Old Mortuary Chapel, Carew
Old Mortuary Chapel, Carew | |
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![]() The Chapel in St Mary's Churchyard, Carew | |
51°41′22″N 4°49′40″W / 51.6895°N 4.8278°W | |
Country | Wales |
History | |
Former name(s) | St Mary's School House |
Founded | ~14th century |
Dedication | St Mary |
Architecture | |
Heritage designation | Grade I |
Architectural type | Church (building) |
Completed | 14th-15th century |
Specifications | |
Number of floors | 2 |
Old Mortuary Chapel is a medieval Grade I listed building[1] in St Mary's churchyard, Carew, Pembrokeshire, Wales.[2]
Structure
The building has two storeys under a slate roof, is oriented east-west, and is built from limestone rubble. It is accessed by external steps. It has a vaulted undercroft.[2][3]
Monument
There is an exterior monument to John Relly, an early Calvinist Methodist leader who died in 1777.[3]
Uses
The undercroft dates from the 14th or 15th century, and may have been an ossiary. In 1625 the building was referred to as a schoolhouse, and was used for this purpose until 1872. In 1833, the school educated 50 pupils, and 70 attended Sunday School. In 1846 it became a national school with up to 116 children until the village school opened in 1872. The building may have been used as a mortuary chapel, and is known by that name. After 1872, the building, which has a large blocked-up window, was used as a committee room, store and as a residence, housing paupers as late as about 1840. The building has been locally known as "The Oratory". Its current use is as a parish meeting room and Sunday School.[2][3] S. Lewis, in 1833, describes the building:[4]
In the churchyard is an ancient building, apparently coeval with the church, which is occasionally used as a parochial school, the master being appointed by the vicar.
References
- ^ Cadw. "Old Mortuary Chapel (Grade I) (5945)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
- ^ a b c "Coflein: St Mary's Schoolhouse; Charnel House; Carew Cheriton Mortuary Chapel". Retrieved 17 November 2018.
- ^ a b c "British Listed Buildings: Old Mortuary Chapel". Retrieved 17 November 2018.
- ^ "GENUKI: Carew 1833". Retrieved 17 November 2018.
Further reading
- R Scourfield, History of St Mary's Church, Carew (1994);
- W G Spurrell, History of Carew (1921), pp. 44–57, 81–87, 89–94, 103–130