The Hanging Chapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chantry Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary |
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| Native name The Hanging Chapel | |
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| Location | Langport, Somerset, England |
| Built | 13th century |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Designated | 17 April 1959 |
| Reference no. | 263183 |
| Designated | 3 July 2000 |
| Reference no. | 33713 |
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The Hanging Chapel is a very old and special building in Langport, Somerset, England. It is also known as the Chantry Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This unique building was built in the 13th century. It sits on top of an archway.
The chapel is a Perpendicular Gothic style building. This is a type of English Gothic architecture. Because it is so important, it has two special protections. It is a Grade I listed building. This means it is a building of exceptional interest. It is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument. This protects it from changes.
History of the Hanging Chapel
Long ago, in the 1990s, people dug up the area. They found that the chapel and its archway were built on an old Saxon bank. This bank used to protect the town. The archway is all that is left of the town's east gate. This archway goes over what was once the main road. It has a pointed, rounded shape, like a tunnel.
After a big change in religion called the Reformation, the chapel had different uses. It was first a chapel for local business people. These people also formed the town's government. For a short time in the late 1500s, it became the town hall. It was also used as a courthouse around the same time.
Later, the town government gave the chapel to a school. This was Thomas Gillett's free grammar school. The building was repaired in 1706 and 1716. The grammar school had started in 1675. It used the chapel until 1790. After that, the chapel became a Sunday school from 1818 to 1827.
The chapel then became a museum. It was called the Quekett museum. It was named after John Thomas Quekett. He was a scientist who studied tiny living things. His father was the head of the Langport Grammar School. The museum held a collection of stuffed birds. These birds belonged to Edward Quekett. The museum was open from 1834 to 1875. The chapel has also been used as a place to store weapons, called an armoury.
In 1891, the Hanging Chapel became a masonic hall. This is a meeting place for a group called the Freemasons. Today, the town council still rents it out to a local Freemason group called the Portcullis Lodge.
Incidents and Repairs
The Hanging Chapel is very old, and sometimes things happen to it. In 1998, a large truck hit the archway. It left long marks, about 10 to 15 millimeters deep. Luckily, the building's main structure was not damaged.
In April 2022, another truck caused more serious damage. This truck got stuck in the archway while trying to drive through. Several stones in the archway became loose. The repairs took a long time. They were not finished until September of that year.
See also
- List of Grade I listed buildings in South Somerset
