| Administrative History | Chinley Independent Chapel originated in the meeting in 1662 of a congregation at Ford Hall, home of Reverend William Bagshaw. He was ordained in 1650 by the laying on of hands of the Presbytery and from 1652-1662 he was the vicar of Glossop. The Act of Uniformity 1662 stipulated that only those who were ordained by Bishops could be ministers and along with many others (it is said 2000) the Reverend William Bagshaw gave up his living and became an itinerant preacher, famous as "The Apostle of the Peak". The Ford congregation later moved to a barn at Malcoff which was converted into a chapel. On his death in 1702, he was succeeded by the Reverend James Clegg who ministered to the congregation until his death in 1755 and is well-known for his diary published as "The Diary of James Clegg of Chapel en le Frith 1708-1755 edited by Vanessa S Doe in 3 volumes for the Derbyshire Record Society 1978-1981. Early in his pastorate, a new chapel was opened at Chapel Milton and this building is still in use. |
| Custodial History | These records were deposited in August 1998 and October 2000. |