NOTES ON HOPE CHURCH. 7 | 
Vicarage, Hope, Sheffield, 
February 16th, 1881. 
Dear Sir, 
The Chancel of Hope Church having been pronounced 
“dangerous,” it is about to be taken down ; if you should wish 
on behalf of your Society to send a competent man to inspect 
the Chancel, I shall be glad to show him hospitality, and would 
meet him at Miller’s Dale station. There is no time to lose ; 
tenders for the new Chancel are to be sent in on or before 
Feb. 24th. 
Yours truly, 
HENRY BUCKSTON. 
Arthur Cox, Esq. 
This letter was received on the 17th February, just after the 
Council of the Society had met. Before the Council met again, 
I had received a letter from a gentleman in the neighbourhood, 
who is not a member of our Society, but who is well known as 
an authority on archzological matters. In this letter, referring 
to Hope Church, are these passages—‘T am told that the 
Sedilia are to be moved further eastward "—‘‘it seems a question- 
able kind of restoration to remove Sedilia, generally the most 
important landmark of any old Chancel. It is also proposed to 
remove the lead from the roof and substitute slate, and to raise 
the pitch of the roof ”—* the Church is in the gift of the Dean 
and Chapter of Lichfield ; I can hardly believe that the patrons 
can know of the substitution of slate for lead, and the removal 
_ Of a portion of the history of one of our oldest Peak churches ””»— 
_ **the architect’s name is Abbott, of Sheffield.” The Council 
of the Society met on the 7th of March, when it was resolved to 
Send over Messrs. W. H. St. John Hope and F. J. Robinson, on 
_ the part of the Society, to Hope, in order that they might report 
upon the proposed plan of restoration. The Society also 
_ enquired as to the experience of the architect named Abbott. 
The Vicar of Hope was informed of the proposed visit of 
_ Messrs. Hope and Robinson, and replied thus :— 
