The local fishing communities along Austnesfjorden did themselves initiate building their own place of worship. The choice of location was between Sildpollnes and Langstranda, which at the time was an active fishing port and had its own school. Sildpollnes was chosen because of its central and easily accessible position in the fjord. However, since cars became the most important means of transport, the chapel is nowadays rather out of the way.

The colourful altarpiece shows Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and under the painting are the words: "våk å be" ("watch and pray"). It was made by the painter, printmaker and stained glass artist Jardar Lunde who was born in Steinkjær in 1909 and grew up at Trondenes near Harstad. He trained in Oslo at Carl von Hanno's school of painting and the national academy of fine art under the tutelage of Axel Revold who clearly influenced his style. He made stained glass windows for several North Norwegian churches: Hammerfest, Harstad and Båtsfjord.