St Anne's chapel, Harwich Road.

Rodwell records the following note on St Annes's Chapel: 'This lay alongside the main road leading out of the town in a north-easterly direction, about 1km from the east gate. The chapel, which was in the parish of St James, was certainly in existence by 1388, but its origin is unknown. St Anne's Holy Well lay adjacent. In Morant's time the chapel was used as a barn, but was subsequently demolished. Nothing is known of its archaeology and the site has been built upon'.<1>

Photolithograph print of St Anne's Chapel by E.N. Mason and Sons.<2>

St Anne's chapel, by a holy well on the south side of Harwich Road c.1/2 mile beyond East Bridge, probably existed by c.1344 when Richard Shaw, chaplain, surrendered land at the well. By 1379 there was a hospital there, under a proctor or warden who seems to have been a layman. It was rebuilt in 1380 possibly by the St Anne's guild who collected money that year and who held land near the hospital in the earlier 15th century. The chapel and guild apparently survived in 1536 but had been dissolved by 1549. An attempt in 1559 to revive the hospital seems to have failed. The chapel, presumably disused was recorded in 1590; in 1748 the plain rectangular building was used as a barn.<3>

See also St Anne's Holy Well <MCC2282>

Site is marked on OS 1876 series 28.9.1.