History in Structure

St John's Chapel

A Grade II Listed Building in Hay-on-Wye, Powys

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Coordinates

Latitude: 52.0746 / 52°4'28"N

Longitude: -3.1247 / 3°7'28"W

OS Eastings: 323012

OS Northings: 242406

OS Grid: SO230424

Mapcode National: GBR F1.CFJT

Mapcode Global: VH6BJ.S3GX

Plus Code: 9C4R3VFG+V4

Entry Name: St John's Chapel

Listing Date: 24 October 1951

Last Amended: 1 February 1988

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 7380

Building Class: Religious, Ritual and Funerary

ID on this website: 300007380

Location: On an island site with St John's Place to right; set in the slope.

County: Powys

Community: Hay (Y Gelli Gandryll)

Community: Hay

Built-Up Area: Hay-on-Wye

Traditional County: Brecknockshire

Tagged with: Chapel

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Hay-on-Wye

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

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.

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