MSO7883 - Chantry Cottage, The Drang, Porlock (Building)

Summary

A late 15th Century chantry priest's dwelling, subsequently much altered. The priests served the Harington Chantry in the adjacent St Dubricius' Church.

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Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

(SS 8866 4668) Chantry Cottage. [1] II No 1 Chantry Cottage II No 2 Chantry Cottage High Street. [2] 14 A/2 Attributed to C. 12 ("Homeland" Guide), earliest exterior features - window and doorframe - appear to date from about C. 15, otherwise much altered. Creamwashed rendering, modern pantiles, eaves, end gables, tall square rendered end stacks on exposed chimney breasts corbelled out from 1st floor level. Two-storey, 1 window per cottage, later wood casements except one 2-light with wood mullions to ground floor of right-hand cottage N. end elevation of The Chantry shows single-light stone-framed window with cinquefoiled head and rectangular dripmould. This cottage has heavy chamfered oak doorframe with 4-centred arch, later 'stable' door. Interiors may be of interest. [3] The house wherein the priest resided is standing near the church, and is still called the chantry-house. [4] PORLOCK CP THE DRANG (East side) Chantry Cottage (formerly listed as 2 separate items Nos 1 and 2 High Street) GV II Chantry priest's dwelling, now cottage. Late C15, subsequently much altered. Rendered over rubble, double Roman tiled roof, stone stack right gable end, inserted rendered first floor external stack left gable end. Plan: 2 cell and cross passage with additions at rear. Two storeys, 2 bays; leaded C20 2-light casements, central chamfered 4-centred arch door frame, somewhat eroded with C20 stable-type door. Left return first floor stone lancet presumably to stair, cinquefoil headed single light window left, pantiled crosswing addition with outshot visible on right return. Interior not seen. This is believed to have been the dwelling of the priests attached to the Harington Chantry in St Dubricius Church (qv) Porlock, which was licenced in 1474. (Photograph in NMR). [5] English Heritage Listed Building Number: 265464. First Listed on 22 May 1969. [6] 2-cell Cross passage plan. Stone, Render walls. Gabled roof [7] Facing across the churchyard and fronting The Drang, probably a medieval path, is Chantry Cottage. This is rendered over rubble with a double-Roman tiled roof and dates from the late 15th century. It was formerly the priest’s dwelling attached to the Harington Chantry in the Parish Church, which it is recorded was licensed in 1474. The original plan was a two-cell building with cross-passage. The central chamfered fourcentre arched door-frame is undoubtedly early (probably 16th century) and there is a first floor stone lancet and cinquefoil-headed single-light window to the left. To the rear there is an added cross-wing with outshot under a pantiled roof. [8] The Harrington Memorial in the church is one of the finest of its kind - erected in memory of Lord and Lady Harrington. The first priest was appointed in 1476 and the chantry closed in 1546. The priest had to reside 'in a certain messuage, hard by the cemetery of the church'. The chaplains had to provide bread and cheese and ten gallons of good beer to be eaten and drunk in memoriy of the Lord and Lady after the anniversary service. [9] The building was visited in April 2012 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 6. [10] A survey of Chantry Cottage was completed by the SANHS Building Research Group (West Somerset and Exmoor) in 2015. Priests house of c 1470 to serve the Harrington Chantry of St Dubricius Church, includes history, description, plans, and photographs. Late medieval features recorded include front doorway, stone window with cinquefoil head, rear doorway, beams, jointed cruck roof timbers, fireplaces, later additions. [11] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [12]

Sources/Archives (13)

  • <1> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1973. 1:2500. 1:25,000.
  • <2> Index: Department of the Environment. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest . HHR: Williton RD, Somerset (March 1962) 62.
  • <3> Index: Department of the Environment. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest . HHR: Williton Rd, Somerset Corrigenda (23 January 1969).
  • <4> Monograph: Collinson, J.. 1791 (2006). The History and Antiquities of Somerset. Archive CD Books Ltd. Volume 2, 40.
  • <5> Index: 2/1/1986. Thirty-fifth List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, District of West Somerset (Somerset)/Exmoor National Park.
  • <6> Verbal communication: Various. 1900-. Somerset County Council / South West Heritage Trust staff comments. Chris Webster, Somerset HER, 28 November 2005.
  • <7> Unpublished document: Somerset County Council. Various. Somerset HER parish files - Exmoor records. PRN 31177.
  • <8> Report: Fisher, J.. 2002. Porlock: Conservation Area Character Appraisal. p13, 18.
  • <9> Monograph: Corner, Dennis. 1992. Porlock in Those Days. Exmoor Books. p93.
  • <10> Report: Lawrence, G.. 2014. Exmoor National Park: Rapid condition survey of listed buildings 2012-13.
  • <11> Report: Pratt, N.. 2013. Porlock Conservation Area: Appraisal Document. 24, 56, 76, Figures 7, 21, 69.
  • <12> Report: Richardson, I.. 2015. Chantry Cottage, The Drang, Porlock.
  • <13> Digital archive: Historic England. Various. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) entry. 35873, Extant 7 February 2022.

External Links (1)

Other Statuses/References

  • 2012-3 Building At Risk Score (6): 1076/24/51
  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MSO10684
  • Local List Status (Rejected)
  • National Monuments Record reference: SS 84 NE17
  • NRHE HOB UID (Pastscape): 35873
  • Somerset SMR PRN: 31177

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SS 8865 4668 (10m by 11m)
Map sheet SS84NE
Civil Parish PORLOCK, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (2)

Record last edited

Sep 28 2022 9:31AM

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