St Mary's Chapel (Ellingham)
Bateson records two (apparently) separate Chapels of St Mary in the vicinity of Ellingham. The first granted by Nostell Priory to Ralph Gaugy, to be 'in his Court at Neubigginge' (Newstead); the second 'a Chapel of St Mary in the valley', which existed at least up to 1333. He associates this last with a St Mary's Wood (not known, but see ii below) mentioned in 1158 and 1334. But these two chapels may be one and the same. The possible sites are: -
i. Newstead Tower (NU 12 NE 7, NU 152271); as suggested by the wording of the Nostell grant.
ii. An area called 'The Glebe', which Bateson identifies (for undisclosed reasons) with St Mary's Wood. This is an extensive area (centred NU 177255) east and south of St Maurice's church, Ellingham (Bateson and Tithe Map).
iii. 'Kirk Hill', a small field (Tithe Map and OS 6 inch) centred NU 162265; as a significant name.
iv. A site at NU 176263 discovered by Sir H. Haggerston of Ellingham Hall, and thought by him to be the site of the Chapel. There he has found foundations of a building, a well, and a fishpond. (1)(2)(3)
At Newstead and 'The Glebe' there is nothing known or visible to suggest the site of a chapel.
At 'Kirk Hill' there is a prominent knoll which has much loose stone on its summit, though none of this is dressed.
At Sir H Haggerston's site there are now no surface indications of the building (sited by him NU 17572626), but the site of the well is identifiable as a depression at NU 17502626, and the fish-pond as a shallow rectangular basin, at NU 17662625, with a stream running through it and a sluiced dam at its east end. There was certainly some sort of occupation there (and the well and fishpond might suggest it was ecclesiastical) but whether it was St Mary's Chapel (or one of two St Mary's chapels) is uncertain. (4)
Fishpond and well surveyed at 1/2500. (5)
Additional Reference (6)
i. Newstead Tower (NU 12 NE 7, NU 152271); as suggested by the wording of the Nostell grant.
ii. An area called 'The Glebe', which Bateson identifies (for undisclosed reasons) with St Mary's Wood. This is an extensive area (centred NU 177255) east and south of St Maurice's church, Ellingham (Bateson and Tithe Map).
iii. 'Kirk Hill', a small field (Tithe Map and OS 6 inch) centred NU 162265; as a significant name.
iv. A site at NU 176263 discovered by Sir H. Haggerston of Ellingham Hall, and thought by him to be the site of the Chapel. There he has found foundations of a building, a well, and a fishpond. (1)(2)(3)
At Newstead and 'The Glebe' there is nothing known or visible to suggest the site of a chapel.
At 'Kirk Hill' there is a prominent knoll which has much loose stone on its summit, though none of this is dressed.
At Sir H Haggerston's site there are now no surface indications of the building (sited by him NU 17572626), but the site of the well is identifiable as a depression at NU 17502626, and the fish-pond as a shallow rectangular basin, at NU 17662625, with a stream running through it and a sluiced dam at its east end. There was certainly some sort of occupation there (and the well and fishpond might suggest it was ecclesiastical) but whether it was St Mary's Chapel (or one of two St Mary's chapels) is uncertain. (4)
Fishpond and well surveyed at 1/2500. (5)
Additional Reference (6)
N4967
EXCAVATION, Excavation near Ellingham Hall 1955; HAGGERSTON, SIR H
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1955; E Geary
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1969; B H Pritchard
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1955; E Geary
FIELD OBSERVATION, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Field Investigation 1969; B H Pritchard
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