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Summary

Remains of a medieval chapel dedicated to St Eloy, a 7th century French saint.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1223320: CHAPEL OF ST LOYE
• Scheduled Monument 1003868: St Loye's Chapel and cross, Rifford Road

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX99SW/13
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)
• Old SAM County Ref: 85

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHAPEL (First mentioned, XIV - 1387 AD to 1387 AD)

Full description

Untitled Source, 163-164 (Migrated Record). SDV15340.

Described as a far-gone ruin.

Lysons, D. + Lysons, S., 1822, Magna Britannica. Devonshire, 265 (Monograph). SDV323771.

Oliver, G., 1839, Ecclesiastical Antiquities in Devon, Vol. 1, 44, Engraving (Monograph). SDV365839.

St Eloy's Chapel near Wonford is first mentioned in 1387. Described at 40 feet long by 22 feet wide with three lancet windows on either side.

Worthy, C., 1892, The History of the Suburbs of Exeter, 18-26 (Monograph). SDV24928.

Clarke, K. M., 1904-1905, The Conventual Houses of Exeter and the Neighbourhood, 141 (Article in Serial). SDV24921.

Lega-Weekes, E., 1920, Saint Loye's, East Wonford, Devon, 360-363 (Article in Serial). SDV23278.

St. Loyes Chapel, Rifford Road, Exeter. The ruins remain of a medieval chapel dedicated to the 7th century French saint, St. Eloy. St. Eligius and St. Loye are the Latin and English forms of the name. This is the only known such dedication of a church or chapel in Devon or Cornwall. The structure is Early English, about 1190-1275. Three walls remain, the roof and north wall are lacking. Internal dimensions must have been 10.75m x 5.74m. There are three lancet windows in the south wall. The earliest documentary evidence of the building is a record of issue of licence by Bishop Brantyngham in 1387. As early as 1607 half the chapel was let as a dwelling and by 1785 it was used as a stable. A cross stands close by (see PRN 17810).

Ancient Monuments, 1923, Untitled Source (Site Visit). SDV24909.

Considered on a site visit to be in fair condition. Built in 1377 by Henry Twill.

Everett, A. W., 1940-1941, St. Loye's Chapel, Wonford, 62-65 (Article in Serial). SDV22566.

The building is orientated almost exactly north-east. The walls are constructed of conglomerate stone found at Whipton, where there was once a quarry, with a fine-grained sandstone, mostly whitish in colour, in the window embrasures and quoins. The dimensions of the building are 12.25m x 7m externally and 10.75m x 5.5m internally. The three unevenly spaced lancet windows in the south wall are 2.15m high x 0.33m wide. The west wall originally had a lancet window 2.45m high x 0.5m wide. The east wall contains one small quatrefoil window in the gable about 0.5m in diameter. The doorway was in the north wall which had fallen by about 1800. It is suggested that the church at Frithelstock Priory, the ruined chapel in Buckfastleigh churchyard and St. Loye's Chapel are the work of one master mason.

Joce, T. J., 1943, Exeter Roads and Streets, 122 (Article in Serial). SDV24923.

Fox, A., 1951, Twentieth Report on Ancient Monuments, 34 (Article in Serial). SDV24924.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953, SX99SW67 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV24908.

Site visit noted that little care was being taken of the building.

Department of Environment, 1974, Exeter City, 227 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV22994.

Ruins of 14th century chapel, now in centre of housing estate. South wall and most of east and west walls remain. Original window opening is visible in west wall, others overgrown with ivy. Heavitree stone. Three bays.

Weddell, P. J., 1982, Untitled Source (Worksheet). SDV24910.

Site visit found the building to be a ruin surrounded by allotment gardens. Three walls remain standing to what was probably roof height. The interior is used as compost heap and there is also a garden shed built inside. The masonry looks to be in reasonable condition although it was not closely examined. There is ivy on the south wall. The lancet windows in the south wall make an early 13th century date certain.

Falla, T. J., 1983, Heavitree, 40 (Monograph). SDV24929.

Nenk, B. S. + Margeson, S. + Hurley, M., 1991, Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1990, 142 (Article in Serial). SDV24914.

Excavation and fabric recording by EMAFU in 1990. The footings of the north west wall were located, but no occupation levels or internal floors were found. Fabric recording showed that north east wall had quatrefoil window with arched embrasure in gable. South west wall had broad lancet or narrow 2-light window replaced by broader late 15th century window. Three narrow lancets survive in south east wall.

DCMS, 1991, Scheduled Monument Consent Letter (Correspondence). SDV24907.

SMC granted for corner of housing unit and landscaping proposals.

Orme, N., 1991, The Medieval Chapels of Heavitree, 124 (Article in Serial). SDV24915.

Built between c.1370 and 1470. Three lancet windows have led historians to ascribe a 13th century origin. The first documentary reference, however, is in 1387 and the windows can, perhaps, be explained as survivals of an older tradition in a relatively small vernacular building. Probably in part a domestic foundation linked to a large house. Its later function and popularity are obscure.

Cox, P. + Chandler, J., 2004, Archaeological Assessment of the proposed construction of the Walter Daw Primary School, Woodwater Lane, Exeter, 2 (Report - Assessment). SDV321662.

Parker, R. W., 2009, St. Loye's Church, West Wonford, Exeter. A Late 19th Century School-Chapel (Report - Survey). SDV348177.

The medieval chapel of St. Loye may have been founded by the Tirrell family as a domestic chapel connected with their mansion. A dispute over offerings in 1401, however, suggests that it was also used by members of the local community and travellers. By 1607 documentary evidence shows that half the building had become a dwelling and 1785 it had become a stable. The surviving remains are of a freestanding structure, probably of 13th or 14th century date.

Leverett, M. + Manning, P. + Allan, J., 2011, A Guide to the Archives of Archaeological Projects Carried Out In Exeter, 1970-90: Part I (Report - non-specific). SDV347114.

Leverett, M. + Manning, P. + Allan, J., 2011, A Guide to the Archives of Archaeological Projects Carried Out In Exeter, 1970-90: Part II, 24 (Report - non-specific). SDV347115.

Trial excavatiion in 1989 revealed the lost wall of the chapel. Fabric survey in 1991 prior to consolidation of remains. Location and description of primary material. Other details: EA site 95.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV1518 - Weddell, P. J.
• EDV1521 - Archaeological Assessment of the proposed construction of the Walter Daw Primary School, Woodwater Lane, Exeter

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