More information : [ST 45745315] A royal palace at Cheddar is known to have existed from the mid 10th cent. to the early 13th cent., when it was given to the dean and chapter of Wells. Near Manor Farm are the ruins of a chapel dedicated to St. Columbanus which was the subject of an Inquisition in 1321 - to determine whether it was a royal free chapel. This chapel and its vicinity were excavated in 1960-2, prior to the building of a school.
The chapel proved to be the third on the same site. The original small 10th cent. chapel was replaced by a larger building in the 11th cent. and was probably finally rebuilt in the late 13th or early 14th cents. This last was converted into a dwelling in the 17th cent. and continued in use until the early 20th cent.
The earliest chapel overlay a Long Hall dating from before the 10th cent. It was orientated north-south and measured 78 by 20 ft. Apparently of the same period were two minor buildings to the west and south-west of the Long Hall.
In the 10th cent. the Long Hall was replaced by a hall, known as the West Hall. It was orientated east-west and measured 60 by 30 ft. Minor buildings of the same period included a corn mill. The West hall was rebuilt in the 11th and again in the 12th cent.
A larger hall, known as the East Hall, was built east of the West Hall in the 12th cent. It was orientated east-west and was subsequently rebuilt in the 13th and again in the 14th cent. (1)
The ruined chapel survives. The outlines of the Long, West and East Halls, together with the corn mill and other minor buildings are marked by small pillars and tiles (See GPs. AO/65/247/7 & 8).
Surveyed at 1:2500. (2)
ST45SE24 "...extensive remains of the Saxon palace at Cheddar, where Edmund, Eadwig and Edgar met their Witan in 941, 956 and 968. (3)
Account, summaries, plans and illustrations; much as 1 above, except that the corn-mill has become a fowl-house. (see Illusts). (4-5)
Full report - historical background, excavations, detailed description. (6)
Chapel ruins, listed grade II. (7)
Scheduled. (8)
ST 458531: An evaluation and watching brief West and South of the Palace located no traces of Saxon or Medieval material. A ditch was found containing Romano-British pottery. (9)
History of the palace. (10) |