Building record 10640/15 - Abbey of St Werburgh - Chapel of St Nicholas

The Chapel for the Guild of St Nicholas in St Werburgh St. was in existence by 1348, in the south-west corner of the abbey precinct (1), although an English Heritage reference provided a date of c 1280 (2). In the mid-fourteenth century, the parishioners of St Oswald's (CHER 10671) moved to this chapel. In the late fifteenth century, Abbot Simon Ripley agreed to share with the mayor and parishioners the cost of completing an extension to the chapel, which at the time was otherwise known as 'the new church of St Oswald' (3). In 1539, the chapel was leased to the city to be used as the Common Hall (CHER 10685), and would later become a theatre, music hall, and most recently, modern shops (CHER 10686). What survives of the medieval work today can be seen on the south side where there are four buttresses c 3m high, projecting c 1m, the most westerly of which is incorporated into a later building built onto the south wall of the chapel. Four seventeenth century windows which have been blocked by later brickwork show the remains of an outer moulding. Immediately west of modern entrance on the south is the outline of a large blocked window with moulded surround. On the north side is a blocked window behind a diagonal buttress. Immediately to the west of modern eastern entrance are portions of at least two more blocked windows showing above rooftops of an adjoining building. Unfortunately, nothing of original fabric is visible inside (2). Finally, the gothic front is by Harrison (6).

<1> Burne, R. V. H., 1962, The Monks of Chester. The History of St Werburgh's Abbey (Book). SCH3213.

<2> English Heritage, Various, Old/Original Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Description), /No.35 (Scheduling Record). SCH4606.

<2> English Heritage, Various, Schedule Entry (Scheduled Ancient Monuments Amendment), /No.35 (Scheduling Record). SCH2950.

<3> Harris, B.E. (ed), 1987, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume I, 3/132-146 Harris B 1980 (Book). SCH3556.

<4> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1894, Chester in the Plantagenet & Tudor Reigns, /202-203 (Book). SCH946.

<5> Harris, B.E., 1979, Bartholomew City Guides - Chester, /56 (Book). SCH394.

<6> Pevsner N & Hubbard E, 1971, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, /162-163 (Book). SCH3078.

<7> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ46NW49/1964 (Index). SCH2487.

<8> Gastrell F, 1845-1850, Notitia Cestriensis, or historical notices of the diocese of Chester, Gastrell F 1845/112 & 114 (Article in Journal). SCH2290.

<9> Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Revised List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, City of Chester Inter Mural 1998/319 (Unpublished Report). SCH4570.

<10> Blomfield, M. A (Reverand Canon), 1854, History of St Nicholas' Chapel (Article in Journal). SCH5507.

<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.