Adscombe Chapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Adscombe Chapel |
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View of the site of the chapel
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| Type | Church |
| Location | Sedgemoor |
| OS grid reference | ST 18414 37782 |
| Area | Somerset |
| Official name: Chapel E of Adscombe Farm | |
| Designated | 30 March 1977 |
| Reference no. | 1006133 |
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Adscombe Chapel is the ancient ruin of a chapel from the medieval period. It's located near Adscombe Farm in Somerset, UK. This special site sits on a hillside, offering a glimpse into history.
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Discovering Adscombe Chapel
Adscombe Chapel was a religious building from the medieval times. It was built in the 13th century by monks from Athelney Abbey. The chapel was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
The earliest official mention of the chapel was in 1535. A person named Johan Broke left one sheep to 'Our Lady of Addescombe' in their will. This shows the chapel was important to local people.
What Did It Look Like?
Back in 1903, much more of the chapel was still standing. There was a tall wall, reaching roof height, with a window and a door below it. Today, only small parts of the walls remain.
Even with only small sections left, we can tell the chapel was a single room. It measured about 16 metres (52 ft) long and 7 metres (23 ft) wide. The remaining walls are quite thick, up to 0.6 metres (2 ft). They stand about 1.3 metres (4 ft) high. You can still see parts of door frames and window sections in the ruins.
The chapel was built using local Devonian sandstone. You can still see the strong bases of buttresses at the west end. These supports helped hold up the building. The chapel probably dates from the mid-1200s to the early 1300s.
Where is Adscombe?
Adscombe is a small hamlet, which is a tiny village. It has an old farmhouse and a few cottages. The chapel ruins are just across the lane from these buildings.
Adscombe is located about 135 miles (217 km) west of London. It's also about 45 miles (72 km) south-west of Bristol. The chapel's spot is typical for settlements in the Quantock Hills. It sits at the bottom of a valley, called a combe. It's also next to what used to be common land.
The Quantock Hills are a special area with open moorland in southern Britain. This region is important for archeology. Many ancient monuments show how people used the land in the Bronze Age and Iron Age. These include burial mounds, stone piles, old settlements, and hillforts.
Adscombe Through Time
Adscombe was a busy settlement during the medieval period. In 1327, four people from Adscombe were wealthy enough to pay taxes. By 1547, the hamlet had two houses and a ruined building.
East of the chapel, there's a large raised area of earth. This was once the site of a big building. In medieval times, it was likely the manor house for the areas of Over Stowey and Fryon. This house was later called 'Chapel House'. In the 1600s, the Rich family lived there. By the 1800s, it was known as 'Chapples House and Barton'. Interestingly, the chapel itself was used as a barn during this time.
Recently, work has been done to protect and preserve the chapel ruins. This conservation work was funded by a government scheme called DEFRA's Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
Nearby religious sites
The Church of St Peter and St Paul is located in Over Stowey.
See also
- Over Stowey
- Quantock Hills
