Built in 1787, it served its local community for more than two centuries – but it is now a scene of torn Bibles, broken organs and smashed windows. Loxley Chapel in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, was closed in 1993, and now sits among overgrown plants as an eerie abandoned place of worship. The Grade II-listed church, once known as Loxley Methodist Church and Loxley United Reformed Church, has been left in a shocking state of disrepair. Scroll down for video . Eerie: Loxley Chapel in Sheffield closed its doors in 1993, and now sits among overgrown plants as an abandoned place of worship . Abandoned: The Grade II-listed church, once known as Loxley Methodist Church and Loxley United Reformed Church, is in a shocking state . Key problem: The Sheffield-based chapel was built in 1787 - but it is now a scene of torn Bibles, broken organs and smashed windows . Boarded up: The cemetery is overgrown with graves being lost in the foliage - provoking outrage amongst families of the deceased . Left behind: A Daily Herald newspaper cutting from 1960 inside Loxley Chapel, which served its local community for more than two centuries . On the floor: The congregation had collapsed to an unsustainable amount by the early 1990s, which saw the chapel’s closure . Plaques: The chapel was constructed in 1787 by Curate of Bradfield the Reverend Benjamin Greaves, along with some of his friends . The surrounding cemetery is also overgrown with graves being lost in the foliage - provoking outrage amongst families of the deceased. The keys of the enormous organ have been smashed to pieces, while a stack of Bibles and hymn books are now strewn across a storeroom. The chapel was constructed in 1787 by Curate of Bradfield the Reverend Benjamin Greaves, along with some of his friends. Upon completion in the 18th century, its consecration was refused because builders would not install an east-facing window for unknown reasons. It was eventually sold at auction for £315 and became an independent chapel, but had an average congregation of 200 worshippers by 1851. However it soon recovered because according to the Religious Census of 1851 the average congregation at an afternoon service was 200. Falling apart: The chapel is believed to be owned by Hague Farming of Bradfield, but nobody at the company was available for comment today . 'Come and worship God with us': Sunday services at the chapel used to be held at 10.30am every week - and once a month at 6.30pm as well . Looking down: Upon completion in the 18th century, its consecration was refused because builders would not install an east-facing window . In and out: It was sold at auction for £315 and became an independent chapel, but had an average congregation of 200 worshippers by 1851 . Used to be busy: According to the Religious Census of 1851, the average congregation at an afternoon service at Loxley Chapel was 200 . Surveying the scene: Looking out into the overgrown cemetery from the abandoned Loxley Chapel in Sheffield . But the congregation had collapsed to an unsustainable amount by the early 1990s, which saw the chapel’s closure. Many of the 240 victims of the 1864 Great Sheffield Flood, one of Britain’s worst man-made disasters, are buried in the cemetery. The flood occurred when the Dale Dyke Dam broke as its reservoir was being filled for the first time. It sent 650million gallons of water cascading into central Sheffield while people were sleeping in their beds. Amongst the bodies that are buried here are the Armitage family, who lost 12 members including five children. RMS Titanic chief officer Henry Tingle Wilde - who is thought to have killed himself as the ship sank in 1912 - was baptised at the chapel. But the state of the church now has caused furious reaction among locals and visitors to the graveyard, who want action. Upsetting: The state of the church has caused furious reaction among locals and visitors to the graveyard, who want action . All quiet now: Sheet music for 'Praise and Prayer - Anniversary Anthem' by Colin Sterne and H Ernest Nichol sits on a pew in the chapel . Church and graveyard: Amongst the bodies that are buried outside are the Armitage family, who lost 12 members including five children . Remembered: A plaque on the chapel wall in memory of the Reverend John Lee, a former pastor who died in 1913 aged 71, and his wife Ellen . Sheet music on a stand: The owner is said to have the freehold of the land, while the grave plots still belong to families of the deceased . Reminder of days gone by: Copies of The Free Church Council Hymnal - priced at fourpence - sit abandoned at Loxley Chapel in Sheffield . Shropshire resident Iain Kelly has relatives buried in the chapel’s graveyard, and said he was ‘shocked’ at its state after visiting there in 2010. Mr Kelly said: ‘After a long search I was unable to identify the family graves and came away quite distressed at the total and utter neglect. Writing on Sheffield Forum, he added: ‘My horror was increased on the discovery that the burial ground is still accepting new customers, as it were. ‘I can’t help but feel that this is a shocking state of affairs being a microcosm of much which is wrong with our society. Here lay our dead. ‘Sheffield people laid to rest in originally quite beautiful surroundings but now ignored and forgotten. How did this come about?’ The chapel is believed to be owned by Hague Farming of Bradfield, but nobody at the company was available for comment today. However, one issue is said to be that while the owner has the freehold of the land, the grave plots still belong to families of the deceased. As a gale swept through Sheffield on the night of March 11, 1864, a water engineer was sheltering under the new dam when he noticed a crack. It was only wide enough to take a penknife, but it stretched along the earthen bank for 50 yards, following a jagged line 12 yards from the top. Just before midnight the dam burst, sending 650million gallons of water cascading into Sheffield in a disaster which killed 240 people in their beds. Great Sheffield Flood: The dam burst, sending 650million gallons of water cascading into the town in a disaster which killed 240 people . Half of those who died instantly were children, and around 60 more were killed as diseases swept through the stagnant water in the aftermath. But historians claim that one of Britain's worst disasters has been largely forgotten because the dead were northern and working-class. For years there was no full-scale memorial to those who died in Sheffield, with only a small memorial stone near Bradfield, where the reservoir stood. The dam was built by the Sheffield Waterworks Company from 1859 to provide drinking water for the people of the fast-growing industrial town. Diasastrous: The dam was built by the Sheffield Waterworks Company from 1859 to provide drinking water for the people of the town . It was also designed to provide a supply of running water for the mills in surrounding villages. But as it was being completed and filled the structure collapsed, sending water cascading down the Loxley Valley - devastating farms and hamlets. The floodwater then moved down to meet the River Don and laid waste to large areas of the centre of Sheffield. Harrowing stories emerged of how many of the victims died. One person who drowned was a new-born baby washed from his mother's arms. Three children died in a cellar while their parents were away. Then a village and now a suburb, Malin Bridge was worst hit - with 102 deaths.
Grade II-listed Loxley Chapel built in Sheffield in 1787 then closed two centuries later in 1993 . Building now sits among overgrown plants as abandoned chapel in shocking state of disrepair . Many of 240 victims of 1864 Great Sheffield Flood are buried in cemetery which is now overgrown . Organ keys smashed to pieces, and stack of Bibles and hymn books now strewn across storeroom .