Poulton Chapel facts for kids
Poulton Chapel is a ruined mediaeval chapel located in the small village of Poulton, Cheshire, England (grid reference SJ404584). It is very close to the modern border with Wales.
Contents
How Old Is Poulton Chapel?
Early Beginnings: Saxon Times
The very first church building on this site was likely a small, simple structure. It was built during the Saxon period, which was a long time ago! We know this because archaeologists found about 170 pieces of Anglo-Saxon pottery, especially from the 10th century, right next to the oldest parts of the building.
Monks and the Abbey
Later, a chapel was built by Cistercian monks from Poulton Abbey. This abbey was founded around 1153. However, the monks didn't stay long. They moved their abbey to Dieulacres between 1199 and 1214. We don't know the exact spot of the original Poulton Abbey today because no buildings are left above ground.
Poulton Abbey was like a "daughter house" to Combermere Abbey. Combermere Abbey was founded in 1133 by a person named Hugh Malbank. Abbot William of Combermere helped start Poulton Abbey. He received land for it from Robert Pincerna Le Botiller.
At that time, Ranulf de Gernon, the Earl of Chester, was a prisoner. Pincerna wanted prayers said for the Earl and his family. When the Earl was released, he supported the abbey. He even gave the monks a fishing spot in the River Dee and let them grind their corn at his mill in Chester for free. Many other gifts were given to the abbey too.
The chapel building itself seems to have been built around the same time as the Abbey, about 1153. It started as a single room, or nave.
Life After the Abbey Moved
Even after the abbey moved to Dieulacres, the Poulton site remained a "grange." This was like a farm estate owned by the abbey. The chapel was probably kept in good condition for the lay brothers. These were monks who worked on the farm.
In 1487, the abbey rented out the Poulton Hall estate to the important Manley family. Sir Nicholas Manley (who lived from 1468 to 1506) expanded the chapel. He added a chancel (the part of the church where the altar is) and a tower. He used it as his own private chapel.
The Chapel on Maps
The chapel's location was shown on an old map of the Grosvenor Estate, likely drawn before 1675. Later maps also showed the chapel. The first Ordnance Survey map, which is a detailed map of the area, also marked an "old chapel" there.
The chapel was still standing in 1544. At that time, the King gave it to Sir George Cotton. However, most of the other abbey buildings had already fallen apart.
The Chapel's Final Days
The last time the chapel was used was during the English Civil War (1642–1651). It became a stable for horses and a lookout point for Parliamentarian soldiers. By 1672, it was reported to be in ruins. By 1718, it had been completely torn down.
The Chapel of Mary of Poulton
In a document from the 1500s, the chapel was called the "Chapel of Mary of Poulton."
The document describes people gathering there: "A long time ago when we kept vigil in the chapel of Mary of Poulton, the bardic craftsmen would sing cywyddau and awdlau and the women would sing carolau and dyrïau."
This suggests that people gathered at the chapel for special events, perhaps on the evening before a religious holiday. It might have even been a place where people went on a pilgrimage to a local holy spot.
Archaeological Discoveries
Archaeologists have been investigating the Poulton Chapel site since 1995. First, Chester Archaeological Services and Liverpool John Moores University worked together. Later, the Poulton Research Project took over. They have been digging around the chapel and other nearby areas.
Time Team Visit
In 2006, the site was featured on a TV show called Time Team. The show's team dug for a weekend. They didn't find the exact location of the abbey. However, they did discover that an abbey farm, later known as Poulton Hall, was about 500 meters away from the chapel.
Professor Mick Aston suggested that the chapel might have been a "Capella ad Portem," which means "chapel by the gate." This would be a chapel that local people could use if they couldn't get into the main abbey chapel. Other chapels like this exist, such as St. Stephens at Bordesley Abbey.
Graveyard and Other Finds
Archaeologists are still uncovering burials from the mediaeval graveyard. As of 2015, more than 800 burials have been found!
Besides the chapel, archaeologists have also found Roman ditches. These ditches contained many Roman objects. This suggests that an important Roman building might have been on the site. It also links the Roman presence here to the Legio XX Valeria Victrix (a Roman legion) in Chester.
Even older evidence has been found! Archaeologists have confirmed that people lived on the site during the Iron Age. They found ditches from round houses and identified many more using special equipment. Dr. Kevin Cootes, the site director, believes that the animal bones and pottery found suggest the site was used for producing, preserving (by salting), and trading meat.
