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Summary

The Chantry at the site of St Mary's College in Slapton built in the 18th century incorporating Medieval features and remodelled in the 19th century.

Location

Protected Status

• Scheduled Monument 1011672: Slapton chantry college
• Listed Building (II) 1325137: THE CHANTRY INCLUDING COACH HOUSE, STABLES AND CARTSHED RANGE TO NORTH

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 445861
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX84NW/1/2
• Old Listed Building Ref (II): 99897
• Old SAM Ref: 24844
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SX84NW4

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• HOUSE (XIV to XIX - 1350 AD to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

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

'Chantry House' shown on 19th century map.

Ordnance Survey, 1904 - 1906, Second Edition Ordnance Survey 25 inch Map (Cartographic). SDV325644.

'The Priory' shown on early 20th century map.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1950 - 1953, SX84NW4 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV346566.

The surviving medieval portion of the building is stone built and roofed with modern slates. It has a belfry which contains ashlar work in similar style to the church tower. 'The Chantry' formerly known as 'The Priory' is a large rendered house with unequal fenestration on the front, south, face. The octagonal tower situated within the outbuildings at the rear of the house is well preserved.

Department of Environment, 1960, Kingsbridge, 29 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV140479.

'The Chantry', or 'The Priory'. Georgian house incorporating remains of secular college buildings. The house is of two distinct periods. The older portion is probably of Medieval origin and formed part of the college buildings. There is a small octagonal tower with corbelled top which may have been a garderobe. The main block is Late georgian. The earlier part is of rubble with slate roofs. The later portion has plastered walls and stacks.

Gibbons, P., 1993, 134697 (Un-published). SDV346568.

'The Chantry', the present house on the site, is an early 19th century remodelling of an earlier, possibly 18th century house. It is thought that the house incorporates the remains of parts of the collegiate buildings. No detailed inspection of the interior of the property was possible. The house is of complex plan and is linked to stables and a coach house to the rear. The front of the house faces south and is three stories high. To the rear it is terraced into the natural ground slope so that the 2nd floor lies at ground level, and this is in part only one storey high. This part of the house includes a Gothick facade with a small octagonal belfry tower. The house contains a cellar which may be a surviving part of the Medieval structure.

Department of National Heritage, 1995, Slapton Chantry College (Schedule Document). SDV346574.

The monument includes a chantry college situated on the northern edge of the village of Slapton in a prominent position on the lower slopes of a south west facing hillside. The village is less than 1 kilometre from the coast and the freshwater lagoon of Slapton Ley. The monument consists of the known extent of the upstanding and buried remains of a chantry college in occupation from 1373 until 1547. The Chantry, the present house on the site, is an early 19th century (Georgian) remodelling of an earlier, possibly 18th century house. It is thought that the house incorporates the remains of parts of the collegiate buildings. The house is of complex plan and is linked to stables and a coach house to the rear. The front of the house faces south and is three stories in height. To the rear it is terraced into the natural ground slope so that the second floor lies at ground level, and this is in part only one storey in height. This part of the house includes a Gothick facade with a small octagonal belfry tower. The monument comprises what is currently recognised as the full extent of the Chantry College. Within the designated area the following are excluded from the monument: the house and out-buildings and the public highway although the ground beneath all these features is included. Other details: Monument 24844.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2005, Works at Slapton Chantry College, Slapton, South Hams (Correspondence). SDV363500.

Application for scheduled monument consent dated Novmeber 2004 concerning the installation of a new water main. An archaeological watching brief was also undertaken during the replacement of a water main, prepared by Exeter Archaeology.

A report on the archaeoloigcal recording shall be sent to the County Sites and Monuments Record and to the Inspector of Ancient Monuments, English Heritage and to the Devon Historic Environment Team.

National Monuments Record, 2011, 445861 (National Monuments Record Database). SDV346575.

Tower and The Chantry, both built circa 1372. Former parish and collegiate church with college of St Mary, dissolved in 1545. Some 18th century additions to The Chantry building.

English Heritage, 2011, Historic Houses Register (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV346128.

The Chantry including coach house, stables and cartshed range to the north was Listed on 25th October 1951 The house is an early 19th century remodelling of an earlier house, possibly incorporating some remains of the Medieval Collegiate Chantry. Rendered stone, exposed slate rubble stable range at rear. Slate hipped roof with lead rolls to ridge and hips; gable ended rear wing. Axial and side stacks with rendered shafts. Plan and development: The house has a double depth plan with two principal front frooms (large right hand room) and an entrance hall to left of centre, now part of left hand room. The entrance hall leads to a large stairwell behind at centre with service rooms to right and a large room (library) to left, behind which is a long service wing with a passageway (to road) underneath and coach house, stables and cartshed beyond at rear. The house is principally a remodelling of an earlier (possibly 18th century) house, although there might be Medieval fabric incorporated from the Medieval Collegiate Chantry. The early 19th century remodelling involved the addition of the front rooms and the coach house, stables and cartshed at the back; the stables and coach house with a Gothick elevation and tower facing the medieval chantry ruins and with a Regency balcony on the left hand side of the house overlooking the church and village. Exterior: three storeys and cellar. Asymmetrical 4-window south front. Doorway to left of centre with early 19th century moulded doorcase and panelled door with tented canopy, flanked by early 19th century tripartite bow windows with curved sashes complete with glazing bars and with modillion cornices. One corridor to right on ground floor, four windows on first floor and three smaller windows on second floor all have 19th century 16-pane sashes. The left side also has 19th century 16-pane sashes and early 19th century cast iron Gothick balcony with canopy. Sash windows at rear, one on ground flor with thick glazing bars. Long stable range attached to service wing including coach house, stables and cartshed, all with lofts above and elevation facing chantry ruins with 19th century 2-centre arch windows with intersecting glazing bars and tall octagonal tower with pointed arch doorway, lancets and corbelled parapet. Interior: Front left hand room has Gothick chimneypiece with clustered shafts to pilasters and 4-centred arch. Front right hand room has late 19th century marble chimneypiece and flanking elliptically-headed and pilastered china cupboards. Both front rooms have panelled window shutters in the bay windows. At the back a large open-well, open-string staircase with stick balusters, moulded handrail and chamfered newels with moulded caps. To rear left a double height room (library) with later segmental vaulted ceiling inserted and with circa early 17th century panelling. Most of the internal joinery such as the panelled doors is early 19th century but there is one circa late 17th century or
early 18th century fielded 2-panel door with H-L hinges on first floor of rear left wing. Under the rear left service wing is a deep well. The second floor and parts of the first floor and rear wing were not inspected. The 3-bay stable has partitions to stalls with chamfered posts and finials. Other details: LBS Number 99897.

Ordnance Survey, 2011, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV346129.

'The Chantry' shown on modern mapping as an irregular shaped building with outbuildings to the north.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4483 - Slapton Parish Churchyard Survey
• EDV4491 - Watching Brief at Slapton Ley Field Centre

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