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Summary

Single cell three-bay chapel attached to the west end of the almshouse block, 16th century, much restored in 19th century.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS91SE/46/1
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 485301

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHAPEL (Early Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

English Heritage, 11/03/2015, Greenway's Almshouses, John Greenway Close, Tiverton (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV357933.

English Heritage have amended the list description to Greenways Almhouses and Chapel, Gold Street (for Almhouses see MDV12364).


Chapel and almshouse range. Founded 1529 for 5 men. Substantially restored. Local stone rubble; slate roof, crested ridge tiles to chapel.
PLAN: single cell 3-bay chapel attached to west end of almshouse block, all fronting directly onto the street. Chapel has opposed north and south doors towards ritual west end. Almshouse block has rear centre wing.

CHAPEL EXTERIOR: this was once a richly decorated structure with similarities to the Greenway chapel at the Church of St Peter. Much of the carved decoration is quite badly-decayed. The Gold Street elevation has a pierced parapet with shields above a carved corbelled cornice and a text below: "have grace ye men and pray for the soul of John and Joan Greenway". Shallow porch (perhaps reduced in depth) to the right, directly onto the street, with a carved parapet and carved frieze below. Moulded segmental-headed outer doorway with steps down to inner door, suggesting a change in the street
level. Moulded Tudor-arched inner doorway with plank and cover strip door and initials carved in the spandrels. Doorway has frieze with carved scroll over it and a statue niche above with a C20 statue. 2-light Perpendicular traceried window to the left with cinquefoil-headed lights and hoodmould with sculptural, carved label stops. Statue niche to left with replacement figure and remains of a text on a scroll below. On the courtyard side there is a C19 Tudor arched moulded stone doorway with carved spandrels and a hoodmould; small trefoil-headed one-light window alongside with deep internal splay. High-set Perpendicular window towards ritual east end, similar to that on the Gold Street side. The ritual west end has diagonal buttresses with carved figures on the batters. 3-light west window has carved angel label stops and left and right statue niches with renewel figures and the remains of a text on a scroll below. Re-cut text on sill of window reads "reste awhyle ye that may/pray ye for me in night and daye". The window jambs extend down the wall, suggesting the loss of a panel below the sill.
The west end also contains two small square windows, the tracery ingeniously composed of initials on a shield with initials carved on the hoodmoulds. west end crowned with gabled bellcote with cinquefoil head and demi-shafts at the sides.

CHAPEL INTERIOR: plastered walls. C19 3-bay wagon roof with moulded ribs and flat carved bosses at the intersections. The windows have dropped internal cills and hollow-chamfered Beerstone rerearches. C19 text on scroll painted on east wall; south doorway has a carved inscription above a cranked internal arch: "pray for the soul of John and Joan Greenway" in black letter script. Small niche on ritual south wall at East. 2 carved demi-figures holding the initial G support modern corbels in the east wall, one of the figures may be medieval. Fittings consist of a set of Victorian benches of the c1860s and a reading desk and seat.

Department of Environment, 1972, Tiverton, 27 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV52494.

Chapel is the only surviving part of 1529, though much restored, particularly roof and parapet. Stone. Carved porch with three-centred external arch, four-centred internal arch with figure of St. Peter over.

Borthwick, A. + Chandler, J., 1998, Greenways Almshouses, Gold Street, Tiverton (Report - Assessment). SDV343518.

Collings, A. G., 2001, Archaeological Assessment of Proposed Centralised Offices at Phoenix Lane, Tiverton, 6 (Report - Assessment). SDV336255.

Wessex Archaeology, 2003, Blundells Road, Tiverton, Devon: Archaeological Desk Based Assessment, 6, 15 (Report - Assessment). SDV345760.

Other details: Figure 2, site WA 9.

Ordnance Survey, 2012, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV348725.

English Heritage, 2012, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV348729.

Chapel and almshouse range. Founded 1529 for five men. Substantially restored. Local stone rubble; slate roof, crested ridge tiles to chapel.
Plan: single cell three-bay chapel attached to west end of almshouse block, all fronting directly onto the street. Chapel has opposed north and south doors towards ritual west end.
Exterior: this was once a richly decorated structure with similarities to the Greenway chapel at the Church of St Peter. Much of the carved decoration is quite badly-decayed. The Gold Street elevation has a pierced parapet with shields above a carved corbelled cornice and a text below: "have grace ye men and pray for the soul of John and Joan Greenway". Shallow porch (perhaps reduced in depth) to the right, directly onto the street, with a carved parapet and carved frieze below. Moulded segmental-headed outer doorway with steps down to inner door, suggesting a change in the street level. Moulded Tudor-arched inner doorway with plank and cover strip door and initials carved in the spandrels. Doorway has frieze with carved scroll over it and a statue niche above with a 20th century statue. Two-light Perpendicular traceried window to the left with cinquefoil-headed lights and hoodmould with sculptural, carved label stops. Statue niche to left with replacement figure and remains of a text on a scroll below. On the courtyard side there is a 19th century Tudor arched moulded stone doorway with carved spandrels and a hoodmould; small trefoil-headed one-light window alongside with deep internal splay. High-set Perpendicular window towards ritual east end, similar to that on the Gold Street side. The ritual west end has diagonal buttresses with carved figures on the batters. Three-light west window has carved angel label stops and left and right statue niches with renewed figures and the remains of a text on a scroll below. Re-cut text on sill of window reads "reste awhyle ye that may/pray ye for me in night and daye". The window jambs extend down the wall, suggesting the loss of a panel below the sill. The west end also contains two small square windows, the tracery ingeniously composed of initials on a shield with initials carved on the hoodmoulds. west end crowned with gabled bellcote with cinquefoil head and demi-shafts at the sides.
Interior: plastered walls. Nineteenth century three-bay wagon roof with moulded ribs and flat carved bosses at the intersections. The windows have dropped internal cills and hollow-chamfered Beerstone rerearches. Nineteenth century text on scroll painted on east wall; south doorway has a carved inscription above a cranked internal arch: "pray for the soul of John and Joan Greenway" in black letter script. Small niche on ritual south wall at East. Two carved demi-figures holding the initial G support modern corbels in the east wall, one of the figures may be medieval. Fittings consist of a set of Victorian benches of the circa 1860s and a reading desk and seat.
HISTORY: The chapel is reputed to have been damaged by the fire of 1731, and ornamented in 1783 and 1784. (Dunsford: Historical Memoirs of the Town and Parish of Tiverton: 1790-: P.336).

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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