Chapel Milton

Chapel Milton, in the heart of England's Peak District, is a hamlet on the outskirts of Chapel-en-le-Frith on the road leading from there to Chinley and to Glossop. It is notable for two major features.

The first is the magnificent bifurcating double railway viaduct crossing the Black Brook, tributary to the Goyt, on which Chapel Milton is situated. One section of the viaduct diverges and curves to the west whilst the other (built a little later) curves to the east as the line, coming up from the south, links up with the main line between Sheffield and Manchester. At one time the western section carried express trains from London (St Pancras) to Manchester (London Road). The viaducts now carry considerable loads of quarried stone from the works around Buxton.

The other major feature is Chinley Chapel.^[1] The Christian congregation which has continuously occupied this site almost since its foundation (in a barn at nearby Malcoffe) was founded in 1662 at the time of the post-Cromwellian struggle between a Presbyterian or Episcopalian form for the Church of England. The present 'chapel', of considerable simplicity and beauty, was built, against considerable local opposition, in 1711. It flourishes as a centre of Christian (Congregational) worship. It is part of the Congregational Federation, and the current minister is Rev. Edmonde Openshaw.

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