Chapel of St Lawrence

Chapel of St Lawrence, Warminster

A small non-denominational chapel of mixed dates, sitting prominently at the top of the Market Place. The tower probably dates from the late 13th or early 14th century, while the nave was entirely rebuilt in 1855-7 by the vicar, Reverend Arthur Fane, who may have employed an architect privately, though no name is recorded.

The Tower

The tower is built mainly of dressed freestone, probably Oolitic limestone. It is a two-stage structure with diagonal buttresses on the west face and an angle buttress at the north-east. On the north face is a single cusped light, a Perpendicular addition that has been renewed. The belfry stage has paired lights of the same design. The embattled parapet dates to 1855-7 and is in Perpendicular style with arcaded panels at the corners.

A tall Perpendicular spirelet rises over the stair turret at the south-east angle. According to tradition it was renewed in 1642, then rebuilt again in 1897 after lightning damage. It bears a band of ornament at half height with typical mid-17th century geometric patterns.

The west face of the tower displays a blocked four-centred door, probably dating from around 1500-50, beneath which is a large uncusped single light of late 13th century form. Above this sits a further small cusped lancet, also possibly 13th century.

The Nave

The nave was entirely rebuilt in 1855-7 in Decorated Gothic style. It is coursed rubble with Bath stone dressings and a tiled roof. Two two-light windows occupy the north and south walls, with a pierced parapet of sinuous S-curves. Inside, the nave has a simple arch-braced collar beam roof rising from corbels. The sanctuary is marked architecturally only by full-height wall shafts at the last nave bay. A double-chamfered tower arch dies into the piers without capitals, consistent with a late 13th or early 14th century date. The tower arch pier bases have been cut back, and the unevenness of this alteration suggests it may predate the 19th century.

Interior Fittings and Furnishings

The chapel contains simple 1850s panelled pews and wrought-iron altar rails. The font is octagonal with carved Perpendicular-style panels. In the tower stands a painted early 19th century board listing the names of feoffees. The east window contains mid-19th century glass of good colour but average draughtsmanship, depicting three figures of saints. The four nave windows and the west window have similar patterned glass with small figure panels.

A town clock of 1765, made by Thomas Rudd, has no face but strikes the hours and requires daily winding. It was restored in 1949. The single bell, dated 1657, was cast by John Lott of Warminster.

Setting and Subsidiary Features

The chapel sits at the broad western end of the Market Place, slightly set back from the building line and tightly hemmed in by adjacent buildings to east and west. A mid-19th century dwarf stone wall runs along the street frontage, with ogee-capped piers, some reduced in height.

A lead-covered pipe carries a bell rope from the tower over the narrow alley on the south side into Curfew Cottage. From there, the curfew bell is still rung at 8.00 every evening, fulfilling an obligation maintained since 1651.

History

The chapel is a non-denominational peculiar, meaning it does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Church of England. A chapel stood in the Market Place from the 13th century. Its precise origins are unclear, but tradition holds it was founded during the reign of Edward I, with the dedication to St Lawrence first mentioned in a deed of 1290. A date of around 1272-89 is therefore possible. It was supposedly endowed by two maiden sisters named Hewett. It served as a chapel of ease to St Denys, catering to the area that developed around the new market place.

The earliest mention in the chapel's own records is a lease of meadow land next to Chapelstyle, dated 1489. Despite a petition stating that 800 people took communion there, it was sold by Edward VI in 1550. The people of Warminster bought back their chapel in 1574, and feoffees elected from among the townspeople were appointed to administer it. The feoffees have continued since then to invite the vicar of Warminster to serve as unpaid chaplain. The upper north face of the tower was rebuilt in 1642, as was the spirelet. Since 1669, the chapel has been open to all denominations. The nave was rebuilt in 1725 by William Leigh, a local architect-builder, and again in 1855-7, when 17th century houses in front of the chapel were demolished to open it more fully to the market place. Regular services continue to be held, and the curfew bell remains rung every evening at 8.00. An awakening bell was rung at 4.00 a.m. from 1694 to around 1800.