Building record 11033/5 - Collegiate Church of St John the Baptist - Hermitage / Anchorite Cells

The southern side of precinct of St John’s church is formed by cliffs, on and on two projections of which were small structure called anchorite cells, shown on plan of 1589 (Harl Mss 2073) (1, 2). Local tradition states that Harold, after being wounded at Hastings, went to Chester, where he lived a holy life for many years as anchorite in cell of St James, near St John's Church (3). A friar was formally inducted into anchorite's cell 1363, and in 1358 John Spicer, hermit, obtained a warrant of Edward, Prince of Wales, pardoning him for acquiring a parcel of land between the Dee and the quarry, and building there a hermitage enclosed within a wall. The cell was probably linked with the Chapel of St James (2).

In 1770 two skeletons discovered in or near the cell in coffin-shaped cavities, scooped out of rock (4). The present building, the Hermitage, is built of materials from the former church (1). The two-storey sandstone building, with a slate roof, rests on bedrock. The eastern end has a medieval window of reticulated tracery, and there is also a medieval porch and two 3-light lancets. Hermit Br. Hugh le Vernoun is recorded as living at this location in 1341, Br. Wm de Heytildesham in 1357, and Br. Jn de Chorleton in 1363 (6). In the mid-fourteenth century it held monks of Vale Royal (1342) and Norton (1356) and a Dominican friar (1363) and in 1565 a lease of the property formerly belonging to St John's College included the 'anker's chapel', at which time the Chester Shoemaker’s guild met in it (7, 11). The Hermitage was restored in the nineteenth century (5).

<1> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Ormerod G 1882 /306-317 (Book). SCH1389.

<2> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1894, Chester in the Plantagenet & Tudor Reigns, /168 (Book). SCH946.

<3> Richards R, 1947, Old Cheshire Churches, Richards R 1972 /103-110 (Book). SCH2309.

<4> Lysons D & Lysons S, 1806-22, Magna Britannia, Lysons D & S 2/ (Book). SCH2066.

<5> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /1/94 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

<6> Clay R M, 1914, Hermits and Anchorites of England, /208-209 (Book). SCH1340.

<7> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 3/127 Kettle A J 1980 (Book). SCH3556.

<8> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ46 NW 47 (Index). SCH2487.

<9> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, /no.346 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.

<10> Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Revised List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, City of Chester Extra Mural 1998/ 225 (Unpublished Report). SCH4570.

<11> Lewis C.P & Thacker A.T. (eds), 2005, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume Vii, The City of Chester - The City of Chester, Culture, Buildings, Institutions (Book). SCH6522.

<13> English Heritage, 2004, The Environs of Chester Amphitheatre: Preliminary Building Assessments, R3210 (Client Report). SCH6526.

<14> Chester Archaeology, 1995, Heritage Assessment of Dee House and Environs, Chester., R2685 (Client Report). SCH4794.