Monument record MCC420 - St Anne's Chapel, Harwich Road, Colchester

Summary

c.14th chapel on Harwich Road, demolished in 18th century. The site of the chapel is marked on Epoch 1 (OS 1:2500), 1874-1887, on the east (south) side of Harwich Road (now no. 35), c.1km east of the East Gate. By the time of Epoch 3 (1922-23), a Mission Room is located on this site. Nothing is known about the archaeology of the site, which has not been the subject of any investigation.

Location

Grid reference TM 01151 25414 (point)
Map sheet TM02NW
County ESSEX
Non Parish Area COLCHESTER, COLCHESTER, ESSEX

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

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.

Sources/Archives (3)

  • <1> Monograph: Rodwell, Warwick J with Rodwell, KA. 1977. Historic Churches: a wasting asset. p37.
  • <2> COLLECTION / PARENT: Bale, J. E. (Major). 1837-1913. Bale Collection. COLEM 1998.93.
  • <3> Monograph: Cooper, Janet (Ed). 1994. Vol. IX, The Borough of Colchester, A History of the County of Essex. Volume IX. p336.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

Related Events/Activities (2)

Record last edited

Oct 26 2016 3:38PM

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