Monument record 1570300000 - St Marys Chapel
Summary
Protected Status/Designation
- None recorded
Map
Type and Period (1)
- CHAPEL (13th Century to 14th Century - 1273 AD to 1378 AD)
Description
(SU 86499283) Supposed site of (NAT) St Mary's Chapel (NR) (AD 1327). (1)
The chapel of St Mary is mentioned in an indulgence of Bynethe Brigge 1273 for repairs when it is said to stand in the churchyard of Wycomb. This may be one known in the 14th century as 'Horsyn Churchyard' lying between St Mary's Street and Horsenden Lane (SU 86659285) which is believed to have been the burial ground of a depopulated village called Horsyn or Horsenden, or a shrunken part of Wycombe. Several 14th century tesselated pavements have been found near this churchyard. The chapel was rebuilt in 1338 and 1378 but nothing now exists and even its position is unknown. It may have stood on the site of two almshouses (SU 86499283) on the west side of St Mary's Street, formerly called Bynethe brigge, leading to the ancient Bridge Mill. (2)
"The site of the chapel has been a matter of some doubt (a) That it was being built at the same time as the parish church is suggested by the Indulgences of 1273 and 1275, one of which refers to the chapel as having been in the churchyard. In the process of building, however it seems to have been incorporated in the structure of one of the aisles of the chancel." The 15th century deed which mentions Horsynchurcheyerde "does so in terms which suggest that is was not the burial ground of a vanished church, but a waste place the mounds in which were the remains of a lost settlement" (3)
The evidence for the site of St Mary's Chapel at SU 8649 9283 in St Mary's St is slender, based on Parkers (1) supposed siting of a bridge. All other authorities, quoting 13th and 14th century documents, indicate that the present chantry chapel to the south of the parish church chancel (SU 8655 9308) which is known at the Chapel of St Mary (6) is the original, being first mentioned in 1273. (4)
NRHE Update 2005 (B6).
This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.
Sources (6)
- <1>XYSBC10135 Map: Ordnance Survey. 1875. OS 1875 1:500 SCALE MAPS OF HIGH WYCOMBE. 1:500. [Mapped feature: #51918 ]
- <2>SBC11520 Bibliographic reference: J Parker. 1878. EARLY HISTORY & ANTIQUITIES OF WYCOMBE.
- <3>SBC628 Bibliographic reference: L J Ashford. 1960. The History of the Borough of High Wycome from its Origins to 1880.
- <4>SBC27868 Verbal communication: N K Blood. 1974. Field Investigators Comments - F1 NKB 01-AUG-74.
- <5>SBC27909 Bibliographic reference: Herbert Green. 1966. The Parish church of High Wycombe. An Illustrated Guide to the Fabric and its History.
- <6>SBC27441 Digital archive: Historic England. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE).
Location
| Grid reference | SU 86510 92806 (point) Location traced from 1875 H Wycombe OS map |
|---|---|
| Civil Parish | HIGH WYCOMBE, Wycombe, Buckinghamshire |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Aug 20 2025 4:25PM
