Details
ST85NW NORTON ST. PHILIP CP
FARLEIGH HUNGERFORD
2/240 Chapel of St. Leonard, perimeter
wall and gateway Farleigh
Hungerford Castle
-
GV I
Chapel, originally the Parish Church, now monument. Mid C14, with late C14, mid C15, early C16 and mid C19 additions and alterations. Random rubble Doulting stone with ashlar quoins. Stone slate gabled roof with copings. West Porch;
Nave and Chancel plain rectangular with diagonally set buttresses at corners; projecting Chantry Chapel of St. Anne at north-east corner with Crypt beneath. West Porch; entered through 4-centred moulded arch, with Hungerford badge of
sickles and sheath over, wagon roof, plaster ceiling now removed with moulded ribs and principals, carved and painted bosses. West door, moulded pointed arch with 3-light perpendicular tracery window in pointed arch with dripmould over,
probably mid C14. Nave and Chancel; 5-bays, 'A'-frame trusses with stop moulded chamfers on ties and collars, moulded plates. 5-windows, blocked before 1852. East window, 3-light elementary panel tracery under a depressed arch, from
West door 5-steps lead down to Chapel flag-stone floor, at their foot a grave slab of a Chaplain, c1480 and to the east on 2-step podium, the Font; late C12, perhaps a survival from the earliest Church. On the east wall, wall paintings
c1440, St. George slaying the dragon, conventional patterning and the Hungerford Arms, added in C16. On the south wall, wall painting of a knight, now almost disappeared. Pulpit; made up from pieces carved c1600. Piscina; ogee-headed c1440, brought from parish church 1874. Alter slab; probably original, rests against east wall. Chantry Chapel; added 1380-1390 for Sir Thomas Hungerford as burial place for himself and his family, entered from Chancel under a wide, near semi-circular moulded arch. Low pitched roof, roof timbers and walls richly decorated 1645-48, traces still survive. Black and white marble floor also 1645-48. Stained glass of Chantry chapel windows and in east window of Chancel, Flemish or Dutch C17 and C18, introduced in Mid C19. Tombs; under arch to Chantry Chapel, Sir Thomas Hungerford, 1398 and Joan Hussey, his wife 1412. 5 elongated quatrefoils with shields, recumbent effigies of Sir Thomas mailed, head resting on helm, feet on lion, his lady in cloak and mantle, head upon cushion, feet on 2 dogs, enclosed by iron grille, re-erected c1820-1840, incorporates C17 fragments. In south east corner of Chancel, Sir Walter Hungerford 1596, and his son Edward 1583, richly coloured, flat top with incised epitaph. In north east corner of Chantry Chapel, Sir Edward Hungerford 1607 and Jane has wife, richly coloured flat top with incised epitaph and once lead filled, similar to Sir Water tomb. In north west corner of Chantry Chapel Mary 1613, sister to Sir Edward Hungerford, with bronze epitaph plate on wall over. In centre of Chantry Chapel, Sir Edward Hungerfor 1698 and Margaret Holliday, his wife, black and white marble, richly carved with white marble effigies, Sir Edward in full armour feet on helm and his lady in a cloak, their heads on pillows and cushions, Latin epitaph. Beneath Chantry Chapel, entered from outside on north side of House, down flight of steps, a barrel vaulted Crypt, containing lead coffins, 6 adult and 2 infant. Perimeter retaining wall, C19, random rubble Doulting stone, battlemented, incorporates C16 gateway with 4-centred arch chamfered stone surround with Hungerford badge over and C19 coped gable with cross finial. Vertical boarded and studded gate. Scheduled Ancient Monument (Somerset County No 4). (Department of the Environment, Farleigh Hungerford Castle, 1979).
Listing NGR: ST8012257622
