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Summary

The Chanter's House was part of the Collegiate Church of Ottery St Mary founded in the 14th century. It has been much altered since the dissolution but it is still possible to discern the medieval core of the house; the old walls enclosed within the modern brick external walls. Cromwell held a convention here in 1645 to raise funds for the Civil War.

Summary from record MDV10323:
Worn shield on a chimney piece at Chanter's House

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1212841: THE CHANTER'S HOUSE

Other References/Statuses

• National Monuments Record: SY09NE25
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY09NE/9
• Old DCC SMR Ref: SY09NE/9/1
• Old Listed Building Ref (II*): 397356
• Royal Albert Memorial Museum Accession Number: 166/2008

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• MANSION HOUSE (Built, XIV to XIX - 1301 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))
• COAT OF ARMS (XVI to XIX - 1501 AD (Between) to 1900 AD (Between))

Full description

Maton, G., 1794-1796, Observations on Western Counties of England (Unknown). SDV339338.

Coleridge, Lord, 1905, The Story of a Devonshire House, 75, 80 (Monograph). SDV339335.

In 1849 part of the house was pulled down and rebuilt, and in 1880 it was again removed and two wings added. In the course of demolition the original entrance hall beams were discovered and preserved in the roof of an added porch.

F. W., 1906 - 1907, Heraldry at Ottery, 192 (Article in Serial). SDV339347.

There is a shield on a chimney piece in the house of Lord Rennell Coleridge at Ottery. It is much worn and not tinctured.

Dalton, J. N., 1917, The Collegiate Church of Ottery St Mary, 77 (Monograph). SDV102603.

Unknown, 1918, Early Tours in Devon and Cornwall, 234 (Article in Serial). SDV339340.

Bannister, G. W., 1935, Proceedings at the seventy-fourth annual meeting held at Sidmouth from the 24th to the 28th of June, 1935, 16-17 (Article in Serial). SDV102171.

In 1822 the Chantry and lands of the warden and chanter belonged to James Coleridge and the Warden house and College lands to the Revd George Coleridge.

Pevsner, N., 1952, The Buildings of England: South Devon, 223 (Monograph). SDV336217.

Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division, 1953, SY09NE8 (Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Card). SDV336572.

The Chanter's House; incorporates part of medieval college buildings. The old walls of Chanters House are enclosed within the modern brick external walls. Other details: Plan.

Department of Environment, 1974, Ottery St Mary UD, 5 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV102862.

Little trace of antiquity though remains of some walls and beams of the Precentor's House. Dates from the days of the college but little trace of antiquity remains, mainly enclosed by large brick outer additions by Butterfield including a third storey, extending also above the 18th century. Two storey, 5 window portion facing south, with central doric porch with tall columns and radial bar fanlight to entrance and glazing bars to windows. The 17th century centre is the former Heath's Court, with dining room used as convention room by Cromwell in 1645. Fairfax stayed at the house from October to December in that year. Some of the walls of the old Precentor's House and painted beams remain. Still the home of the Coleridges, one of whom was Lord Chief Justice.

Impett, R. M., 1975, Ottery St Mary (Ground Photograph). SDV339344.

Delderfield, E., 1977, Scrapbook 2, 6 (Article in Serial). SDV77.

The lease of the Chanter's House was given to Sir John Courtenay in 1561. It later became the property of the Duke Coleridges and has remained so. Cromwell's men occupied the house in 1645, and there is a plaque in the dining room commemorating the convention which he called to obtain money for the war from the people of Ottery St. Mary. Five rooms of the original house remain, and there are also some medieval beams. In the hall is a superb chimney piece, originally from the warden's house, in which now demolished. The staircase timber came from the spire of the church, taken down 1908, and carved into the balustrade. The drawing room has a fine vaulted and decorated ceiling. The outer hall has the Coat of Arms of Gladstone. In the late 19th century the house was rebuilt into a mansion - added forecourt and entrance; and a library wing, which was furnished in elm with a gallery along one length. Two carved marble fire- places. Remaining rooms of the original building include the little parlour, great parlour, and the corridor and garden entrance between them, with two bedchambers and a small room above them. The three foot thickness of their walls dates them at c.1340. Original cellars still exist (wine, ale, beer). There is also a secret passage which runs beneath the library and comes out in the garden. Other details: Photograph.

Unknown, 1977, Untitled Source (Article in Serial). SDV322707.

Department of Environment, 1986, Ottery St Mary (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV339341.

Chanter's house upgraded to Grade II*. Other details: Fourth Amendment.

Weddell, P. J., 1987, Devon Religious Houses Survey: Ottery St Mary, 15-16 (Report - Survey). SDV366679.

The Chanter's House was part of the Collegiate Church of Ottery St Mary founded in the 14th century and was the home of the precentor.
Situated in the north-west corner of the precinct, it has been much altered since the dissolution. There is little documentary evidence relating to the house prior to the 17th century when it was visited by Cromwell, but it is still possible to discern the older core of the medieval house.
It was known as Heath’s Court after its then owner in the 17th century and it was here that Cromwell held a convention to obtain funds for the war. In more recent times it became known again as the Chanters House has probably assumed more importance because of its association with the Coleridge family in the 19th century. An illustration of the house in 1829 shows a fairly simple, two storey house of rectangular plan. The rear of the house was rebuilt in brick in 1849 and in 1880 two new wings were added. The ‘Convention Room’ where Cromwell held a convention to obtain funds for the Civil War is still extant preserving original details of the period. Medieval fabric may remain within the later enlargement of the house as the older stone walls were not demolished but a brick façade was added externally to them.
A 15th-early 16th century fireplace, originally in the Wardens House, is now in a downstairs lobby in the later part of the house.

Exeter Archaeology, 1998, Archaeological Assessment of a Proposed Supermarket Development at Hind Street, Ottery St Mary, 2 + 5 (Report - Assessment). SDV336582.

Southwest Archaeology, 2009, The Chanter's House Ottery, St Mary, Devon: Results of Archaeological Monitoring and Evaluation, 2008, 4-6 (Report - Evaluation). SDV345076.

The renovation and development of The Chanter's House necessitated the excavation of two additional service trenches. The only feature of archaeological note in trench 1 was the base of a brick wall, 0.2-0.3 metres wide, trending east to west across it to the west of the steps leading to St Mary's Church. It comprised a single course of brick with some stone set into a bed of mortar resting on the natural subsoil. It is probable this can be associated with the garden wall shown on 19th century maps. Only a single sherd of modern pottery and a clay pipe stem were recovered from the overburden. In trench 2 the foundations of a 0.4 metre wide wall or possible service trench were encountered, possibly a protective structure for a pipe running between two drainage cisterns. Other details: Figure 4-6, Plates 1-2.

Ordnance Survey, 2025, Mastermap 2025 (Cartographic). SDV366286.

Large house to the north-west of the church.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV4868 - Watching Brief on Service Trenches at The Chanter's House, Ottery St Mary, Devon
• EDV4873 - Evaluation of Line of Proposed Driveway at The Chanter's House, Ottery St Mary, Devon
• EDV2416 - Devon Religious Houses Survey

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