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Summary

Remains of medieval chapel at Higher Velly Farm.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS22SE/22

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHAPEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Cresswell, B. F., Devon Chapels (Un-published). SDV17018.

NMR, Untitled Source (National Monuments Record Database). SDV17015.

Dean Milles records the former chapel of St Leonard at Velly, Hartland (citing Cresswell).

Lysons, D. + Lysons, S., 1822, Magna Britannica, 259 (Monograph). SDV323771.

Ordnance Survey, 1880-1899, First Edition Ordnance 25 inch map (Cartographic). SDV336179.

Chapel (Remains of) marked.

Pearse Chope, R., 1926, Address of the President. Hartland Abbey, 72 (Article in Serial). SDV6740.

At Higher Velly remains of medieval chapel. Visible remains of this chapel. Part of interior wall of a cow house and fragments of walling incorporated in east end of same cow house. The chapel may have been a private oratory.

Chope, R. P., 1940, The Book of Hartland, 81 (Monograph). SDV340768.

Ordnance Survey, 1964, Untitled Source (Cartographic). SDV339898.

'Chapel (Remains of)' marked on OS 6" (1964) map.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1978, SS22SE1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV17012.

The only possible remains are incorporated in the east end of a barn, and consist of the wall plus a ledge or lintel. Other details: Photograph.

Pearce, S. M., 1985, The Early Church in the Landscape: The Evidence from North Devon (part), 268 (Article in Serial). SDV336495.

Royal Charter of 1189 grants to Hartland Abbey, chapels at Harton, Cheristow, Welcombe and all the other chapels in the parish. Later hear of chapel at Velly (Chope in Pearce), which Pearce implies would also have been under Hartland.

Coates, R. + Breeze, A, + Horovitz, D., 2000, Some Devon Place Names, 117-122 (Article in Monograph). SDV323096.

The settlement of Velly has never been more than two farms & nothing is known of the origin or the original dedication of the chapel. It may have originated as a Cornish style religious site whose dedication to an individual called 'Fele(c)' persists in the farm name.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 587 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

Remains of medieval chapel at Higher Velly farm. Remains appear to be incorporated in east end of cowhouse or barn (described variously) and consist of walling in east end, part of interior wall of same building and ledge or lintel.

Wapshott, E. + Webb, P., 2016, Higher Velly Farm, Hartland, Torridge, Devon: Results of a Desk-Based Assessment, Historic Building Recording and Archaeological Monitoring (Report - Survey). SDV360274.

The only possible surviving evidence of the site having been a former chapel was a carved stone set to the west of the doorway within the north wall of building B3. Whilst this suggests a high status building may have been present on the site, it is clearly a re-used stone and does not provide evidence for the location of the suggested chapel or any other high status structure.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7304 - Results of a Desk-Based Assessment, Historic Building Recording & Archaeological Monitoring: Higher Velly Farm, Hartland, Torrdige (Ref: 160106)

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