Withcote Chapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Withcote Chapel |
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Withcote Chapel from the northwest
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| OS grid reference | SK 795 057 |
| Location | Withcote, Leicestershire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 29 December 1966 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | Early 16th century |
| Completed | 1744 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Ironstone with limestone dressings, and lead roofs |
Withcote Chapel is a very old church located in Withcote, Leicestershire, England. It is no longer used for regular church services, but it is a special historical building. The chapel is protected as a Grade I listed building, which means it's considered very important. The Churches Conservation Trust takes care of it, making sure it stays in good condition for everyone to see.
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History of Withcote Chapel
The chapel was built a long time ago, in the early 1500s. It started as a private chapel for a large house called Withcote Hall. This means it was used by the family living there for their own religious services.
Later, it became a parish church, which is a church for the local community. In 1744, the chapel was repaired and updated. During this time, some new features were added to its outside, like the decorative wall at the top and the pointed towers on the corners.
What Does Withcote Chapel Look Like?
Withcote Chapel is built from ironstone, a strong type of rock, with limestone used for details. Its roof is made of lead. The building has a simple rectangular shape, like a long box. It has four sections, and the main part of the church (the nave) is connected directly to the area near the altar (the chancel).
Along the sides and at the corners, there are strong supports called buttresses. The top edge of the walls has a special decorative pattern called a embattled parapet, which looks a bit like the top of a castle wall. Each corner also has a pointed decoration called a crocketted pinnacle.
All the windows are square-shaped and have three rounded sections of glass. There are doors on the north and south sides of the chapel. You can also see signs where there might have been another door on the west side, but it is now blocked up.
Inside the Chapel
Most of the things you see inside the chapel, like the seats and decorations, were added in the 1700s. The seats are placed along the sides, similar to how they would be in a college chapel.
The reredos, which is a decorative screen behind the altar, is in a style called Renaissance. It has three parts, with the middle section framed by columns that have special grooves called fluted Corinthian columns. The side parts are angled and have similar columns with triangular tops called pediments. On top of each side piece, there is a beautiful marble monument.
Stained Glass Windows
The beautiful stained glass windows in the chapel are very old, dating from around 1530 to 1540. It's thought that these windows might have been brought here from another place, or they were specially made for Roger Ratcliffe, who owned Withcote Hall at the time.
The artist who made them is believed to be Galyon Hone, a famous glassmaker who worked for King Henry VIII. The windows on the north wall show pictures of the apostles, who were followers of Jesus. The windows on the south side show figures from the Old Testament, like prophets. In the window at the east end of the chapel, you can see pictures of saints and the Crucifixion. There are also panels around the chapel with family symbols, including the coat of arms of Jane Seymour, one of Henry VIII's queens.
See also
