Monument record 1999/1 - Chapel Site at Chapel House Farm, Wervin

<1> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Vol.II p.777 (Book). SCH1389.

The Chapel is documented from at least the thirteenth century, when its revenues were confirmed to Chester (St Werburg’s) Abbey by Pope Honorius. The revenues from the chapel were given by Abbot Roger (1240-9) for the support of the kitchen so as to allow for the increase of the monks to forty. The abbey paid for the Chapel’s minister, rather than the parish, as indicated by the valuation made during the dissolution when the Chapel was served by Ralph Crowett at a salary of three pounds, six shillings and eight pence per year. The chapel has long been desecrated and is used as a common shed for cattle. A quatrefoil headed window survives on the northern side.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ47SW6 (Index). SCH2487.

The chapel is orientated east-west and is in a ruined condition. Judging from the spread of plaster and decaying grass, part of the footings of the northern and eastern walls have been removed in the past few days (15/07/1959). A 6.3m length of ground level foundations is all that remains of the north wall. Of the east wall, originally 5.6m long, only two fragments 1.9m and 1.5m remain. They are of 0.5m thick red sandstone and stand to a maximum of height of 3.3m. There is no trace of the southern and western walls. A 25” survey was made [RW Emsley 15/07/1959].

<3> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 55434 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Red sandstone coursed rubble. North east angle standing to 14 courses, and south east angle to 8 courses. East wall is hollow to sill height above which is fragments of window opening. Chamfered sills on interior and exterior, and part of moulded rebate for window opening

<4> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), SAM 27590 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

The remains of a ruined chapel together with a surviving burial ground. The chapel is known to have been in use in the 13th century, and to have survived the Reformation, as a minister was in office in 1590. The north east corner of a single celled building survives as a standing ruin, and the north wall is traceable as a line of stone footings in the turf. The south and west walls are buried in the grass but are known from archaeological survey to survive as foundations. The chapel stands on a small mound raised from the promontory above marshy ground. The latter is an ancient watercourse now cut off by the Shropshire Union Canal. The mound represents the extent of the original burial ground and has been raised by the introduction of the burials. The walls of the chapel show that it was originally built of coursed ashlar sandstone with a rubble and mortar core. The exterior dimensions were 5.6m by 6.3m. The present remains stand 3.4m high and only 1.8m in length at their widest point on the east side. The walls average 0.9m thick. The burial ground was oval and 60m long by 35m wide on the west and wider end. The slight traces of a boundary ditch enclose an area of 0.17ha. There are unconfirmed reports of burials found outside the burial ground, possibly when the sand quarry, which takes out a part of the mound on the west side, was in use. These are likely to have been early in date, predating the formal enclosure of the burial ground. They may indicate an early Christian site as the origin of the present chapel

<5> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 418/2 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

Chapel may have sat within a sub-rectangular enclosure. Plot is described as chapel yard and road.

<6> Chester Archaeology, 1994, Wervin Chapel-of-Ease; an Archaeological Survey (Client Report). SCH4788.

The ruins of a medieval chapel-of-ease at Wervin were surveyed in order to assess the condition of the monument. It was found that although some demolition had taken place in the late seventeenth century, probably when the chapel was deconsecrated, much damage has occurred since the 1950's. In addition to recording the conditions of the standing masonry, an attempt was made to locate the foundations of the remainder of the chapel. A soil resistivity survey located not only these, but also probable areas of collapsed walling and a possible cemetery area. The mound on which the chapel stood was also surveyed; the possibility that the mound originated as a Neolithic earthen long barrow cannot be discounted by the survey.

<7> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Leah M 11/06/2010 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

There is no strong evidence to suggest that the mound is anything other than a natural feature. Where investigations into ecclesiastical sites located on similar features have taken place (Audlem, Church Lawton), the feature has invariably proved to be of natural origin.

<8> Matrix Archaeology, 2011, Wervin Chapel, Wervin, Near Chester: Archaeological Recording (Client Report). SCH5458.

‘…There is some evidence to suggest that the chapel was of more than one phase of construction, although the existing standing structure appears to represent a single building episode…’

‘…It would seem strange if the chapel had been located in an otherwise wholly isolated location, and it is suggested that Chapel House Farm or Wervin Old Hall may have originated as a medieval monastic grange…’

‘…Documentary evidence would suggest that the chapel became disused sometime between 1673 and 1725. A visit to the existing farmhouse revealed that although the bulk of the building was constructed of handmade brick, the heck wall of the central inglenook fireplace was constructed from large blocks of red sandstone, and it seems probable that this sandstone was taken from the derelict chapel, during the late 17th or early 18th century…’

‘…The suggestion that the chapel was located upon a Neolithic long-barrow seems to have been based only upon the assumption that the chapel was probably erected upon a much earlier burial site. There is no topographic evidence to suggest that the chapel site is other than a natural one, which may have been enhanced by the effects of ploughing beyond the curtilage, and burials around the chapel itself…’

<9> Environment Agency, 2003-2020, Environment Agency LiDAR Surveys, D0060128 (2m), 18/02/2006 (Digital Archive). SCH7819.

The extent of the landform on which the chapel is located is evident and the LIDAR survey suggests that this may have been artificially enhanced by the processes described by Fletcher (see 8). The area of sand quarrying seems well defined to the west of the chapel.