Newchapel in 1817

Description from A Topographical History of Staffordshire by William Pitt (1817)

NEWCHAPEL.

New Chapel, is a village and chapelry in the northern part of this parish (Wolstanton), at least five miles north of the mother church. It is situated on a good sound upland of mixed loam. There are several coal-works in this part of the parish. 

The Chapel is a modern structure of brick, with two double rows of pews, and a small west gallery. It has no tower, but a cupola with a small bell ; and is endowed with land at Norton-in-the-Moors, and Burslem, with some small annuities, and surplice-fees. The Rev. John Lawton is the present minister. 
In the chapel-yard is a plain altar-tomb inscribed : " In Memory of JAMES BRINDLEY, of Turnhurst, Engineer, who was interred here, September 30, 1772, aged 56." 

This ingenious man resided at Turnhurst, a mansion in this parish, and is well known as the inventor of the modern system of artificial canal navigation.