Anniversary of author’s birth will see tourists flock to town (From Knutsford Guardian)

Anniversary of author’s birth will see tourists flock to town

9:50am Sunday 7th March 2010

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CELEBRATIONS marking the life of Elizabeth Gaskell are set to coincide with the completion of a £300,000 project at the church where she is buried.

Brook Street Chapel is putting the finishing touches to an access improvement programme for disabled people and those with mobility problems.

The project should be completed by June, meaning many more of the thousands expected to descend on Knutsford will be able to visit the Cranford author’s final resting place.

People from across the world are set to visit the town for the 200th anniversary of the birth of Gaskell, who grew up in Knutsford.

Beulah Cornes, who is helping to organise the church’s bi-centenary celebrations, said: “We started this project five years ago as people were finding it so difficult to get to the chapel.

“So it’s a coincidence that it’s come to fruition in the bi-centenary year but it’s good timing.

“The chapel was the spiritual home of Elizabeth Gaskell when she lived in Knutsford and it is where she and her family are buried.”

At present, people in wheelchairs can only go to one service a month, held in the Victorian Schoolroom.

A lift for people with mobility issues is being installed in the Schoolroom to connect it to the main church.

There will also be a wheelchair- accessible path so that disabled people can visit the author’s grave.

Other improvements later in the year are likely to include new toilet facilities and a display room for exhibitions.

Miss Cornes added: “It’s been delayed because of the bad weather but it should be finished in June.

“The priority really is to make sure everybody who wants to go in the chapel can do, including the congregation and visitors.”

The Brook Street Chapel team has also organised a host of events to commemorate the bi-centenary.

This will start with a flower festival held between May 14 and May 17 when the church will work in partnership with Knutsford and District Flower Club.

Miss Cornes said: “This is one of the first bi-centenary events in Knutsford. We’re hoping it will be ready as we have so much going on.

“People are pleased. It’s a beautiful chapel and it’s really exciting because Knutsford has been overlooked.

“No one has taken advantage of the town’s heritage to get people into Knutsford before.

“It’s a community event and organisations have linked together to take part.”

Work is currently ongoing at Brook Street Chapel but most people will not even know that anything is happening as the project will only alter the rear of the church to protect the building’s heritage.

The chapel’s foundations are believed to date back to 1688 and it is a Grade I listed building.

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