Edale Chapel is an early Methodist chapel within the Peak District National Park. This Grade II late Georgianbuilding remains relatively unchanged since its origin in 1811. The Chapel was built with an upper gallery which needs restoration to be accessible. It has little effective heating and no water or sanitary provision. It is, however, used for 6 services annually plus occasional concerts and is well supported by local people and by Edale's many visitors who comment on its atmosphere, tranquility and historic appeal.

The Chapel is on an ancient drovers’ cross-Pennine route used now by walkers and cyclists on the way to the Moors (designated a National Nature Reserve 2009) and Kinder Plateau. Close by is the Pennine Way, the first long distance trail, opened in 1965. Today this theme of journeying continues in Edale evidenced by having six of the top ten most used footpaths listed by Ordnance Survey.

Our project will:

Repair the roof; Restore the fabric of the main building, treating damp, re-plastering; Install a water supply and accessible toilet; Create a small first floor office to house Edale Society's historical archives and artefacts; Remove the false ceiling to open up the disused gallery creating additional capacity for concerts, etc; Record and restore the currently hidden gallery's original architectural features, pews and paintwork; Install ecologically appropriate and sustainably sourced power and heating appropriate to this historic building; Install basic kitchen and storage facilities; Create a sensory herbal garden and drinking water fountain/tap; Create disabled access and parking.

With improved / new facilities we can: Open the Chapel for individuals and groups, knowing it is equipped to welcome and engage a wider range of ages, capabilities and interests; Develop a programme of music and arts and crafts workshops and performances responding to site and heritage, (current audience capacity 55, with restored gallery 100 -110) ; Develop interactive displays exploring the Chapel’s history, its environment and place in the development of Methodism in this region, a little known area of heritage.

We will explore the social history of the working inhabitants of Edale, for e.g. 19th century game keeper William Belfitt, gardner Micah Tym, and gold digger Henry Barber. Visitors are a key part of Edale's heritage. The Chapel was established after a peripatetic Wesleyan preacher requested refuge in a snowstorm.We wish to celebrate this place as a refuge and resource creating leaflets, website and displays with walks, cycle and horse routes linking places of historic interest and telling visitors’ stories. These include accounts of early ramblers from the cities defying the law, drovers and jaggers, orphans from Edinburgh brought to work in the Mill, railway navvies,...all with stories to tell. We can give both locals and visitors the tools to enjoy and interpret this historic landscape