St Andrew'S Chapel

St Andrew's Chapel

A chapel with attached priests' lodging, originally built as part of Boxley Abbey and converted to a dwelling in the late 16th or early 17th century, now functioning as a house. The chapel is probably of late 15th-century date, with a late 16th or early 17th-century wing added later.

The building is constructed of ragstone with a plain tile roof. The added wing is timber-framed with rendered and bricked walls. The chapel has a south aisle running from its west end, adjoining a two-storey priests' lodging approximately twice the width of the aisle. The lodging runs parallel to the east end of the chapel on its south side. A single timber-framed bay, the same width as the lodging, is positioned to the east of it, beyond the chapel's east end. The chapel stands on a moulded stone plinth which descends vertically to ground level with broach stops on either side of the doors. The aisle is roofed as a lean-to, with a 19th-century studded half-gable at its east end abutting the lodgings. A central brick stack with corniced top rises through the structure.

The west elevation features a large rectangular window with plain chamfered surround containing a 19th-century four-light ovolo-moulded wood mullion window. Below this are two small square windows either side of a door. The south elevation has a rectangular window with hollow-chamfered stone jambs and cill; its head is formed from the wall-plate of the half-gable and contains a two-light ovolo-moulded wood mullion window. The east window is blocked with 19th-century red bricks, though a three-light ovolo-moulded wood mullion window is visible in the upper section within a chamfered brick architrave, and a two-light wood casement with segmental brick head appears below. The north elevation has a very small rectangular single-light window towards its east end with plain chamfered stone surround morticed for iron bars. Three large putlock holes run in line at first-floor level.

Three external doors provide access: one to the east of centre in both the north and south elevations, each with two-centred arched heads and hollow-chamfered stone jambs on moulded bases; and one in the centre of the west elevation, wider, with plain chamfered stone jambs and head.

The priests' lodging is integral with the chapel, and the chapel's plinth continues around it. On the south elevation, the first floor projects out a few inches on a concave stone lintel. The lodging roof runs parallel to the chapel with a bridging ridge at right-angles between them. Three small rectangular stone windows with chamfered surrounds are present: one towards the apex of the west gable, one with iron bars towards the south end of the west gable on the first floor, and one in the centre of the first-floor south elevation. There is no external door to the lodging.

The added wing comprises two storeys on a plinth, with the roof hipped to north and south. A projecting red brick stack rises on the east elevation. The south elevation is underbuilt in stone and features a three-light square-headed Perpendicular stone window with hollow chamfers, hollow spandrels and plain hood mould, said to have come from the west end of the chapel. There is no external door to the wing.

Interior

A door connects the chapel and lodging at the east end of the chapel's south wall, a narrow opening with an arched stone architrave featuring a hollow chamfer and broach stops. A hagioscope (an opening allowing a view into the chancel) is positioned in the wall to the west of this door. The chapel roof is ceiled at collar level, with rafters of uniform scantling incorporating collars, sous-laces, ashlar pieces and a moulded cornice. A moulded tie-beam spans east of centre.