England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Chapel le Dale St Leonard

The Parish

The chapelry of Chapel le Dale lies in the extreme west of Yorkshire not too far from its border with neighbouring Westmorland. Chapel le Dale is located about 4 miles north east of the small town of Ingleton and like its larger neighbour both are chapelries within the broad parish of Bentham. Chapel le Dale sits on the B6255 road which connects Ingleton with Hawes. Chapel le Dale is a small upland farming settlement a tiny place of a few farms and cottages dominated all around by high, sheep-covered, moorland, some of the greater heights of the Pennines being all around. Modern developments did come to the area, the phenomenal effort to push the Settle to Carlisle railway line through the area resulted in the engineering monument of Ribbleshead Viaduct which lies just a few hundred yards northeast of Chapel le Dale. Today the upland farming is supported by a healthy tourist area, the region being famed for its hiking with the Dales Way National Trail amongst many paths. Chapel le Dale sits on the headwaters of the River Doe which drains the chapelry southwestwards merging with the Great and then the Lune to reach the Irish Sea through Lancaster. Chapel le Dale is sited at around 250 metres above the sea but is dominated by mighty Ingleborough which rises to 724 metres just a few miles to its south. Chapel le Dales's acreage was extensive though seldom, seemingly, separately recorded from that of its mother parish, it population was also sparse being fewer than 200 parishioners. Chapel le Dale is not specifically recorded in Domesday Book.

The Church

St Leonard's church sits just west of the B6255 on the western side road of the Doe's valley, known as Roman Road. The church is tiny, as befits its small congregation with nave and chancel combined into a single unit and topped with a western bellcote. The church is a fairly recent one being first constructed in the 17th century , that bellcote was added in the 18th century alongside many alterations whilst like many churches it was fully restored in the 19th century when the porch was also added. Roman Road is very narrow but there is a pull-in at the eastern end of the site with room for a car or two. The churchyard has a rough-hewn local stone wall surrounding it with an arched lychgate granting entry. Once within there are few obstacles for the photographer.