“And Mary said, Behold the
handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.”

 

Luke 1:38

 

The Stapleton Chapel

          15th Century Family Chapel

The chapel was built by the ancient Stapleton family of Carlton. There is a monument to Lady Elizabeth Stapleton (pictured) which occupies the space where the original altar would have been. This beautiful monument was erected in 1683,

Many members of the Stapleton family are buried within the chapel, including Knights and other notable people such as Thomas Stapleton, a well-known learned antiquary at the beginning of the 19th century.

In the past, the stained glass windows contained armorial bearings, but these have now been lost. At the official visitation in 1633, the windows in the Stapleton chapel were all reported as broken, and have since been replaced without the armorial representations.

The Stapleton Chapel was built in the 15th century. It was very common for families of influence to build their own chapels, and both the Stapleton and Dawnay chapels are fine examples.

The Stapleton family have a rich history. Carlton Towers at Carlton-in-Snaith is the Yorkshire home of the Duke of Norfolk. In 2019, the house is occupied by Lord Gerald-Fitzalan-Howard and his wife Lady Gerald Fitzalan-Howard, brother of the 18th Duke of Norfolk, Lord Edward William Fitzalan-Howard. Their father, the 17th Duke, was Lord Miles Francis Stapleton Fitzalan-Howard.

During the Second World War, Carlton Towers was used as an auxiliary military hospital. Although the family still live in part of the house, Carlton Towers is used these days mainly for wedding receptions and other special events.

The current home of the Stapleton family, Carlton Towers, near Snaith