Longworth Roman Catholic Chapel facts for kids

Longworth Roman Catholic Chapel is an old chapel in Bartestree, Herefordshire, England. It stands next to what used to be the Convent of Our Lady of Charity and Refuge. This chapel is a very important historic building. It is protected as a Grade II* listed building and is now owned by the Historic Chapels Trust.

History of the Chapel

The Longworth Chapel has been in its current spot since 1869–70. It was first built around 1390. Back then, it was a private chapel for the manor house at Old Longworth.

After the Reformation, the chapel was no longer used for religious services. For a long time, it was used for farming, like making cider.

In the mid-1800s, Robert Biddulph Phillips owned the manor house and chapel. He became a Catholic and decided to fix up the old chapel. This work was done in 1851.

In 1863, he started a convent in Bartestree for his daughter. When he died in 1864, he was buried in the chapel. His will said that the chapel should be moved next to the convent. This move happened in 1869–70. The architect who helped move and restore the chapel was probably E. W. Pugin. He also designed the convent building.

Chapel Design and Structure

Outside the Chapel

The chapel is built from light brown and pink sandstone. It has a roof made of tiles. The building has one main room and faces north-south.

You enter through a porch at the north end, with the door facing east. The west wall of the chapel is connected to the old convent building. There are strong supports called buttresses at the corners.

Many parts of the chapel were reused from the original medieval building. Most of the windows and the doorway are from the first chapel. They show styles from the late Decorated or early Perpendicular periods. However, the chapel today looks different from the original. It was not just moved, but rebuilt in a new way. People say it's a "Victorian version of a medieval building" using old materials.

Inside the Chapel

The chapel has one main room. It includes a small area for the altar called a chancel. There is also a small opening in the west wall that led into the convent. The roofs over the chancel and the rest of the chapel are built differently.

The stone altar and the decorated screen behind it, called a reredos, were likely designed by Pugin. The altar has statues of several saints in small spaces called niches. These include Saint Francis de Sales, Saint Jean Frances de Chantal, Saint Teresa, and Saint Anne. The reredos has six niches with statues of angels.

On the east wall, there are two small basins called piscinas. The chapel also has several memorials for the Phillips family. The stained glass in the south window was made by Hardman & Co.. It has been taken out for now to keep it safe while the chapel is being restored.

Nearby Buildings

Bartestree Convent

The convent next to the chapel, along with its presbytery (a house for a priest), are also important historic buildings. They are listed as Grade II.

Recent Times

After being empty for many years, the convent building was turned into homes. The nuns' chapel inside the convent was also made into flats.

The Longworth Chapel itself was in bad condition. The Historic Chapels Trust bought it and received a grant of £143,000 from English Heritage. They also raised more money from donations. The first stage of repairs was finished in 2011. These repairs made the chapel safe and protected it from the weather.

The chapel can now be rented for concerts, meetings, and small events during warmer months. Sometimes, church services are held there too. More money, about £250,000, is needed to finish all the restoration work. A local group has been formed to help manage the chapel every day. They are also looking for new ways to use the space.

More to See

• List of chapels preserved by the Historic Chapels Trust