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Summary

There was a chapel at Southampton Castle, dedicated either to St George or St Nicholas (sources differ). It is first mentioned some time between 1155 and 1162. It may have been a building (MSH3415) shown on a map of 1596/1611, near the present-day Bosun’s Locker Public House, although this is unproven. Other documentary evidence suggests it was further north, in the north-west part of the castle enclosure. The chapel is not mentioned by Englefield in 1801, and may have been demolished by then.

Protected Status: None recorded

Other Statuses/Codes: None Recorded

Monument Type(s):

• CASTLE (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD)
• CHAPEL (extant, Medieval to Post Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1611 AD?)
• CHAPEL (extant, Medieval - 1155 AD? to 1286 AD)
• CHAPEL (First mentioned, Medieval - 1155 AD to 1162 AD)

Full description

[1]: 1544 Muster Book (No 529). “...the chapel yn’ the Castell” mentioned as the limit of All Saints (All Holeus) wards.*
*This reference is in the same context as references to “the Stile” in 1454 and 1488; the Stile appears to have been at the NW corner of the castle site, probably where the north bailey wall joins the west wall. (SCC HER)

[6]: Englefield, 1805. Chapel not mentioned.

[2]: (Davies 1883)
- (p73) “A path from the castle chapel, common time out of mind to the town’s people, led into Catchcold, and from thence to Bargate.” (Cites Court Leet Book 1579).
- (p 76) “Within the baily was the chapel of the castle, and apparently towards the north-west of the enclosure, for we find it occasionally reckoned in the beat of the town watch.... (example from about 1504 given)... The chapel, dedicated to St. George, ......” (See also page 333.)

[7]: (1908) A chapel “doubtless in the keep” had existed from the first, probably succeeded by the chapel of St George, which apparently stood towards the north west part of the inclosure (as [2]). (Note that this was written before the full discovery of Castle Hall.)

[3]: The castle chapel is first mentioned some time between 1155 and 1162. Other subsequent references, including specific writs dated 1252 (“the glass window”), 1253, 1255, 1259 (the steeple was ordered to be repaired 'as it has fallen down') and 1260. In 1268 a writ ordered the repair of 'the windows of the hall, privy chamber and chapel of Southampton and the chapel itself’; this order is very specific so the work was probably carried out. A writ preceding 1286 refers to repairs to the chancel of the chapel. The chapel of St Nicholas has not been located. A reused grave cover was found on SOU 123.

[4]: The castle chapel had no burial rights.

[8]: (Popular booklet, largely compiled using [3].) The chapel of St Nicholas is no longer standing but is believed to have been on the site of the Juniper Berry public house. It was re-roofed in 1253......

SCC HER 31/10/09: The above sources disagree as to the dedicatee of the chapel – St George [7] or St Nicholas [3]. Speed’s 1596/1611 map [5] shows a small building on the west side of the inner/south bailey (MSH3415). It is in the line of a wall that encloses an area against the castle’s west curtain wall, apparently including the area of Castle Hall and Castle Vault at the south end. This would have been within easy reach of the main living quarters in the 12th century. It would also have been within the original, 11th/12th century bailey, suggested in [3] (see MSH23). The building may have been the chapel. The site of the building appears to be near to the present-day Bosun’s Locker Public House (formerly the Juniper Berry). However, the building is not shown as a church on Speed's map, and it is not in the NW part of the castle enclosure, as suggested by Davies [2] (above). Note that Speed for some reason, does not show the outer/north bailey on the map. Nothing is shown on the late 18th century maps. (See also MSH3415)

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events: None recorded

Related records

Associated Links: None recorded

If you have any feedback or new information about this record, please email the Southampton HER (her@southampton.gov.uk).

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