It’s taken me a long time to get round to seeing this place but see it I did. It’s very sad to see a listed building in this sorry state with the owners ambivalent to its fate. What makes the plight of places like this so tragic is the fact than many people’s loved ones are buried here. It’s quite a well-known place with a history so here it is…
The Chapel was built in 1787 by the Rev Benjamin Greaves (the then curate of Bradfield) together with some of his associates. Shortly after its completion consecration was refused because builders would, for some unknown reason, not install an east-facing window. It was eventually sold at auction for the princely sum of £315 and so became an independent chapel. A decade later it started performing baptisms in 1799 and the first officer of the Titanic, Henry Tingle Wilde was apparently christened here. Notably a significant number of the 240 dead from the Great Sheffield Flood of 1864 are buried in the cemetery. This includes members the Armitage family, who tragically lost 12 of their number, including five children. Here's what the chapel looked like in the later 1800's:
Loxley Chapel by HughieDW, on Flickr
Latterly the chapel became known as the Loxley United Reformed. It is a Grade II listed building and has been on English Heritage at risk register since August 1985, prior to its closure in 1993 after the congregation had reached an unsustainable level. The chapel is apparently to be owned by Hague Farming of Bradfield (who also own Canon Brewery, Thornsett Lodge and the Hallam Tower Hotel – spot a trend here?) One major issue is that while the current owner has freehold possession, the grave plots still belong to the respective families of the dead.
Here are the pictures.
Making my way through the graveyard;
img2621 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The chapel soon appears on this very fresh morning:
img2614 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Some of the not-so-bright locals have got here before me:
img2553 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Gravestones abound:
img2613 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2555 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Some grander than others:
img2611 by
HughieDW, on Flickr
OK – in we go. Here’s the altar:
img2561 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Why do people smash-up stained-glass windows?
img2562 by HughieDW, on Flickr
In memory of…
img2565 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2563 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Up the stairs we go:
img2569 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Pew No.4:
img2581 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Pews with a view upstairs:
img2603 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2585 by HughieDW, on Flickr
No, I didn’t go up the ladder:
img2571 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The magnificent organ:
img2583 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Pipes in good order, keys not so good:
img2575 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2605 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The stops are somewhere in the middle:
img2576 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Architectural detail:
img2610 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The bible room has seen better days:
img2598 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2593 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Print of an old engraving on the floor:
img2599 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Meeting room at the back:
img2590 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2591 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Cute back-room stove:
img2600 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The ‘arty’ shot:
img2601 by HughieDW, on Flickr
OK, not strictly urbex but it was Halloween!
img2623 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Thanks for looking!
The Chapel was built in 1787 by the Rev Benjamin Greaves (the then curate of Bradfield) together with some of his associates. Shortly after its completion consecration was refused because builders would, for some unknown reason, not install an east-facing window. It was eventually sold at auction for the princely sum of £315 and so became an independent chapel. A decade later it started performing baptisms in 1799 and the first officer of the Titanic, Henry Tingle Wilde was apparently christened here. Notably a significant number of the 240 dead from the Great Sheffield Flood of 1864 are buried in the cemetery. This includes members the Armitage family, who tragically lost 12 of their number, including five children. Here's what the chapel looked like in the later 1800's:
Latterly the chapel became known as the Loxley United Reformed. It is a Grade II listed building and has been on English Heritage at risk register since August 1985, prior to its closure in 1993 after the congregation had reached an unsustainable level. The chapel is apparently to be owned by Hague Farming of Bradfield (who also own Canon Brewery, Thornsett Lodge and the Hallam Tower Hotel – spot a trend here?) One major issue is that while the current owner has freehold possession, the grave plots still belong to the respective families of the dead.
Here are the pictures.
Making my way through the graveyard;
The chapel soon appears on this very fresh morning:
Some of the not-so-bright locals have got here before me:
Gravestones abound:
Some grander than others:
HughieDW, on Flickr
OK – in we go. Here’s the altar:
Why do people smash-up stained-glass windows?
In memory of…
Up the stairs we go:
Pew No.4:
Pews with a view upstairs:
No, I didn’t go up the ladder:
The magnificent organ:
Pipes in good order, keys not so good:
The stops are somewhere in the middle:
Architectural detail:
The bible room has seen better days:
Print of an old engraving on the floor:
Meeting room at the back:
Cute back-room stove:
The ‘arty’ shot:
OK, not strictly urbex but it was Halloween!
Thanks for looking!
