St Saviour
Thurlstone, Yorkshire
Near the Pennine Trail and very dog friendly!
There are no grand features, no stained glass windows or statues but there are some intriguing details for you to see.
The Rich family of Bullhouse Hall were supporters of the Vicar of Penistone (Revd Henry Swift) who favoured the simplicitiy of the puritan forms of worship. After the death of the Revd Swift, Elkanah Rich decided to build a chapel in his own grounds.
On the 18th April 1692 the chapel was opened as a place of worship for a congregation of Protestant Dissenters. The first minister was Revd David Denton, who was said to have a congregation of 200.
The pulpit is the focal point of the building and is believed to be the original. See the communion plates created for the 300th anniversary and coats of arms from the heraldry of the Rich family.
Bullhouse Chapel has remained independent and has never been affiliated to any denomination at any time. It is much appreciated by local people whose family names appear in records going back generations. Some may now attend different churches but are interested and supportive of any events at Bullhouse. Some of them, and others in the neighbourhood, still look to the chapel for baptisms, weddings and funerals.