Redevelopment for the New Millennium.

At St John's, we have recently reached the end of a major redevelopment and re-ordering programme for our chapel. Its aim has been to retain its character whilst at the same time, making it more suited to 21st century needs.  Comments from both our members and visitors agree that we have been largely successful. You will find  a photo gallery of the interior of the chapel as it is now here, and as it was during the renovations here.  

Throughout the 80's and 90's we had increasingly found that the fixed box pews severely restricted the worship activities that could take place. Yet, as so often happens, it takes a crisis to spur action. The crisis arose from the quinquennial inspection of 1991, which pointed to a severe deterioration in the state of the joists under the chapel floor.

At the same time, the national “Disability Act” requiring public buildings to provide easy access and facilities for disabled people, highlighted the need for better disabled provision to take place also. The drawing shows the eventual solution to the disabled toilets issue, with a pleasant new porch on the rear southwest corner of the building.

A new porch could not however solve the problem of the floor. By 1995 various schemes to address this problem had been investigated and the managing trustees had spent much time and tears visiting other churches in the area looking at their recent schemes. The proposal put to church council in February 1995 was to sell the Sunday school and the land south of St John’s Street and fundraise in the hope of raising enough to build on new facilities at the rear and side of the chapel for church use.

No developers were however interested in the purchase of the Sunday school building and associated land. So, the alternative of promoting the Sunday School building more vigorously for community use, and improving the chapel was adopted. It was during this period of consultation that the chapel was Grade 2 listed. Then, in 1999, Holland Associates drew up plans to replace the church floor, create the new porch and alter the north entrance.

After lengthy discussion with groups involved in listed buildings, an agreement was finally made allowing the removal of the pulpit (the old one had woodworm), the fixed communion rail and the replacement of some pews with chairs. The photograph (right) shows the final result. A public address system and a new heating system was also to be installed and some stained glass repaired. Interestingly, when the old floor was removed it was found that the “joists” were actually the rims of cartwheels which spanned the supporting walls.

The building work began on October 5th 2000 and the chapel was reopened on chapel anniversary March 2001 by Mrs Janet Wheatcroft, our (then) oldest member. The scheme finally cost £80,000.00. Since reopening,  the refurbishments have proved their worth and the building is now far more flexible in its use and more user friendly.

Since then, a rolling programme of improvements has improved both buildings. The chapel suffered a “hiccup” when the new floor had to be replaced in 2002 when it became very damp in places. However the problem was corrected; new lighting including emergency lighting was added, a new digital piano purchased and the pipe organ overhauled. In the school new toilet facilities and ramps for disabled access were built and the electricity supply updated and smoke detectors and emergency lighting installed.

The grounds

The grounds were renovated in 2005/6 during which time a factory token dated 1812 was found on the northwest corner of the chapel. It was issued by the British Copper Company – “smelting works at Land ore” – in order to pay workers. During the Napoleonic wars factory tokens replaced small change which was in short supply. This would have been placed there by a “visitor of note” as a good luck tally for the chapel. To continue the tradition a new 2p piece dated 2006 was placed under the re-laid new path. Also found was a small medallion in commemoration of the wedding of HRH Duke of York and the Princess Mary of Teck who were married July 6^th 1893.

Part of the grounds have also been developed by the Sett valley watch group, an environmental group for children, as a wildlife garden, and was opened by Mrs Mary Bennett, a longstanding member of our church. it gives a pleasant and secluded place for visitors or passers by to rest awhile.

The Sunday school building.

In 2006 the High Peak Circuit needed new circuit offices and St John’s offered its stage area and north rooms for conversion. The stage was removed to provide two-storey storage areas for the chapel and playgroup and the rooms converted to office use.

The Sunday school now, in 2008, is used by many more village groups and hopefully will provide a vibrant centre of activities for all ages. The “rolling programme” continues with plans for a new kitchen and further redecoration. The possibility of a new “green” roof with photovoltaic tiles is being actively considered!