MSO7401 - St Andrew's Chapel, West of Luccombe (Monument)

The remains of St Andrew's Chapel (possibly previously St Saviour's) are visible as low footings measuring 10 metres by 6 metres and standing up to 0.4 metres high. The site was used as a stone quarry and was excavated by Hancock.

SS 906 448. A chapel near Chapel Cross had been used as a stone quarry for many generations before it was excavated by the Rev F Hancock prior to 1897. The internal measurements of the building appeared to be 28 feet long and 15 feet wide, and it apparently had three doors. [1] Healey states that it was described as "St Andrews Chapel" in 1776. He refutes Hancocks suggestion that it may have been the chapel licensed by Geoffrey de Luccombe in 1316 and dedicated to St Saviour (see [15] below), as he considers St Saviours was in the parish church and that de Luccombe's chapel was dedicated to St Peter and was at Horner (MSO11308). The chapel is shown by plans dating to 1809-12 for the Holnicote Estate, close to the junction with the manors of East and West Luccombe. The earth above the ruins "was removed not many years ago under the direction of Prebendary Hancock, then rector of Selworthy." Chadwyck-Healey suggests the plan was probably similar to Lynch Chapel, with a chamfered base and corner buttresses, and with two or three doors. It measured internally 28 feet long by 15 feet wide, orientated east 27 degrees south. [2] The remains of this chapel are at SS 9057 4487. They consist of the footings of a rectangular building measuring 10.0 metres by 6.1 metres externally, with walls 0.6 metres wide and up to 0.4 metres high. A doorway towards the west end of the south wall is the only one that can be definitely identified [?12]. Surveyed at 1:2500. A notice board erected by the National Trust states that it is St. Andrews Chapel. [3] Very poor condition, being grass covered and the masonry fabric deteriorating. Several stones had been pulled out, including the piece of the chamfered plinth. Needs consolidation and interpretation. [4] The dimensions c.8 metres by 4.5 metres, no disturbance apparent. [5] Scheduled Monument Consent granted for minor repair works and interpretation panel. [6] Scheduling affirmed with new national number on 11 August 2003 (was Somerset 483). [8] Remains of St. Andrew's Chapel, Grade III. Said to be the remains of a chantry chapel of 14th Century date. No surviving features. (Not included in current list.) [9] (SS 9057 4487) Chapel [NR] (Remains of) [NAT]. [10] (SS 906 449) Medieval chapel remains at Chapel Cross, Scheduled. [11] The Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment of 2009 gave the site a survival score of 3. [13] The site was surveyed in April 2015 as part of the 2015 Exmoor Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment. It was given a survival score of 3. [14] Hancock discusses the excavation of "the scanty remains of a chapel" at a crossroads on the road from Luccombe, which appears to be this chapel. At a depth of two feet he found some old knives and a silver instrument. The chapel was used up until recently as a stone quarry but some pieces of window jambs were found in the ruins and the wall footings still remained. The altar may have been under a rise in the ground at about two feet from the east end. The chapel had three doorways and was dedicated to St Saviour, founded in 1315. It wasn't clear why the chapel was built in that position but appears to have been held in considerable repute. [15] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [16]