Holy Trinity Chapel, Umberleigh facts for kids
The Chapel of the Holy Trinity at Umberleigh is a very old ruined chapel in north Devon, England. Most of it was taken down around 1800. It stands right next to Umberleigh House, which was once the main house of the Umberleigh estate. This house is now a large Georgian farmhouse. Both the chapel ruins and Umberleigh House are considered very important historical buildings, given a special "Grade I listed" status in 1965.
According to Tristram Risdon, a historian from Devon who lived in the 1600s, this spot was once a royal palace belonging to the Saxon King Athelstan. Later, it became a large mansion house owned by several important families over time, including the Solery, Champernoun, Willington, Beaumont, and Bassett families. Today, the chapel, the manor house, and about 400 acres of land with 7 small houses belong to the Andrews family. They bought the property in 1917 but had been renting it from the Bassett family since about 1840. The chapel's south wall is still standing and is now the back wall of a storage building.
Contents
Building the Chapel: A Gift from Lady Joan
The Umberleigh Chapel of the Holy Trinity was started by Lady Joan Willington. She was a widow who died around 1314. Her maiden name was Champernowne. She was the daughter and heir of Sir William Champernowne of Umberleigh.
Lady Joan wanted to make sure there was a chaplain (a priest) to hold church services in her chapel at Umberleigh. So, she gave some land called Wiara to help pay for the chaplain. This was a common way for wealthy people to support religious services in their private chapels.
What the Old Document Says
An old document from the 1600s, written by Tristram Risdon, tells us about the chapel's beginning. It quotes Lady Joan saying: "Joan de Champernowne sends greetings. Know that I, in my widowhood, inspired by divine charity, for the salvation of my soul and my ancestors, and also for the salvation of the souls of my father, Lord William de Champernowne, and my mother, Eve, and Sir Ralph de Willington, my husband, and our children, have given all the land of Wiara to support a chaplain. This chaplain will be chosen by us and our heirs to celebrate divine services in our chapel at Umberleigh."
This document shows how important faith and family were to people in those times.
Important Tombs and Statues
Over many centuries, important people were buried in Umberleigh Chapel. Their tombs and statues were placed there to remember them. However, around 1820, most of these monuments were moved to the nearby Atherington Church.
In the 1750s, someone living at Umberleigh described the chapel's appearance. They noted three main tombs:
- Tomb A: A Knight on the South Side
* Near the chapel entrance on the south side was a statue of a knight. * He was shown with his legs crossed, raised slightly above the ground. * This statue is now lost.
- Tomb B: A Knight and His Lady
* In the north-east corner was a raised tomb with two figures. * One was a man in armor with a shield and dagger. * Next to him was the figure of his wife. * The front of the tomb had small carved spaces (niches) with shields that once had painted family symbols (arms) on them. * These two statues are now in Atherington Church, placed side-by-side. * They are believed to be Sir Ralph Willington (who died in 1385) and his wife. * The knight's armor shows the Willington family symbols.
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- Tomb C: The Crusader Knight
* Under the south wall was a statue of a knight with crossed legs. * He wore a loose vest over chain armor. * He held a long, pointed shield. * This type of statue, with crossed legs, usually represents a crusader – a knight who went to fight in the Holy Land. * This statue is very old, from the 1200s. * It is now in Atherington Church, though its legs and one arm are broken. * Many believe this statue represents Sir William de Champernowne, Lady Joan Willington's father.
What Risdon Saw
Tristram Risdon, writing around 1630, also described the chapel and its contents. He said that many of the lords of Umberleigh were buried there. He noted that their tombs had "curiously cut" figures. However, even in his time, many had been damaged by age.
He mentioned seeing two main figures:
- One was a knight and his lady, decorated with their family symbols and those of other noble families they were connected to.
- The other was a fully armed knight lying with crossed legs, "after the manner of such as in elder ages went to war in the Holy Land."
Risdon sadly noted that none of these figures had any writing left to say who they were.
