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ST MARTINS CHAPEL

ALTERNATIVE NAME:

CHISBURY CHAPEL

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St Martin's Chapel (also known as 'Chisbury Chapel') was built in the late 13th century to a rectangular plan and constructed of flint with stone quoins. It is roughly 18 metres long, 8 metres wide and 10.5 metres tall to the apex of the thatched roof. There are six simple geometrical windows with stone dressings and a medieval doorway. The roof was replaced in the 18th century and the thatch was renewed in 1942. The chapel comprises a chancel and nave, formerly divided by a screen. It was later used as a barn before being taken into guardianship in 1982. The chapel has been interpreted as either the chapel of ease to the parish church of Great Bedwyn or a free chapel of the Hampshire abbey of St Denys. It is situated on the east side of Chisbury Camp, an Iron Age hillfort.

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(SU 28006601) St Martin's Chapel (NR). (1)

Probably built during the last quarter of the 13th C (2), the
thatched roof was renewed in 1942 (3). The Chapel was used as a
barn in Colt Hoare's (4) time, and is still in use for that
purpose (5)

The chapel, which is a large flint building with stone quoins,
has six windows retaining their stone dressings and one
medieval doorway. It is no longer used as a barn. Well
preserved. (See SU 26 NE8). (2-6)

II St. Martin's Chapel Chisbury

*Late C13 Chapel built of flint with thatched roof. Simple
geometrical windows. Situated in a farm yard. (7)

St Martin's Chapel was built in the late 13th century to a rectangular plan and is constructed of flint with stone quoins. It is roughly 18 metres long, 8 metres wide and 10.5 metres tall to the apex of the thatched roof. There are six windows with stone dressings and a medieval doorway. The roof was replaced in the 18th century. The chapel comprises a chancel and nave, formerly divided by a screen. The chapel has been interpreted as either the chapel of ease to the parish church of Great Bedwyn or a free chapel of the Hampshire abbey of St Denys. (9)

It is situated on the east side of Chisbury Camp, an Iron Age hillfort. (9-10)

Archaeological excavation carried out in 2005 investigated the evidence surviving for the original or earlier floor levels and deposits. It was found that the original floor of the main body of the chapel had a base of rammed flint and clay, surfaced with chalk. At the west end evidence of earlier metalled flint surfaces was found. Evidence suggests that some earlier deposits, possibly relating to the Iron Age hillfort, may have survived beneath the chapel. (11)

This source contains a good description of the chapel and includes two photographs. (12)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1961

( 2) The Wiltshire archaeological and natural history magazine

(plan) (C E Ponting) 28, 1894-96 Page(s)125-8

( 3) The Wiltshire archaeological and natural history magazine

(H C Brentnall) 50, 1942-44 Page(s)104-5

( 4) General reference

Ancient Wiltshire 1821 (R Colt Hoare) 2 Page(s)14

( 5) Annotated Record Map

SE 6" Reviser (T Reeves 12.9.56)

( 6) Field Investigators Comments

F1 MJF 01-JUL-73

( 7) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

Marlborough and Ramsbury Rural District, APR-1960 Page(s)25

( 8) English Heritage 1995 County list of Scheduled Monuments : March 1994

Wiltshire Page(s)19

( 9) Scheduled Monument Notification

07-DEC-1995

(10) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

1:2500, 2007

(11) C Poole 2005 St. Martin's Chapel, Chisbury. An Archaeological Assessment

(12) English Heritage 2004 Heritage Unlocked: Guide to free sites in Bristol, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

Page(s)68-9

RELATED MONUMENTS

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Monument Name/No

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Description

CHISBURY CAMP
LITTLE BEDWYN

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Earthwork remains of an Iron Age hillfort with evidence for Roman occupation. Swords, a spearhead and pottery of uncertain date were found in 1900. Sm...

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