Chapel Stile

(See also Great and Little Langdale and Little Langdale)

Chapel Stile, on the Brathay River, is a Langdale quarry village. The area was known for its green slate, and in the 19^th century slate houses were built for quarrymen. At the same time a gunpowder works was opened to supply the quarries.

The large green slate church of Holy Trinity was constructed in 1857 on the site of an earlier church which Wordsworth called his 'sequestered and simple place of worship'. The Victorian church and its tower were built in the decorated Gothic style. The church has several stained glass windows. In the churchyard is the gravestone of the Reverend Owen Lloyd who was related to Wordsworth's brother. A poem written by Wordsworth in Lloyd's memory is on the stone.

Up a narrow country road, Chapel Stile is watched over by Silver How.

Location Map of Chapel Stile
Chapel Stile is 4 miles west of Ambleside on the B5343.
Restricted parking.

Photos courtesy Graeme Dougal and Charles Winpenny

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