Chapel of St. Botolph

TM 0475 6/30

BOTESDALE CROWN HILL THE STREET (South east side) Chapel of St. Botolph

(formerly listed as St.Botolph's Chapel)

GV II* Chapel of ease. Founded late C14 or early C15 as a chantry, licensed for an altar and font 1412; rebuilt c.1500, subsequently endowed and again made a chantry by J.Sherife; converted to use for a Grammar School founded by Sir N.Bacon in 1576; repaired early C19, reverted to ecclesiastical use in 1883.

Flint rubble, knapped to front, with brick and ashlar dressings. Machine tiled and pantiled roof continuous with that of Chapel House (q.v.) four bays, nave and chancel in one. Entrance bay to west has an original moulded panelled door, pointed arch with continuous roll and hollow mouldings, hoodmould, C19 red and white brick voussoirs; above entrance a stone and flushwork inscription interrupted by a C19 two-light neo-Perpendicular gallery window is said to have originally run as follows: "Orate pro animabus Johannis Schrebe et Juliane uxoris ejus orate pro anima Bregyt Wykes". To left three three-light Perpendicular windows with cusped headed lights, hoodmoulds, red brick voussoirs. Offset stone plinth, sprocket eaves, tall two stage buttresses, diagonal to east end which has a four-light Perpendicular window with ogee cusped headed lights, coped gable parapet with ridge cross, bell on ridge to west.

To rear three-light Perpendicular windows as to front; entrance bay has a blocked pointed arch, continuously roll, hollow and wave moulded with a hoodmould, above a later two-light casement; plinth, buttresses as to front.

Interior: to west a blocked triple moulded pointed arch for unbuilt tower. Eight bay roof with arch braced cambered collars, butt purlins, ridge piece, chamfered main timbers, on ends of short wallposts are later panels of varying shapes with masks to west. Original screen separates west end or entrance bay from main body of chapel, eight four-centred arches, central opening with restored arches, roll and wave moulded on west side. Late C17 gallery on broad joists, panelled frontal with moulded muntins, at top of stairs are six original turned balusters. C17 reredos panelling with C19 brattishing, along north wall early C19 raised dado panelling. C19 seating and octagonal font.

(Papal Register,vol.6,16 June 1412).

Listing NGR: TM0487775890