Kapelle Wellie

The chapel has an eventful and moving tradition, which shows how closely the people in the village have always been connected to their chapel. The chapel was apparently torn down and rebuilt several times. Heinrich Gade writes the following in his book from 1901: The chapel is a timber-framed building with a beamed ceiling, 36 feet long, 22 feet wide, 11 feet high to the ceiling. The tower is made of wood, but was replaced in more recent times (1811) by a brick tower 50 feet high. The bell is from 1615 was recast in 1800 and weighs 125 kg. According to tradition, the chapel used to be a stone one. It is said to have been demolished and the material used, like that of several other churches in the vicinity, to build the castle in Stolzenau. An inscription on the beam reads: OTTO GRAVE TOHR HOYE BROCKHUSEN HET DASSE KERCKE BUWEN LATEN - ANNO 1575 These are the words from the 1901 book, a description of the counties of Hoya and Diepholz. It records the church services and duties of the pastors and farmers: In the holy chapel at Wellie, the preacher has to hold the afternoon service every fourth Sunday. The occupants of the Wellie site must take it in turns to fetch the pastor by wagon. The preacher also has to hold the morning and afternoon service on Thanksgiving Day around Michaelmas.
Read more