Building record 1679/2/4 - Chantry Chapel of All Souls

A stone building originating as a medieval chapel, it was used for a time as a school.

{1} School, now chantry chapel. Probably re-founded as a school and built early C15 for Archbishop Henry Chichele. Restored C20. Limestone ashlar with lead roof. Single-unit plan. Single storey. South elevation of 3-window range of 3-light windows with cusping and 4-centred arch heads. Small doorways below windows to left and right. Both have 4-centred arch heads, that to left has leaf decoration in the spandrels. 3-stage buttresses at corners and between windows terminate as crocketted pinnacles with panel tracery decoration. Moulded cornice with corbels representing leaves and flowers. Open castellated parapet, with verticals and diagonals decorated with cusping. Shallow gabled roof. Five-light east window with panel tracery and 4-centred arch head. Open castellated parapet similar to south elevation has canopied niche with statue and pinnacle at apex. North elevation is similar without doorways. West elevation is similar to east with a 4-light square-head window below main east window Parapet with niche is all similar. Interior: has staircase to former rood loft on first floor, with 2 doorways with 4-centred arch head. Original moulded roof beams restored C20 when a steeper pitched roof was removed and original pitch restored. Plank door set in panelled lobby has date above 1630. C20 stained glass roundels in west window. Tablet in lobby commemorates restoration by J. White Esq., 1942. Used as a Grammer School from 1542-1906. Restored by Temple Moore early C20. Re-dedicated as a chantry chapel in 1942.

{3} Former Chantry Chapel, became a grammer school between 1542-1906. The building was then re-dedicated as a chantry chapel.

{5} Grammar School
The school house is located in the churchyard near the west end of the church - it is a perpendicular structure. The school was founded by Archbishop Chichele in 1422 and held 50 boys. The Grammar School was transferred from the college to the corporation at the dissolution of the monasteries. The school closed in 1907 and the endowment transferred to provide a scholarship to Wellingborough School. The building is dated some time after 1454 (the Prince of Wales feathers are displayed on the structure) and it was restored in 1914 at the cost of Dr John Crew. The building is still standing and in use as a chantry chapel, it is a grade 1 listed building. Film 1, photo 1-3. (4)

A Grammar School existed in the town by 1372 when a master was appointed. It was re-founded in 1422 when money was specifically allocated in Archbishop Chicheley's endowment of the College for one of the clerks to serve as Grammar School master. In 1535, at the dissolution, £10 per annum was reserved out of the former College estate for the maintenance of a schoolmaster and it continued to function unto the 19th century. The School House lies in the churchyard. It is a small but elaborate 15th century building depicted by Tillemans in circa 1719. . Though largely intact, it was restored in 1914-15.

{6} Two undated photos.

{7} The Chantry Chapel or Grammar School was the work of Henry Chichele (1414-43).

{8} Built as a chapel and called the School House.

{9} Built after Archbishop Chichele's death in 1443 for a school established in 1391. Panelled interior with a wooden doorway dated 1636.

{10} A stone building in pure Perpendicular style, no longer a school but still belonging to the church, and in excellent condition. See photos.

{11} Chichele College. In the early 1980's a DoE excavation of the southern range identified the original footing of the north wall, and to the south of the present barn, a wall and patches of medieval mortar surface including a steep emplacement. Two partion wall were also found but were undated.

<1> Clews Architects, 1980s, Database for Listing of Historic Buildings of Special Architectural Interest: Northamptonshire, 18/53 (checked) (Digital archive). SNN102353.

<2> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest ("Greenback"), G07 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN41470.

<3> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, p.28 (unchecked) (Catalogue). SNN45409.

<4> Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Industrial Period, (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN4.

<5> Foard G.; Ballinger J., 1999, Northamptonshire Extensive Urban Survey: Higham Ferrers (Medieval - Industrial), (unchecked) (Digital archive). SNN100543.

<6> Photographs of buildings in Higham Ferrers (Photographs). SNN115452.

<7> 1953, The Archaeological Journal (110), p. 190-2 (Journal). SNN59424.

<8> 1912, The Archaeological Journal (69), p. 480-1 (Journal). SNN59448.

<9> Bailey, B, Pevsner, N, and Cherry, B, 2013, The Buildings of England: Northamptonshire, p. 331 (Book). SNN111989.

<10> Seaman, B H, 1970, Field Investigator's Comments, F1 BHS 16-JUL-1970 (Notes). SNN111541.

<11> SOCIETY FOR MEDIEVAL ARCHAEOLOGY, 1981, Medieval Archaeology (25), p. 190 (Journal). SNN104711.

Record last edited

Nov 14 2023 3:48PM