Mike Smith 
Chapel-en-le-Frith Through Time 

Chapel-en-le-Frith was founded in 1225, when foresters in the Royal Forest of the Peak were allowed to build a chapel in the forest. Buildings which have survived to the present time tell of a market town that developed into an important stopping place on trans-Pennine routes and played a major role in the history of transport. In the gritstone hills that surround the town, there is a remarkable concentration of ancient halls, as well as a wealth of unspoilt hamlets. As well as highlighting how changes in lifestyle have impacted on the appearance of Chapel, the photographs show that the older parts of the town and the surrounding hamlets have changed surprisingly little. Customs and traditions have also continued into the present century, thanks to the determination of the townspeople to preserve long-established clubs and societies. The story of Chapel-en-le-Frith is about continuity, as well as change.