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Summary

The C12 chapel at Merther Uny was rebuilt, perhaps on enlarged foundations in the late C14 or C15.

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument CO162B-C: Round, medieval chapel, burial ground and standing cross 60m south east of Merthyr Uny House

Other References/Statuses

• National Record of the Historic Environment to Historic Environment Records data transfer
• National Record of the Historic Environment: 427115
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 24541.30
• Primary Record No. (1985-2009): 24541.40
• SMR No. (OS Quarter-sheet and SMR No.): SW72NW 4.1
• Unified Designation System UID: 1004645
• Unified Designation System UID: 1162555

Monument Type(s):

• CHAPEL (Medieval - 1100 AD to 1500 AD)

Full description

The remains of a Medieval chapel standing within the enclosure of a former round, later re-used as a lann enclosure (5).

The enclosure was excavated in 1968 by Charles Thomas (1, 2). The structure is internally 6.0m north-south, 9.1m east-west with a west doorway. The present remains appear to date to the late fourteenth or fifteenth century, on the basis of the fragments of ridge tiles, part of the west door arch-head with double hollow moulding re-used as half of the cross base, and built into the window sill of Merther-Uny cottage. Architectural remains and grey-green roof slate similar to that recovered at Fenton-la Chapel at Troon (3), together with ceramic evidence, suggest that the chapel may have incorporated or destroyed an earlier twelfth-century structure. The burial evidence (see related records) appears to suggest that A free chapel, with quasi-parochial status, used for lay burials up to the reformation.

Some of the foundations were left open after the excavation in 1968 and have been surveyed by the OS at 1:2500 in 1971 (4).

The NRHE database record for this monument references to the University of Birmingham Archaeological Society bulletin (6): The chapel was in good condition until 1800, and had a tower. Excavations on the western side located rubble where the tower would have stood. This source has not been verified by HER staff.

<1> Thomas, AC, 1968, Excavation News 1967-1968: Merther Uny, Wendron (Article in Journal). SCO4626.

<2> Wilson, DM & Hurst, JG, 1969, Medieval Britain in 1968, 230-231 (Article in Journal). SCO30407.

<4> Field Investigator's Comments, OS/King, AN. 1971. (Survey). SCO29739.

<4> Thomas, AC, 1967, Christian Antiquities of Camborne, 78-82 (Bibliographic reference). SCO4601.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1970s, 1:10,000 OS Map (Cartographic materials). SCO4045.

<6> Unknown, 1968/9, Unknown (Article in Serial). SCO30410.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• ECO1241 - Merther Uny, Wendron: Excavation, 1968

Related records

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