Until 1904, a wooden chapel stood at the site of the stone chapel. The entrance was from the west side, directly from the forest: first, one had to climb the steps to the gallery, and then enter inside. On the eastern side, in a kiot, there was a large icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker depicting events from his life. The size of the miraculous image was impressive: 1 arshin 3 vershoks wide and 2 arshins 10 vershoks high. Next to this icon, on the left side, rose a huge wooden carved figure of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Mozhaisk, crowned and adorned with a metal diadem, holding a sword in his right hand. The entire figure was painted in bright light colors and gold, standing 2 arshins 6 vershoks tall. In front of the figure and the icon hung tin lamps.

On the right side of the same eastern wall was the image of the Protection of the Holy Virgin, as well as the icon of the Deposition from the Cross and the Burial of Jesus Christ, below which was an inscription: "This holy image was painted during the reign of His Majesty Emperor Nicholas Pavlovich, painted by the Kharkov merchant Arzhanov in 1834 and given in 1834." The donor was a local peasant from the village of Ofeney, who engaged in icon painting and later became a wealthy Kharkov merchant. The interior walls of the chapel were painted in various colors in a checkerboard pattern, and on both sides of the icons were picturesque images of the blessing St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the prophet Elijah with a scroll: "I have been zealous and have been zealous for the Lord God Almighty, hearing this prophet."

During the heyday of the famous Kholuy fairs, caravans of carts with goods passed by the chapel, and many carriages rushed with merchants, traders, and buyers. A weary traveler rejoiced when, amidst the dense forest stretching along the roads, he saw a wooden chapel in a large clearing. Here one could rest from the long journey through the shifting sands: in the summer heat, sit under the covered gallery of the chapel and quench thirst with icy water from a well located 20 sazhens from the chapel. Merchants would enter the chapel to pray to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. All passersby left donations in an iron box at the feet of the saint, and at times these were quite significant. These funds were used to support the Nikolskaya church of the village of Neredichi.

Over time, as the Kholuy fairs declined, the ancient Nikolskaya chapel fell into disrepair. Located in a secluded place, it was subjected to attacks by robbers. The icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which was behind an iron grate in a copper-silvered robe, also suffered. The malefactors, thinking that the robe was silver, broke off a corner of it, but upon discovering it was copper, they ceased further plundering. Parishioners repaired the corner with a metal overlay, but the robbers did not stop. The robe was stolen, leaving only a piece of the overlay. To avoid further looting, the clergy of the Neredichi church moved the iron grate into the temple, but the icon still suffered from thieves. The donation box was also repeatedly robbed. The church clergy hesitated to hire a guard for the chapel, fearing for his life. The history of the ancient wooden chapel in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Neredichi ended in 1904 when it burned down and was not restored. At this site, with funds from the peasants of the village of Yudikha, Konstantin Georgievich Uvarov, Alexei Georgievich Uvarov, and Stepan Ivanovich Musatov built a stone chapel.