See important guidance on the use of this record.

If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.

Summary

St. Michael's chapel of medieval origin; probably mid-13th century. Visible as a rectangular pitched-roofed structure on aerial imagery. The building was on the risk register and described in 2014 as having extensive significant problems and being at risk of collapse. Scheduled Monument Consent was obtained for repair and consolidation works to the chapel. This programme of works was carried out in 2015 and including the felling of trees in the surrounding landscape.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1206749: CHAPEL OF ST MICHAEL
• Scheduled Monument 1019131: St Michael's Chapel, Chapel Hill

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: 447566
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX96NW/14
• Old SAM County Ref: 286

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• CHAPEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD (Between))

Full description

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV22670.

Smc granted for providing iron grilles above window and door openings and repairs to wall and roof (doe)vis=-/-/- (ancient monuments) the single-celled, stone-roofed, chapel of limestone rubble stands on a steep limestone mount or tor with extensive views over torbay, allegedly 13th century. Floor of irregular rock. Large east window has lost its stone dressing, but the small, single-light west window, with two stone heads, and a square headed window on the south side show no signs of ever having had ashlar dressings. Remains of late porch to door; pointed barrel vault and solid stone roof: remains of internal plaster probably 14th century. Vis=17/11/1952(os). In the south wall is a simple arched entrance with an iron grill door and original windbreak walls extending south for 3.5m (os). Vis=-/-/1982 (heriot). The chapel is fast being weakened by the growth of weeds. Present condition unfavourably contrasted with that in 1976 (herald express). Vis=18/1/1984 (robinson) doe fmw visit (heriot). Vis=illustration by swete, 1793 (dro). Vis=17/12/1986 (robinson) fmw visit. Vis=st. Michael's chapel. Small medieval chapel of uncertain date on the summit of chapel hill. About 30' x 15' with floor of solid rock and pointed barrel vault. Small window opening. Porch rebuilt, cross on gable modern (doe). Vis=speed's c16 map refers to it as st. Marie's, as does a 1662 engraving. Described by mills and swete in c18. Swete says "hath never been desecrated, or even applied to the uses of the reformed church it hath not infrequently been visited by the roman catholic crews of ships". Spreat's print, circa 1840, shows it in much the same condition as at present. It has been suggested that its original function may have been lighthouse/beacon. Reputedly associated with torre abbey (sx96sw/1), but is absent from abbey documents. Recent repairs consist of concrete botching on n wall and roof, local stone infill on s side of roof and inappropriate pointing (evans).

LENG 11.2M, WIDT 6.6M, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317824.

St. Michael's chapel/torre mohun/st. Michael's mount, torquay (leng 11.2m, widt 6.6m).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317826.

Blewitt, o. /panorama of torquay/(1830)41-3 and (1832)89-90.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317827.

Oliver/monasticon diocesis exoniensis/(1846)170.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317828.

Pengelley, w. /tda/15(1883)216-7/notes on slips connected with devonshire.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317829.

Russell, p. /tda/87(1955)295/fire beacons in devon, appendix b.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317830.

Osa=sx96nw9/photograph.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317831.

Des=torquay herald express/(13/8/1982)/copy in parish file.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317832.

Des=survey drawing(1:100)by r. Robinson(18/1/1984)/copy in smr.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317833.

White, j. T. /history of torquay/(1878)85-87.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317834.

Almy, p. H. W. /torquay with its surroundings homeland handbooks no 57/(1907) 69-71,photo.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317835.

Russell, p. /history of torquay/(1960)13.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317836.

Dro/564m/6/64,72(illustration by swete).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317837.

Doe/hhr:torbay/(10/1/1975)129.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317838.

Evans, d. /st. Michael's chapel, torre/(1986)/in pf.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317839.

Cherry, b. + pevsner, n. /the buildings of england:devon/(1989)851.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317840.

Des=bodleian library/ms. Top. Devon/b.1.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317841.

Des=british library/ms. Stowe/753 ff 159-160.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317842.

Des=bodleian library/ms. Top. Devon/c8 vol ii 152v.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317843.

Dro=564 m/f 4 vol6 63-67.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317844.

Lysons, s. /history and antiquities of devonshire/(1822)525.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV317845.

Doe/smc letter/(9/9/1989)in smr.

National Monument Record, 2009, NMR 26223, NMR 26223/10 21-APR-2009 (Aerial Photograph). SDV362835.

A close up oblique aerial photograph shows the chapel roof has vegetation growing on it.

Passmore, A. + Rainbird, P., 2016, St Michael's Chapel, Torre, Torquay: A New Survey, 255-274 (Article in Serial). SDV363990.

Conservation of the chapel funded by English Heritage and Torbay Council was carried out in 2015 including felling of trees of trees in the surrounding landscape. Article provides summary of the history of the chapel. By 2015 the chapel was in need of conservation, suffering from overgrowing vegetation as well as vandalism (on the Buildings at Risk register; it was described in 2014 as having 'extensive significant problems' and being at risk of collapse). The chapel's construction and condition prior to conservation is detailed; predominantly limestone rubble with rare red breccia/sandstone and slate/schist fragments. Measured survey drawings and photographs of the chapel provided; prior to this article, the only modern detailed description of the building was a Royal Commission report from 1997 which provided a baseline for this survey. Scheduled Monument Consent was obtained for the work.
Chapel is thought to date to the Medieval period; likely to the mid-13th century. It has been stripped of almost all embellishment but the use of exotic stone in its construction indicates some embellishment had been present. Its single-cell and complex vaulted stone roof is unusual for the local area and its location distant from any significant population centre may mark a pilgrimage site or have been constructed to consecrate the site of a revelation or 'vision'; it does not appear to have served a congregation (apparently having never had a suspended floor). Active maintenance of the chapel thought to have ended in the 16th century.

Google, 2017, Google Earth Pro, EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 06-APR-2013 ACCESSED 11-FEB-2019; EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 15-AUG-2016 ACCESSED 11-FEB-2019 (Aerial Photograph). SDV360456.

The chapel is visible as a rectangular structure, and some of the surrounding trees appear to have been cleared between 2013 and 2016.

Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R., 2018-2019, The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M) (Interpretation). SDV361305.

St Michael’s chapel is visible on aerial photographs as a rectangular structure. It is somewhat obscured by trees in the 20th century imagery, but comparison of image datasets on Google Earth indicates that some of the surrounding trees were cleared between 2013 and 2016. Vegetation growing on the roof structure is visible on close-up oblique aerial photographs taken in 2009, indicating deteriorating condition at this date. Later available aerial photographs are at too large a scale to assess condition. Accurately depicted on modern and historic mapping so it has not been transcribed.

Sources / Further Reading

SDV22670	Migrated Record:
SDV317824	Migrated Record: LENG 11.2M, WIDT 6.6M.
SDV317826	Migrated Record:
SDV317827	Migrated Record:
SDV317828	Migrated Record:
SDV317829	Migrated Record:
SDV317830	Migrated Record:
SDV317831	Migrated Record:
SDV317832	Migrated Record:
SDV317833	Migrated Record:
SDV317834	Migrated Record:
SDV317835	Migrated Record:
SDV317836	Migrated Record:
SDV317837	Migrated Record:
SDV317838	Migrated Record:
SDV317839	Migrated Record:
SDV317840	Migrated Record:
SDV317841	Migrated Record:
SDV317842	Migrated Record:
SDV317843	Migrated Record:
SDV317844	Migrated Record:
SDV317845	Migrated Record:
SDV360456	Aerial Photograph: Google. 2017. Google Earth Pro. Various. Digital. EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 06-APR-2013 ACCESSED 11-FEB-2019; EARTH.GOOGLE.COM 15-AUG-2016 ACCESSED 11-FEB-2019.
SDV361305	Interpretation: Hegarty, C., Knight, S. and Sims, R.. 2018-2019. The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping Survey. Area 1, Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (AI&M). Historic England Research Report. Digital.
	Linked documents:1
SDV362835	Aerial Photograph: National Monument Record. 2009. NMR 26223. National Monument Record Aerial Photograph. Photograph (Paper). NMR 26223/10 21-APR-2009.
SDV363990	Article in Serial: Passmore, A. + Rainbird, P.. 2016. St Michael's Chapel, Torre, Torquay: A New Survey. Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society. 74. Paperback Volume. 255-274.
	Linked documents:1

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV7515 - The South Devon Coast to Dartmoor Aerial Investigation and Mapping (formerly NMP) Survey: Haldon Ridge to Dart Valley (Ref: ACD1748)
• EDV7903 - St Michael's Chapel Torre
• EDV8348 - Survey and conservation works at St. Michael's Chapel, Torre, Torquay

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.