More information : (ST 1464 4402) Chantry (NR) (Remains of) (1)
A chantry at Kilve was founded in 1329 by Sir Simon Furneaux
for five priests to pray for his soul "in Kylve Church". The
licence includes "a house and garden" to support the endowment.
Caswell thought the "contraria" was dissolved towards the end
of the 14th cent., and with Collinson, associates the
foundation with the buildings described as "chantry" by the
O.S. They "include a refectory, dormitory, stillroom, granary
and other monastic appearances" and were used as a farmhouse
until c. 1850, when they were destroyed by fire. Close by the
ruins are fish stews. (2-4)
The ruined buildings, of considerable extent and in a fair
state of presentation, are at ST 1464 4402. See AO/65/46/8 and
GP AO/65/49/8
One dry fish-pond survives, 2.0m. deep, at ST 1461 4405
Surveyed at 1/2500. (5)
The ruins of the chantry are generally intact although they are
becoming rapidly overgrown. The fishpond has been almost
completely infilled. (6)
ST 14 SW KILVE CP SEA LANE (West side) 5/123 Remains of Chantry, abutting East side of Chantry Cottage GV II*
Remains of collegiate dwelling of chantry priests, now ruin.
Early C14, later medieval addition, gutted by fire mid C19.
Blue lias random rubble. Plan: gabled block lying North South
abutting Priory and Chantry Cottage (qv) is solar wing to the
latter hall, contemporary chapel wing, gabled in South East
corner with larger later medieval gabled addition in North East
corner. Large stepped angle buttresses to wings, North East
wing with chamfered plinth and altered square headed window on
East front and square headed opening in gable end. The building
is otherwise completely obscured by ivy and undergrowth at time
of survey (August 1983). The college of chantry priests was
founded under license 1329 and dissolved late C14. Scheduled
Ancient Monument (Somerset County No 480) (There are many early
C19 watercolours of the building before the fire in the Local
History Library Taunton; photograph in NMR; VCH Somerset, Vol 5
forthcoming). (7)
Additional Bibliography (8)
The buildings and surrounding landscape at Kilve were the subject of a large scale survey as part of the EH survey of the Quantock Hills AONB. The site was recorded at a scale of 1: 1000 and the results are discussed in the site report (9, 10).
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