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Summary

The church of Thomas a Becket was formerly an aisled structure with an end chapel, probably the abbey infirmary. It became the parish church in the 13th century.

Monument Type(s):

• PARISH CHURCH (13th century - 1201 AD to 1300 AD)
• HOSPITAL (12th century to 13th century - 1101 AD to 1300 AD)

Associated Events:

• Trial trench evaluation, St Thomas of Canterbury church, Ramsey, 1985

Protected Status:

• Listed Building (I) 1157794: Church of St Thomas a Becket of Canterbury

Full description

1. Church of St Thomas of Canterbury, built about 1180 as a nave, chancel, north & south chapels and north & south aisles, partly reconstructed in C15 and C16 with partial restorations in C19 and C20. Both aisles were mainly rebuilt in the late 15th/early 16th centuries. The west tower was built in 1672 of material from the dissolved abbey. The north and south chapels were destroyed by 1310, and may have originally been one chapel and the wardens's lodgings. A vestry is located to the north, and the south shows remains of the original fabric.

2. The church of St Thomas of Canterbury, outside the abbey gate, from the unusual features appears to have been designed as a hospital, infirmary or guest house and not as a church. It is almost certainly the Benedictine hospital of St Thomas founded c1180 and dissolved after 1291.
South wall of chancel has mouldings suggesting a demolished structure leading into churchyard.
See pamphlet attached to TL 28 NE 07.

3. Church (NAT).

4. Before conversion to a parish church, the hospital would have been a long, low, barn-like structure without a tower or porch. There was no clerestorey, and the roof came down on either side to cover both nave and aisles. At the east end was a small rectangular projection roofed at the same level, but with side buildings like aisles which had separate and slightly lower roofs. The nae would have been kept clear and used for domestic purposes througout the daytime, whilst the aisles were divided into cubicles for sleeping accomodation. At the east end was a large arch filled with a screen which opened on to the chapel or 'hospital', where Mass was said for the inmates. North of the chapel was a vaulted vestry, and on the south was a similar building which was probably the lodgings of the warden. These two side buildings also opened on to the chapel and were closed with screens. The aisles were lower than at present and were lit by single narrow windows. In the east face of the north-east butress of the present chancel is a sloping chase, indicating that other buildings once ran eastwards from the vestry, probably in line with the precinct wall. When the hospital was converted to a church it needed little alteration. A bell turret was added over the western gable, a sedilla of three arches and a double piscina were added to the south side of the chapel, which became the projecting eastern bay of the chancel. About 1310 the warden's lodging was demolished, and a window was inserted in its place to give more light to the high alter.

5. The parish church of St Thomas a Becket was built c.1180-90 as a hospital, infirmary or guesthouse of the abbey. It was originally an aisled hall with a chapel at the east end with a vestry on the north side and the warden's lodgings on the south, but both these have been demolished. The building became the parish church c.1222 and the west tower was added in 1672. In the east wall of the chancel are three round headed windows, each flanked by pilaster butresses, there is a vesica shaped window above the central bay and a seal round- headed window in the gable end. In the south wall of the chancel is an early 14th century window of two pointed lights in a round head and a 16th or 17th century doorway with a four centred arch in a square head. The remains of the shafts of the north east, north west and cross arch of the 1180-90 lodgings are visible in this wall. Each side of the clerestorey has 7 15th century windows, each with cinquefoil tracery in a four centred head. The Infirmary wasbuilt of limestone rubble and coursed Barnack ashlar and has a continuous roof to the nave and chancel which was replaced in the 19th century. There are plain round corbels at eaves height. Both aisles were heightened in the 15th century and given crenellated parapets and two stage buttresses. Seven larger three-light windows were also inserted at this time, each with vertical tracery and a four-centred head with labels. Similar windows were inserted into the east and west ends of the aisles. The south doorway was almost certainly replaced at this time, and has a similar four centred arch. The north doorway may be slightly later and has stop moulded jambs and a four centre arch in a square head with blank shields on the spandrels and a moulded label. A faint outline of plaster to the east side of both of these doors marks the position of the original 13th century doorway with an ogee arch. No trace of this is visible from the outside.

6. A trench was opened in the south arcade in advance of alterations to the pews. The evidence recovered showed that the installation of the pews in the Victorian period removed the medieval floor which, judging by the foot of the pier base, must have lain at the present floor level. The top layer adjacent to the central aisle consisted of a well-packed bed of limestone rubble, 15cm deep, with a 5cm layer of clay underneath. The third discovery was that the ashalr footings of the south wall are interrupted by rubble immediately east of the door. The partial outline of an arch is visible through the wall plaster at this point, so the rubble may be the base of a flight of steps to an earlier door.

7. The churchyard also contains a medieval cross base and shaft and a 13th century Barnack type gravestone reused as a stile.

8. Test pitting done in April 2002 alongside nave S wall, chancel S & E walls for assessment of foundations. Chancel foundations revealed to depth of 1m+ and not fully exposed. Mainly dressed stone. Nave appears to be on very little foundation, as clay pad of base discovered at shallow depth. However foundations visible internally in 1986 work, as internal floor level is substantial drop below external.

9. Priest's bell - 15th century, unknown foundry.

10. 1899 - 6 bells and priest's bell with inscriptions.

13. Excavations in advance of the replacement of the floor beneath one pew revealed that the building which dates to c1180 was probably built as a hospital rather than a parish church. It stood on a platform of rubble at least 1m thick. The source of the rubble was probably the unfinished church of King Cnut, and the need for such high make-up in the 12th century is significant

<1> RCHM, 1926, An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Huntingdonshire, 204 (Bibliographic reference). SCB12619.

<2> Knowles, D. and Hadcock, R.N., 1953, Medieval Religious Houses: England and Wales. 1st edition, 301 (Bibliographic reference). SCB6883.

<3> 1958, OS 6 inch map (Map). SCB9007.

<4> Dickinson, P. G. M., 1964, Ramsey Church and Abbey, Huntingdonshire (Bibliographic reference). SCB22018.

<5> Haigh, D., 1988, The Religious Houses of Cambridgeshire (Bibliographic reference). SCB6219.

<6> Unknown, 1985, Untitled report regarding a trial trench evaulation in Ramsey parish church (Unpublished document). SCB22017.

<7> Casa Hatton, R., 2002, The Historic Towns of Cambridgeshire: Ramsey (Unpublished document). SCB19730.

<8> Carroll, Q., 2003, Comments on Test Pits at Ramsey Parish Church (Verbal communication). SCB19731.

<9> Council for the Care of Churches, 2005, Schedule of Listed Bells in Diocese of Ely (Index). SCB19765.

<10> Owen, T.M.N, 1899, The Church Bells of Huntingdonshire, p112 (Bibliographic reference). SCB38980.

<11> Baird, J., Field Investigator Comments, 10/6/70 (Verbal communication). SCB62256.

<12> Pevsner, N., 1968, The Buildings of England. Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire and Peterborough (Bibliographic reference). SCB11224.

<13> Young, S. Clark, J & Barry, T., 1986, Medieval Britain and Ireland in 1985 [sites and finds roundup] IN Medieval Archaeology 30: 114-198 (Article in serial). SCB65441.

Sources and further reading

Related records

Related documents and web pages

• https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/med_arch/contents.cfm?vol=30&CFID=7666fb92-ec9f-4cb7-a44b-18a99c119e7d&CFTOKEN=0
• https://facultyonline.churchofengland.org/CHR/ChurchDetails.aspx?id=4691

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