The West Berkshire Historic Environment Record (HER) is the primary index of the physical remains of past human activity in the unitary authority of West Berkshire Council. Limited elements of the West Berkshire HER are available online via the Heritage Gateway, therefore it is not suitable for use in desk-based studies associated with development, planning and land-use changes, and does not meet the requirements of paragraph 194 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021: 56). Please read the important guidance on the use of the West Berkshire HER data. For these purposes and all other commercial enquiries, please contact the Archaeology team and complete our online HER enquiry form.

This site is designated as being of national importance and is afforded additional protection. Consult West Berkshire Council's Archaeology team if more information or advice is needed.

Summary

Former medieval chapel, both a Scheduled Monument and a Grade II* Listed Building, part of St Bartholomew's Hospital and then Grammar School, later in office and then residential use

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1210610: LITTEN CHAPEL (PART OF THE NEWBURY COMMERCIAL SCHOOL) - ERROR IN NAME (NO LONGER CURRENT)
• Scheduled Monument 1005379: LITTEN CHAPEL
• Conservation Area: Newbury Town Centre

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 01389.09.100
  
• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984) (II*): ø 1/169 Litten Chapel
  The chapel of the old hospital of St. Bartholomew. Attached to east side of mid C.19 house which was built for Grammar School. The present chapel appears to be mainly early C.16. Rectangular one-storey rubble, 23ft. x 17ft. internally. Shortened on east in early C.19, original length said to have been 26ft. Red tile roof and brick east gable end. On North are two 2-light traceried mullioned windows with square labels; that to the west has recently (1947) been converted onto a doorway and the builder who did the work says that the jambs and traceried head of the original windows have been encased in plaster in situ; the cill was said to be a recent remake and was removed. In south wall is a modern doorway and a window similar to those on north. The east window of 6 lights is modern. In the west wall is a modern doorway leading to the C19 house. The roof has two carved and moulded queen posts, the tie beams having been removed. Moulded purlins; wind braces. For photographs see Berks Arch. Journal 39 (1935), 44, 50; V.C.H. Berks IV, 132; and N.M.R. N.B. Any alteration or treatment which may be contemplated in the future must be carefully considered; otherwise irreparable harm will be done to this important building.

Monument Type(s):

• FINDSPOT (Medieval to Late 19th century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
• CHAPEL (15th century to 19th century - 1480 AD? to 1825 AD)
• SCHOOLROOM (Elizabethan to 18th century - 1578 AD? to 1800 AD?)
• OFFICE (Late 20th century - Present to Early 21st century - 1980 AD? to 2015 AD?)

Full Description

CHAPEL OF FORMER HOSPITAL OF ST BARTHOLOMEW, NOW USED FOR SECULAR PURPOSES. RUBBLE CONSTRUCTION INCORPORATING C13TH AND C15TH WINDOWS. E END TRUNCATED FOR ROAD WIDENING AND E WALL IS NOW OF BRICK. ONLY SURVIVING MEDIEVAL BUILDING OF THE HOSPITAL.

Listed Building description (NB not entirely accurate) : Early C16 remains of the chapel of the old hospital of St Bartholomew. Attached on west side to Litten House, now the Newbury Commercial School. Single storey rectangular building shortened at the east end in circa 1825 when Newtown Road was widened under the Newbury and Speenhamland Improvement Act. A modern brick extension has been added to the north-west corner of the building with a catslide roof. Tiled roof. Flint rubble walls and brick east gable end. Each side wall originally with 2 windows; on north side each with 2 cinque-foiled, 4-centred lights with spandrels under a square head with label (the north-west window converted for use as doorway in 1947); south-west window of 2 plain, 4-centred lights in a square head (the south-east window replaced by a modern arched doorway with a hood mould). East window with 6 arched lights of 1825. Modern doorway from house. Interior with 2 richly-carved and moulded queen-post trusses, for which the tie-beams have been removed. <1>

There are corrections and amendments that can be added to this listing description - Litten House is no longer a school but used for commercial premises (2004) and a plan of The City dating before 1814 shows the chapel at its current length, so it was not shortened when the road was widened in 1825, but at some earlier date. Willis' and Ballard's maps, although schematic, also show the chapel stopping short of the previous road <8><9>.

In 1980-81, work carried out at The Litten uncovered the carved trusses of the chapel roof including moulded queen posts, ornamented arch brace, moulded purlins and curved wind braces, with many Tudor roses. This dates from c1480, although the tie beams have been removed and replaced by iron ties. The roof had been illustrated in 1912 <3> and photographed in 1935 <4>, but hidden by an inserted ceiling. The first known description of the buildings at St Bartholomew's Hospital including a reference to 'a proper lytell churche' exists from late 16th century documents associated with some litigation <3><4>. Reference is also made to the steeple of the church with two bells being pulled down by the inhabitants <10>. Money notes that in 1578 the chapel was reported as having been converted into a school house <18>.

The 1980s work also found two skeletons, one to the south of the chapel and another within the adjacent 1849 building; these did not show any sign of having been disturbed since their original interment, presumably as part of The Litten Cemetery. A large well was uncovered south of the chapel, and several objects were found in the chapel including coins, Newbury Borough tokens, jettons and claypipes <1><7>.

A Heritage Impact Assessment was submitted by Wessex Archaeology as part of a planning application to convert the Chapel to a residential flat. The application will remove a 20th century kitchen and w/c and install a new kitchen. It will also install a floating floor which will cover the existing. The carved wooden roof structure will remain exposed <15>.

A series of photographs of the chapel was submitted as part of a Historic Building Record conducted by Wessex Archaeology ahead of the conversion of the chapel for residential apartments. The carving on the wooden roof structure is shown quite clearly <16>.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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

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