St John of Nepomuk (chapel)

João Nepomuceno de Freitas Leal had this chapel built in 1776 beside his residence in the locality (sítio) of Folhadal (‘folhado grove’), in the parish (freguesia) of Porto da Cruz (‘harbour of the cross’). The deed of endowment of the chapel is dated 3 November of that year; the endowment was charged on an estate ‘at the place they call the friar’s gate, opposite the resting place, also opposite where the said friar Manuel de Gouveia lives, which he had from his father Pantaleão de Freitas Leal’, as can be read in the deed itself. A licence for it to be blessed was issued on 3 March 1786. By a papal brief dated the same year, the chapel was granted the faculty of a privileged altar.

When the curacy (curato) of Porto da Cruz was created in 1800, the curate was obliged to reside near this chapel and to celebrate divine service in it. It was placed under interdict from 1812 to 1822, because its administrator sought to remove it from parochial jurisdiction.

It always remained in the possession and administration of the Freitas Leal family. Dona Luzia Leal, niece of the founder, bequeathed the little church to Dona Augusta Lomelino de Freitas Leal, wife of Councillor (conselheiro, honorary title of the royal council) Dr João Baptista de Freitas Leal, and their nephews, António Lomelino Bianchi and his brothers, are its present owners (1921). The chapel is well preserved and services are held in it.