History

Medieval guild chapel said to have been founded in 1254; used by the guild of the Tradesmen of Hay and dedicated to St John the Baptist; also served as chapel to the castle, as the Parish Church was outside the town walls. Dissolved by Edward VI in 1547 and transfered to Vaughan family in 1567; it was a ruin when John Wesley preached here in 1774. A lock-up was built out of it in 1811 and used until the building of the Police Station in 1875; subsequently it was used as a Fire Station and various shops as well as a house. In 1930 the site was bought by Mary Louisa Dawson and presented to the Parish after major restoration. The structure is largely of that date.

Exterior

U-plan with chapel to left and schoolroom/reading room to right. 2-storey rubble elevations with plinth, slate roof and brick chimney stack. Gable parapet and broad kneelers to schoolroom repeated on right side and rear elevations. Timber frame leaded windows, 1 cross frame to right side; voussoir lintels and Tudor labels. Pointed entrances, with voussoirs and keystones, to schoolroom and chapel boarded and studded doors. L-plan single storey extension to left with small forecourt. Pointed arch bellcote to left over chapel aligned N-S; crucifix to N end. Bell inscribed "Edward Wellington CW 1718" - by Henry Williams. Rounded SE corner and outside steps to rear.

Interior

Interior of the chapel has a reredos of Jacobean richly carved oak from Chipford and formerly of domestic use. The oak alter is from Whitney. To right is a portrait sculpture (style of Donatello) signed B Wilson, Florence 1898. One grilled opening retained in schoolroom.

Reasons for Listing

Group value with other listed items in Lion Street and St John's Place.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29486403

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)