| Summary : A medieval/post medieval hospitallers preceptory, moat and potential pond are visible as earthworks and ruined buildings on air photographs. The ruined building is still extant on the latest 1989-1998 Ordnance Survey vertical photography. The earthwork moat and pond have been destroyed due to open cast mining (UID 14468219). The Preceptory of the Knights of St John was defended by a moat enclosing an area circa 100 yards diameter. The buildings formed a parallelogram having a courtyard in the middle, a dwelling house on the west, a chapel occupying the entire south side and various offices on the north and east sides. Most of the buildings on the North side have disappeared. The principal entrance was by an arched gateway on North side. The dwelling house is of 2 stories with 3 compartments on each floor. A piscina remains in South-East angle of the chapel; human bones have been found and a grave slab forms the threshold of the door leading from courtyard into a stable. The upper portion of a stone coffin is in one of the windows. The present dwelling house was erected after the Dissolution possibly by Sir John Widdrington, who was granted the manor of Chibburn in 1553. The walls of the western range and what little remains of the northern range are of rough dressed masonry with rubble filling. This part of the building represents the remains of the 16th century Manor House. The walls of the chapel are of much finer workmanship, and represent the sole remains of the Preceptory of the Knights of St John. The remains are in a ruinous condition and the whole building is now roofless. The moat is now infilled. The chapel was used as a pillbox during the Second World War, (see NZ29NE10). |
More information : (NZ 26679650) Chapel [G.T.] (Ruins of)
Moat [G.T.] (Site of) (1)
The remains of this Chapel still exist as shown on O.S. The north
wall is fragmentary, although the remaining section adjoining the
east wall, is 6 ft. high. The east wall is in fairly good condition,
it stands approximately 15 ft. high and retains the window frame. The
south wall is in the best condition, it stands appx. 15 ft. high and
two doorways and a window are blocked; although one window frame
remains. The eastern end of this chapel has been fortified and used
as a blockhouse during the recent war. (2)
[NZ 26679650] Low Chibburn [G.T.]. (3)
Knights Hospitallers at Chibburn. (Existed until A.D. 1500). (4)
Knights Hospitallers founded at Chibburn pre A.D. 1313 and
dissolved pre A.D. 1535(?) Net income in 1535 was #43.
First recorded A.D. 1313. (Plan showing complete buildings
of a house of this order) (a) In 1338 the community consisted of 3
brethren including the preceptor and a chaplain brother, a chaplain,
a clerk, two officials and three servants. (b)
In an account of 1338 we learn that the gross income amounted to
#23-18-8 and the manor house was ruinous. The possessions were
surrendered in 1540. The establishment was possibly founded by the
FitzWilliams or by the Widdringtons, who held under them in 12c.
The Preceptory of the Knights of St. John was defended by a moat
enclosing an area c.100 yards diam; the buildings formed a
parallelogram having a courtyard in the middle, a dwelling house on
the west, a chapel occupying the entire south side and various
offices on the north and east sides - the principal entrance was by
an arched gateway on N. side. The dwelling house is of 2 stories with
3 compartments on each floor. A piscina remains in SE angle of the
chapel; human bones have been found and a grave slab forms the
threshold of the door leading from courtyard into a stable. The upper
portion of a stone coffin is in one of the windows.
The present dwelling house was erected after the Dissolution
possibly by Sir John Widdrington, who was granted the manor of
Chibburn in 1553.(c) (5)
[NZ 26589653] The descriptions in T2 and T5 and the plan in the
latter are, generally, correct, except that the majority of the
buildings in the northern range have now disappeared. The walls
of the western range and what little remains of the northern range
are of rough dressed masonry with rubble filling. This part of the
building represents the remains of the 16th c. Manor House mentioned
in T5.
The walls of the chapel are of much finer workmanship, and represent
the sole remains of the Preceptory of the Knights of St. John. The
position of the piscina is as stated in T5.
The grave slab and the upper portion of stone coffin mentioned in T5
were not seen.
The remains are in a ruinous condition and the whole
building is now roofless.
No trace of the moat remains and the OS siting has been accepted.
Open-cast ruining is taking place in the near vicinity.
Photographs: F/54/13/5 Chapel & Manor House looking W
F/54/13/6 Chapel & Manor House looking N
F/54/13/7 Manor House looking E (6)
The ruins now fall in the centre of an active open-cast
mining site, but they have been fenced off and their condition is
substantially unchanged. (7)
(NZ 2660 9653) Chapel (NR) (rems of) (NAT)
Low Chibburn (NR) (rems of) (NAT) (8)
NZ 266 965. The Preceptory, Low Chibburn. Scheduled No ND/98. (9)
A medieval/post medieval hospitallers preceptory, moat and potential pond are visible as earthworks and ruined buildings on air photographs. The preceptory is located at NZ 2659 9653. The section of moat is located to the south-west of the chapel at NZ 2654 9648 and appears to have been reused as a drain in the Twentieth Century. The potential pond is at NZ 2654 9652. The ruined building is still extant on the latest 1989-1998 Ordnance Survey vertical photography. The earthwork moat and fishpond have been destroyed due to open cast mining (UID 14468219).
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