Listed Building record MDO4831 - Chapel west of Manor Farm, Stourton Caundle

The nave of a medieval chapel, which in 1869 was described as consisting of nave and chancel, and the chancel had lancet windows and a wagon roof. The surviving building is used as a barn. The building has walls of rubble with ashlar dressings, and a tiled roof with stone-slate edges.

The chapel, said to have belonged to the 'castle' (see ST 71 SW 2), stands 300 yards south west of the church. Hutchin's described it in 1769 as comprising a chancel and a nave, the chancel having lancet windows on each side and a wagon roof. Today, only the 13th century nave, 21 1/2 feet by 18 1/2 feet, survives. It is used as a barn. To the south of the chapel, a level rectangular area and a fragment of wall on the east, suggest a former burial-ground. Human bones are said to have been discovered. <2,3>

ST 71321492 A range of farm buildings has been attached to the east end of the chapel, otherwise it remains as described by RCHM <2> and in a fair state of preservation. (see photograph). There is no trace of a burial ground to the south, this area now being covered by a concrete yard, and slurry pit. Detail as shown on 1:2500 AM. <4>

Chapel, formerly listed as Barn. Grade II*. <5,6>

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 scale, 1927 (Map). SWX1197.

(ST 71321492) Chapel (NR) (remains of)

<2> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 267 (Monograph). SDO136.

'(2) Chapel (71331493), said to be of 'Stourton Castle' (but see (18)), stands 300 yds. S.W. of the church. Hutchins's continuator (III, 667) described it in 1869 as comprising a chancel and a nave, the chancel having lancet windows on each side and a wagon roof. Today, only the 13th-century Nave (21½ ft. by 18½ ft.) survives; it is used as a barn.

The walls are of rubble with ashlar dressings and the roof is stone-slated in the lower part and tiled above. Much of the E. wall is modern, but original quoins survive at the N.E. and S.E. corners. A vertical straight-joint near the S. end of the E. wall probably marks the S. respond of the former chancel arch. The N. wall, 2 2/3 ft. thick, has a doorway with a chamfered two-centred head, continuous jambs and a segmental-pointed rear-arch; to the E. is a lancet window with chamfered jambs, wide internal splays and a chamfered trefoil rear-arch. The S. wall is 1½ ft. thick and appears to be modern; nevertheless it retains one lancet light, as before, with truncated splays and with no rear-arch; the S. doorway is modern. The W. wall is 3 ft. thick and mediaeval; the jambs of a modern opening in the gable include stones from a mediaeval window. Graffiti on the jambs of the N. window and doorway include a cross scribed in a circle and dated initials of 1694; a similar scratching of 1697 occurs on the jamb of the S. window. To the S. of the chapel, a level rectangular area and a fragment of wall on the E. suggest a former burial-ground; human bones are said to have been discovered.'

<3> Hutchins, J, 1868, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. Volume 3. 3rd edition, 667 (Monograph). SDO11486.

<4> Barrett, G, Various, Field Investigators Comments GB, F1 GB 14-AUG-78 (Unpublished document). SDO17369.

<5> DOE (HRR), 1984, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: District of North Dorset, 77 (Scheduling record). SDO17668.

Dec-1983

<6> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 403 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 202267 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 23 2024 3:08PM