The Burystead

The Burystead is a house on the south-west side of Bury Lane that incorporates a chapel dating to the late 13th or early 14th century, originally part of a monastic grange, with a substantial south wing added in 1742.

The Chapel

The chapel has rubble and fieldstone walls with original Barnack limestone dressings, now cement-rendered except for some of the dressings. The roof was rebuilt in the 17th century with plain tiles, but retains the original 13th to 14th century parapet gable ends on original kneelers of moulded stone. The west gable has the base of a gable cross. Two brick chimney stacks were inserted later: one towards the west end of the chapel and another at the east gable end. Both are of red brick; the eastern stack was rebuilt above the ridge, and the western stack has a moulded brick string.

The chapel forms an L-plan with the south wing. It contains an undercroft with an attic storey inserted in the post-medieval period. Three pairs of diagonal buttressing with Barnack limestone dressings occur at the north-west, north-east and south-east corners, each with original gable offsets and stone coping to the first stage.

At the west end is a three-light 13th-century window now blocked, with intersecting tracery in a two-centred arch. A small quatrefoil window at ground floor, now internal to the undercroft, is probably original. The north wall has two original first-floor windows, both with original dressed limestone surrounds in two-centred arches. The western window has had its tracery replaced externally. The eastern window has two cinquefoil lights in a two-centred arch with dagger tracery to the spandrel. Three windows to the undercroft on the north side are post-medieval, though they may occupy the sites of original openings. The centre of the east gable end was rebuilt in red brick when the eastern stack was inserted. The south wall has two chapel windows: one to the west is blocked and visible only internally, whilst that to the east has an original surround and square head externally.

Interior of the Chapel

The undercroft has a deeply chamfered main beam, possibly contemporary with the inserted brickwork of the stack. There is no evidence of vaulting. The original access to the chapel is uncertain, though it is believed to have been by a newel staircase in the south-west corner, of which no medieval evidence survives. However, an early 18th-century balustrade of a landing in the south-west corner at first-floor level may confirm this theory. This balustrade has a square newel, toad's-back rail and column balusters.

In the south wall at the east end is a double piscina with each bay displaying trefoil cusping to an ogee arch in a two-centred arch, with a mask head to the spandrel and two octofoil drains. Two windows occupy the south wall. That to the east has a chamfered rear arch but no tracery. The western window has a deeper splay with a chamfered two-centred arch, containing two trefoil lights in a two-centred arch with geometric tracery of a quatrefoil in a circle to the spandrel.

The walls between the chapel and the 1742 wing at first floor have been partially removed. In the east wall is part of a fragment of moulded stone, possibly from a figure, with the upper part reset; it may form part of a reredos. In the north wall, the deeply splayed and two-centred chamfered arches of both windows are visible internally. The tracery of the western window is visible from inside. It comprises two lights in a two-centred arch with Y-tracery. In the attic, the heads of the arches of the windows in the north wall and the blocked west window are visible. The side purlin roof has paired wind bracing. One tie beam is hollow and roll-moulded and may have been reused from the original roof.

The 1742 Wing

The south wing, built in 1742, is constructed of red brick in Flemish bond with a plain tiled roof and tumbled south end parapets on kneelers. It has a ridge stack and is two storeys with an attic. Three modern dormers have been added. The east elevation presents a symmetrical facade of five first-floor recessed twelve-pane hung sashes. A central doorway in a round-headed arch contains a panelled door with lobed glazing bars to the fanlight. The front wall has dated brickwork.

The interior of the 1742 wing contains a six-flight closed-string staircase of that date, with square newels, toad's-back rail and column-on-vase balusters.

Historical Context

Burystead Manor was given to the prior and convent of Ely after the Danish invasions. Following the Dissolution in 1541, it was transferred to the Dean and Chapter and is now owned by their successors, the Church Commissioners. During the 14th century, it was kept in hand by the prior and convent and was considered the most valuable property they owned apart from various estates around Ely. In the early 18th century, it was leased to the Ward family, who may have built the 1742 south wing.