Borbach Chantry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Borbach Chantry |
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| Location | West Dean, Wiltshire, England |
| Built | 1333 |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Borbach Chantry | |
| Designated | 23 March 1960 |
| Reference no. | 1184418 |
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Borbach Chantry is a very old and special chapel located in West Dean, a village in Wiltshire, England. It was built way back in 1333. This historic building is recognized as a Grade I listed building, which means it's a really important historical site.
Today, Borbach Chantry is no longer used for regular church services. Instead, it is cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust. This trust helps protect and preserve old churches that are no longer active. The chapel officially became part of the trust's care on January 19, 1973.
Contents
The Chapel's History and Design
The chapel was originally built using flint stones and decorated with limestone. It was created around 1333 by a person named Robert de Borbach. The chapel was once part of a larger parish church from the 1300s.
What Happened to the Church?
Most of the original church was taken down in 1868. When this happened, the part that connected the chapel to the church, called an arcade (a row of arches), was walled up. A window from the demolished church's chancel (the area around the altar) was placed in the new wall. A porch was also added to the south side of the chapel.
The old roof of the chapel, with its 14th-century wooden beams called trussed rafters, was kept. This shows how well-built it was and how people wanted to save its original features.
Why Was It Preserved?
The Evelyn family made sure the chapel was preserved. They wanted to protect the special monuments inside that honored their family members. These monuments are a big part of the chapel's history.
Important Monuments Inside
Borbach Chantry is famous for its beautiful and historic monuments. These are like grand statues or structures built to remember important people.
The Pierrepoint Memorial
At the east end of the chapel, you can see a tall monument behind iron railings from the 1600s. This monument honors Robert Pierrepoint, who passed away in 1669. His family had married into the Evelyn family.
The monument is made of black, white, and gold materials. It looks very dramatic and impressive. Experts believe it was created by a famous artist named John Bushnell.
The Evelyn Family Monuments
On the north wall, there are more monuments. One shows John Evelyn, who died in 1627, and his wife. They are shown kneeling under a fancy, decorative archway. Below them, their eleven children are also shown kneeling.
Another monument features a bust (a sculpture of a person's head and shoulders) of John Evelyn, who died in 1685. He was involved in the English Parliament. His bust is in a black niche, under a decorative top with an urn and two female figures. This monument is also considered a very good piece of art.
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See also
