rules are simple. You can use any camera or phone. You can be any age - we will be awarding prizes in two categories, ‘under 16’ and ‘16 and over’. You can be amateur or professional – although we ask you to declare this so. (For the purposes of this competition, we define professional as ‘earning money regularly’ from your work). Work is judged on its merit, but we do need to take skill levels into consideration.
Your photograph can be of anything on the Chadkirk Estate – including the chapel, Chadkirk Trail, farm, fields, Kirk Wood, down by the River Goyt at Chadkirk bridge and ford. It must not be Ai-generated.
You can submit up to five photos. The maximum file size for each photo is 10MB.
Please note: by submitting your photographs, you agree to allow us to print your photo(s) should they win or be shortlisted, add your photos to our website and Facebook group as the competition unfolds – and use them on promotional material.Your photographs remain yours, you just allow us to exhibit them online and in the chapel.
All entries must be submitted by 11 August 2024.
The entries will be judged by the Friends of Chadkirk committee. All shortlisted entries will be printed and displayed in the Chapel on our August open day – Sunday 25 August.
This competition is now closed and entries are no longer being accepted.
The Decibelles return for a great concert
Sunday 17 December, The Decibelles Choir returned for another wonderful Christmas concert. They played to a full house – in fact, based on enquiries after tickets were all sold, we could likely have hosted two nights.
This video includes four songs from the evening: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year; The Three Kings; Santa Baby; Twelve Days of Christmas.
Thanks for buying a cuppa
When we open the chapel (usually the last Sunday of the month) the kitchen is always super-busy – serving drinks, cakes and snacks.
The kitchen wasn’t always there (in fact, nor was the loo). It was added, along with the balcony above, when the chapel was refurbished. And that – was quite some time ago.
As those who volunteer to work in the kitchen will attest, was something of an ergonomic nightmare. Not enough storage, not enough room, everything is in the wrong place. It was designed to hold one person (a member of the council’s museum team) but to make the kiosk work, it needs to hold at least two.
People like coming for a drink and a bit of entertainment, but it became apparent to the volunteers who staff the kiosk that something needed to be done.
So, this year’s ‘big project’ for the Friends of Chadkirk has been to fund a refit of the kitchen. This has provided far more storage space, a double-sink, more space to work (that is also better organised) and a new fridge. All of this has been paid for by the Friends of Chadkirk – or, more accurately, it’s been paid for by YOU.
When you have a brew at Chadkirk, buy a cake, attend a paying event or donate, your money goes back into the chapel – in one way or another. Signage, a PA system, tablecloths, cups, toys for children, walkie-talkies for events – that kind of thing. Now and again, we have enough to do something bigger. (Not many people realise that the lovely east window of the chapel was paid for by the Friends of Chadkirk.) This year, it’s the kitchen.
True, visitors don’t go into the kitchen, but many – if not most – benefit from the work that goes on there. The goal was to bring the kitchen up to date and make it work better for the volunteers. The project was driven by one of that team, Frances Holmes, who organised the suppliers, getting quotes in, getting plans drawn up, gathering views of the team and so on. Once the work commenced, it was overseen by our chair, John Pengelly – because these kinds of projects always have the odd thing come to light that wasn’t apparent at the offset. This time, it included moving some electrical sockets, for example.
We chose a local supplier (from a shortlist of all local suppliers) CLJ Installations. Chris Jones (owner of CLJ) has done a cracking job, always looking at the best way to do everything, open to ideas, easy to get on with – and a great interior installation fitter.
So, thanks to Frances, John, Chris, Ann (who manages the kiosk volunteers), all of the kiosk volunteers – and a special thanks to you, each and every person who drops in for a brew, a snack, to watch a performance or to donate. Every penny makes a difference and it all goes towards making Chadkirk better for everyone.
Chadkirk, by local artist David Lee
I had the real privilege yesterday of meeting local artist David Lee, at his home studio in Hatherlow. Those of you who have visited the chapel will likely have seen a drawing by David – it's one he did of the chapel back in the late 1970s/early 1980s.
At the time, the chapel was disused – and the farm was still a working farm. The chapel was generally left open and was used to store farm equipment. Indeed, the old equipment you see in the garden used to be kept inside the chapel.
There was no kitchen or toilet, and no balcony. Just one large space. The drawing took him two days.
David has very kindly allowed us to use the sketch on our promotional materal. In the chapel, you will see it on the left as you enter, as part of our 'welcome to Chadkirk' noticeboard – and it is also used on our 'chapel open today' sign. It's a terrific piece of work.
As you can see from these photos, he's drawn lots of local places, and places around the Peak District. These days he mainly paints rather than working in pencil. He's currently working on a painting of the open barn at Chadkirk.
Those who are interested in having a copy of the Chadkirk Chapel drawing can have a high-quality, framed print, direct from David, for £80. Just contact him on 0161 430 7307 and mention that you've come via the Friends of Chadkirk website.
Christmas 2023 and New Year 2024
Sunday 26 November – Phoenix Bell-Ringers and Quattro Venti (flute quartet)
From 12:00 noon until 4:00 pm
We welcome back the wonderful Phoenix Bell-Ringers and excellent flute quartet, Quattro Venti. The Phoenix Bell-Ringers will be playing a mixture of traditional and modern pieces – it’s wonderful to hear this sound inside the chapel. Quattro Venti return to perform a couple of sets of both classical and contemporary music. Quattro Venti have performed at the Tatton Manor, Wilmslow Garden Centre for Christmas and at Werneth Band concerts. There is no charge for entry. The chapel is open to the public, with snacks and hot and cold drinks on sale – cash only.
Sunday 10 December - Christmas at Chadkirk - Christmas Carol Services
Services 2:00 pm and 4:00pm
Our two traditional Christmas carol services – and what better setting for a traditional service, with hymns and readings, than Chadkirk Chapel? This event is tickets only, but tickets are free of charge. We do ask, please, only book tickets if you intend to come and not ‘just in case’ – we have limited space and this stops others from coming and leaves the chapel looking empty. Services are 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm and include a mince pie reception. Tickets 2:00pm: https://tktp.as/EAWPTD and 4:00 pm https://tktp.as/EJSEFS
FRIDAY 15 December – Christmas at Chadkirk – Musical Benefit Concert for NK Theatre Arts
6:30 pm for 7:00 pm
Our annual Christmas concert features a fabulous group of local performers, including some of our regulars as well as from Romiley’s NK Theatre Arts, with Christmas pieces old and new, readings – and yes, some stuff you’ll love to sing along to. And, for pantomime lovers, there will be a fun performance of Cinderella. Fun for all the family! All profits from the event goes to NK Theare Arts and Romiley Forum. The concert starts at 7:00 pm, doors open at 6:30pm. We will be selling alcoholic drinks and refreshments – cash only. This event is tickets only, tickets are £10 each (which includes a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie) – tickets are available from Gainsborough Interiors, in the heart of Romiley.
Saturday 16 December – Christmas at Chadkirk - Ghost Stories
6:30 pm for 7:00 pm
Telling ghost stories at Christmas was a popular tradition in Victorian Britain – and the Friends of Chadkirk are reviving this tradition. Imagine: the chapel, dimly lit – in the corner by the statue of St Chad, a storyteller. There will be gothic tales to chill the bone, along with alcoholic drinks and refreshments to warm the spirit. Readers include ex-BBC presenter Colin Sykes and his wife Janette - plus a few of the Friends of Chadkirk. This event is tickets only, but tickets are free of charge. We do ask, please, only book tickets if you intend to come and not ‘just in case’ – we have limited space and this stops others from coming and leaves the chapel looking empty. The event starts at 7:00 pm,doors open at 6:30pm. All refreshments are cash only. Tickets: https://tktp.as/EDVIJC
Christmas at Chadkirk - Decibelles Carols by Candlelight
6:30 pm for 7:00 pm
Another favourite returns again for Christmas, the brilliant Decibelles Choir – singing by candlelight. The ladies will be singing a wide range of pieces, old and new, in two sets which promise a very special evening. All ticket fees go to the Friends of Chadkirk plus a nominated charity. We will be selling alcoholic drinks and refreshments. This event is tickets only, tickets are £10 each (which includes mulled wine and a mince pie) – these are available from Gainsborough Interiors, in the heart of Romiley. All refreshments are cash only.
Sunday 31 December – Chapel open to the public
The chapel is open to the public, with snacks and drinks on sale, from 12:00 noon until 4:00 pm. All refreshments are cash only.
Sat 6 January 2024 – Chadkirk Wassailing 2024
4:45 pm for 5:00 pm
We’re kicking off 2024 with an evening of wassailing down at Chadkirk, on Saturday 7 January. What is wassailing, I hear you ask? Orchard-visiting wassail is an ancient custom, where people gather in orchards to sing, dance and promote the good harvest for the coming year. We will meet at the car park on Vale Road; please arrive by 4:45pm. From there, at 5:00pm, the Stockport Morris Men will lead a torch and lantern procession down to the chapel, where the wassailing ceremony will be held in the walled garden, followed by Morris dancing in the Chapel. Hot drinks (including mulled cider) will be on sale, along with snacks such as biscuits and cakes. Any children attending will need to be accompanied by adults. This is a ticketed event, to help us manage numbers, but tickets are free. We would please ask that people only order tickets if they are sure they can come, because numbers are limited, and this would stop others attending. There will be no entry to the chapel to access the facilities, watch the Morris Men or buy refreshments without a ticket. The event starts at 5:00 pm, be there at 4:45 pm please. All refreshments are cash only. Tickets: https://tktp.as/EOVMCO
Half-year round-up 2023
We thought it would be useful to provide a half-year round-up of all that is Chadkirk. We generally open on the last Sunday of the month and we've really tried to take things up a notch this year, putting on events most Sundays.
We thought it would be useful to provide a half-year round-up of all that is Chadkirk. We generally open on the last Sunday of the month and we've really tried to take things up a notch this year, putting on events most Sundays.
We started the year with the Wassailing – one of quite a few events we’ve run this year for the first time. Despite the rain, this was a lot of fun for young and old alike – anyone who was there to see the procession, the blessing of the tree – and the Stockport Morris Men.
In February, The Luvvies band played to a full house – giving a modern vintage charm to some of the finest songs across the decades… from old standards to modern music… and they will be back soon.
This was followed by a musical duet, with Roger Pearce on piano, and Gordon Robson on clarinet and bass clarinet. The music included a mixture of light pieces.
We were busy at Easter time; our traditional Easter Sunday service , followed by our annual children’s Easter egg hunt on Monday, which was as popular as ever – so popular, we became dangerously close to running out of chocolate.
This was followed in April, by our second garden party. We’d trialled this last year, providing a quiet alternative to the Romiley street party. This year, we drew a bigger audience, for the outstanding performance by James and Maria – plus, a visitation by a couple of Daleks.
In May, flute quartet Quattro Venti performed two sets, both inside the chapel and also outside in the courtyard – it’s always special to hear acoustic music in the chapel.
The annual well-dressing festival was probably our most successful event this year – a massive turnout for the day, and people came the week before to try their hand at creating floral panels. The Chadkirk Vikings were a big success, and providing further entertainment were Stockport’s “trio” of Silver Band, the Ukulele band and the Morris Men.
Our Chadkirk Artist of the Year competition was another hit and an event first – despite the challenging weather – with around thirty people competing for three £50 prizes. Also in attendance were the Stockport Ukulele band and Romiley Railway modellers, with their child-friendly railway.
We followed this the next month with another new event – our artist exhibition, bringing local artists together to provide a chance for them to show their work to the community in one place.
Also, our bird- and bat-box making day gave younger people a chance to create – well, boxes for birds and bats!
Performing a couple of times across the year, were the Phoenix Handbell-Ringers – another special sound to hear in the chapel.
And finally, The Luvvies returned to enliven our September open day……. Phew!
It’s not all about the ‘special events’ either. It’s the Friends of Chadkirk’s volunteers which keeps the walled garden in such tip-top shape, working hard on it throughout the year. We also have tai-chi sessions throughout the year.
So – what’s coming up?
We’ve got a special event planned for our open day on Halloween Sunday, and then we head through the November open day towards Christmas. In addition to the traditional carol services, there will be an exciting Christmas weekend of entertainment. And – yes – there will be another wassailing in January. Tickets for Christmas events will be available later in the year on a first-come, first-served basis.
As a community organisation, the Friends of Chadkirk provided all of this entertainment free (although some of our events, especially at Christmas, are ticketed and paid). This year was the first time we sold alcohol at some of our events – and you’ll be pleased to hear that this will continue for selected events.
The funding for these events came from donations and takings for refreshments. And we don’t just use these to provide entertainment.
Over the last year, we’ve invested in a PA system, a set of large gazebos, temporary road signage for events, walkie-talkies and high-viz jackets (to make our volunteers feel important). We’ve paid for and installed new information signs in the chapel – and our biggest project this year is to refurbish the kitchen and kiosk. All of these help us to provide better, safer events for everyone.
Everything at Chadkirk is run by volunteers. We’re always short of these, especially for the bigger events, so if you want to get involved, please get in touch.
Chadkirk wassailing 2023
On 7 January 2023, Chadkirk held its very first wassailing. Wassailing is an ancient tradition, where orchards are visited to thank the trees for last year’s crop and to both bless them for the coming year and ward off any demons which might spoil the crop.
On 7 January 2023, Chadkirk held its very first wassailing. Wassailing is an ancient tradition, where orchards are visited to thank the trees for last year’s crop and to both bless them for the coming year and ward off any demons which might spoil the crop.
The wassail started in the car park on Vale Road. Once the crowd was gathered, the children took part in a draw to choose a wassail king or queen. This year, fortune favoured us having a king.
Then, led by the Green Man and the Stockport Morris Men, the procession walked to Chadkirk’s walled garden, for the wassailing ceremony.
Bread, soaked in cider, was attached to the trees as a gift to the robins, which protect the trees from harm. Then the Green Man led the wassailing chant, after which the entire crowd made as much noise as possible to ward off evil spirits which might spoil the crop this year.
Everyone retired to the chapel to enjoy some mulled cider (or apple juice) and cake, while the Stockport Morris Men gave an outstanding performance.
We’d like to thank everyone who came, all of the Chadkirk volunteers for keeping the event safe, the Green Man (Mike Howell) and the Stockport Morris Men. Everyone gave their time for free, to keep the event free. Proceeds from the refreshments go to the Friends of Chadkirk to help with both running events like this and maintaining the chapel, garden and estate.
Little Wood path consultation
Little Wood path
The Friends of Chadkirk are exploring the idea of having the (currently closed) path through Little Wood reopened and designated as a ‘Covid memorial path’. Stockport Council are looking at the best way to commemorate those in the borough who lost their lives in the pandemic.
We feel that somewhere people can go recreationally, to reflect, is a better way to pay tribute than somelike like a statue – after all, during the pandemic Chadkirk was a place of recreation and reflection which many needed, discovered or valued.
The path itself will need work to reinstate it; it also crosses a small amount of private land (the reason it was closed) and may need redirecting. The work would in part be funded by the Friends of Chadkirk. We’d like your views on this – and these views are especially welcome if you are a long-time resident of the area and have previously used the path and now miss it.
If you can take a few minutes to fill in our questionnaire, we’d be grateful. And please pass it along to others who may be interested. (You only need to sign into Google if you need to save your answers in order to return to them later.)
Fill in the form here (takes a couple of mins):
Christmas at Chadkirk draws to a close
As the year comes to an end, at Chadkirk we finished on a high, with our two Christmas concerts. Both were pretty much sold out.
A selection of three pieces from the two Christmas events: Jingle Bells, Coventry Carol and Santa Baby.
As the year comes to an end, at Chadkirk we finished on a high, with our two Christmas concerts. Both were pretty much sold out.
We’d like to thank everyone who came, braving the cold, windy and wet weather to listen to a range of Christmas songs and readings. We’d also like to thank everyone who made this happen: the musicians, the conductors and the organisers. Special thanks to everyone who volunteered to help run this event.
Bring on 2023 – when we kick off 2023 with our wassailing evening, on 7 January. The event is free, and some tickets are still available.
Our Thanks to Dobbies
The Friends of Chadkirk are enormously indebted to Dobbies for kindly donating a tree to the chapel. Those coming to the concerts this week will be able to see the tree, fully dressed, in the chapel. Thanks very much!
John Pengelly, chair of the Friends of Chadkirk, with the tree at Dobbies
The Friends of Chadkirk are enormously indebted to Dobbies for kindly donating a tree to the chapel. Those coming to the concerts this week will be able to see the tree, fully dressed, in the chapel. Thanks very much! (Pictured is John Pengelly, chair of the Friends of Chadkirk.)
Chadkirk in the Cheshire Gardens Trust newsletter
The wonderful work done in Chadkirk’s walled garden was featured recently in The Cheshire Gardens Trust newsletter.
The wonderful work done in Chadkirk’s walled garden was featured recently in The Cheshire Gardens Trust newsletter.
It was lovely to see Chadkirk featured in the Cheshire Gardens Trust newsletter for October 2022. The write-up covered the history of the chapel and the estate and included photos of the chapel, the well, the farmhouse and the statue outside the chapel.
Chadkirk remains something of a hidden gem in the Stockport area, so any coverage which introduces the chapel and the estate to a wider audience is very much welcome.
From the newsletter: The area around Chadkirk was already settled during the Anglo-Saxon period, but quite possibly earlier. Today, much of the land around Chadkirk is owned by Stockport Council. The site has been designated as a country park and local nature reserve. It sits on the east side of Stockport, close to Marple, just off the A627. There is a car park and the area around the chapel and into the woods can be accessed at all times. The chapel is open on the last Sunday of the month, 12 noon to 4pm, supported by a strong Friends of Chadkirk group.
From the readership’s perspective, the gardens are a key draw – and it’s the work of the Friends of Chadkirk which keeps the walled garden in wonderful condition all year around. All of the work is done by Friends, and by some stalwart volunteers who donate their time and energy to the upkeep of the garden.
Our thanks to the Cheshire Gardens Trust.
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