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Summary

St. Leonard's Chapel, which dates to the 15th or 16th century was converted to a cottage in the 18th or early 19th century. It still retains a wagon roof on the first floor.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1104480: ST LEONARDS COTTAGE (NORTH)

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS22SW/6
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 91215
• Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division: SS21SW1

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHAPEL (Built, XV to XVI - 1401 AD to 1600 AD (Between))

Full description

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, SS22SW1 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV340546.

Site visit: 1st March 1955. Photograph taken 29th January 1953 after conversion to use as cottage. Various additional windows have been made and two original openings on north face have been blocked in. West end has been replaced.
Site visit 6th December 1978. The cottage still incorporates substantial remains of the chapel (St. Leonard's). The features of the blocked windows can still be discerned. Other details: Photographs.

Lysons, D. + Lysons, S., 1822, Magna Britannica, 259 (Monograph). SDV323771.

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

'St. Leonard's Chapel (Remains of)' marked on 1880s-1890s 25 inch Ordnance Survey map.

Ordnance Survey, 1906, 17SW (Cartographic). SDV5523.

'St. Leonard's Chapel (Remains of)' marked on 1906 6 inch Ordnance Survey map.

Pearse Chope, R., 1926, Address of the President. Hartland Abbey, 50-87 (Article in Serial). SDV6740.

St. Nectan was martyred at Newton circa 500, where a church was being built in his honour. This church is on the site later occupied by St. Leonard's chapel of which remains still exist.

Pearse Chope, R., 1930 - 1931, St. Leonard's Chapel, Hartland (Article in Serial). SDV339126.

Now a cottage and occupied as such since 1546. Evidence of a cemetery discovered in the yard in mid 19th century. Possible site of the murder of St. Nectan.

Ordnance Survey, 1964, SS22SW (Cartographic). SDV343776.

'St. Leonard's Chapel (Remains of)' marked on 1964 6 inch Ordnance Survey map.

Pearce, S. M., 1985, The Early Church in the Landscape: The Evidence from North Devon (part), 268 (Article in Serial). SDV336495.

Royal charter of 1189 grants to Hartland Abbey chapels at Harton, Chersitow, Welcombe and all the other chapels buiilt in the parish. Pearce implies that St. Leonards may be one of these other chapels.

Department of Environment, 1989, Hartland, 75 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV114.

Collings, A. G. + Manning, P. T. + Valentin, J., 2007, The North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Phase 1. Archaeological Survey. Summary Report, No. 247 (Report - Assessment). SDV339712.

St. Nectan was martyred at Newton c.500, where a church was being built in his honour. Site later occupied by St Leonard's Chapel, converted to cottage prob. C18/19. Evidence of a cemetery discovered in yard in mid C19.

English Heritage, 2009, Historic Houses Register (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV343599.

Date listed: 19th June 1989. St Leonards Cottage (north). Cottage formerly chapel. Late 15th or early 16th century, converted to cottage probably in the 18th or early 19th century. Stone rubble walls roughly coursed with a little cob at the top of the front wall. Thatch roof hipped to left end, gabled to right. Brick axial stack.
Plan: originally probably single cell chapel open to the roof, its plan was completely altered by conversion into a cottage of 2 rooms, the left-hand room heated, with an outbuilding beyond the stack. The building may have been extended to the left of this at the time since its original roof structure does not continue all the way along.
Exterior: 2 storeys. Asymmetrical 1-window front of circa early 20th century 2-light casements to left of centre on each floor, the 1st floor one is a half dormer with small gable in the thatch above. 20th century plank door to right. All these openings have flat stone arches over. 19th century plank door to outbuilding to left. Rear elevation has the reveals and chamfered granite surround for an original window
on the ground floor to centre. The central mullion and most of the head has gone but evidently there were arched lights. Further to the left is evidence of a blocked doorway. 19th century 2-light casement on 1st floor to left of centre.
Interior: the only surviving original feature is a wagon roof on the first floor with moulded ribs and chamfered wooden wall-plate.
This is a very rare survival of a building which can be identified as a late medieval chapel and forms a very interesting group with the adjacent house. In the mid 19th century parts of stone tombs or graves were dug up in the ground to the west of the building.
Source: The Ancient Chapels of Hartland - R Pearse Chope: Hartland and West Country Chronicle May 1915 Other details: LBS No. 91215.

Ordnance Survey, 2009, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV341569.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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