The Old Chantry House, Bredgar

THE OLD CHANTRY HOUSE, BREDGAR By E. W. P.ARKIN Tim foundation and endowment of chantries in this country flourished from the thirteenth century for almost three hundred years, until finally suppressed by Henry VIII. They reached a peak in the second haJf of the fourteenth century after the terrible visitation of the Black Death in 1349, and, although declining somewhat in numbers during the following century, more than two thousand still remained at the time of the Dissolution.1 The chantry college at Bredgar was a small one, founded in 1392 by Robert de Bradegare and others with ample endowments. It was at the same time more than a chantry, as its object was clearly the education and preparation of certain clerk-scholars for the priesthood, and was unlike any other establishment of its kind in Kent. Wye College certainly had some provision for education, as had the chantry founded in St. Peter's church, Sandwich, in 1392 by a wealthy merchant, Thomas Elys, and so was contemporary with Bredgar. Here, according to Boys,2 one of the three chantry priests was required to instruct the youth of the town. The Chantry House at Bredgar still stands on the west side of the village street, almost opposite the church; it is a long flint building ,vith very thick walls and ashlar dressings, the main east front having a door and windo,vs inserted in the late eighteenth century (Plate IA). HISTORY The history of the house begins on 19th July, 1392, when upon payment of £40, a licence was granted by Richard II to Robert de Bradegare and others8 to found a college at Bredgar dedicated to the Holy Trinity, to house one chaplain and two clerk-scholars. Hussey4 describes Robert de Bradegare as a clerk of the Diocese of Canterbury, and in a footnote adds that he was one of the canons of Wingham College from 1376 until his death in 1409. The building itseJf was probably finished in the early months of 1393, as the founder issued an ordinance for the management of the 1 G. H. Cook, Medieval Chantries and 0hantry Ohapela, London, 1947, 22. 11 William Boys, Oollections for an History of Sandwich in Kent, 186. s John Burba.ohe, Thos. J akyn, John West, John Trowbregge, John atte Vyse, John Lambe and Roger West. Cal. Pat. Rolls, vol. 1391-6, p. 122. 'Arthur Hussey, K,mt Ohantriea, K.A.S. Records Branch, xii, 21. 87 ( E.W.PARKIN college, dated the 3rd April of that yea.r.5 The chaplain was to be allowed twelve marks yearly, and each of the scholars forty shillings for his maintenance. The residue of the endowment income was to be applied to the repair of the Chantry House, or otherwise to its use. A list of offices to be performed, and prayers to be said daily for the benefactors and their successors is elaborately delineated; the scholars were to ' . .. pray daily for ever for the good estate of Archbishop Courtenay and his successors, Thomas Chillenden, Prior of Christ Church and his successors, for the monks of the sam.e place ... and the founder and all the benefactors of the College whilst they live, and after their dea.th . . . the scholars to wear surplices in the church of Bredgar, or if this is not allowed, in the chapel of the College . . . for the souls of the aforesaid daily, according to the use of Sarum, Placebo and Direge, with the seven Penitential Psaml s and the Litany ... '.6 It would appear that the use of the church was allowed, for the scholars performed these divine offices in the chapel on the north side of the choir for many years, while in the Chantry House there is no discernible evidence of there ever having been a chapel. The endowments of the chantry were considerable, and included 3 messua,ges, 250 acres of land, 100 of pasture and 60 of woodland, situated ' ... in the parishes of Holyngbourne, Houkyngge, Bradegare, Wo rnsell, Bordenne, Tunstall and Bikenor . . .' as well as a rent of 13s. 4d., eight hens, and half a pound of pepper.7 The founder made fresh ordinances dated 12th of August, 1398, 8 revising and adding to the earlier ones. The chaplain might absent himself for one month of thirty-two days from the college in each year, and might have an assistant to help him at mass, and otherwise serve him. Two extra poor scholars were to be admitted; the chaplain and his assistant ' . . . to have the northern chambers of the college, and the scholars a southern chamber'. As at this time the hall and the kitchen were both open to the roof, and there were only two first-floor rooms (Fig. 1), their use is not in doubt. Architectural evidence shows that at about this time the chaplain's room on the first floor at the northern end was enlarged, and extended out into the hall, doubtless to accommodate the assistant priest, leaving less than half of the open hall as a smoke bay. This section is still open up to tie-beam level. All dhaplains and scholars were required upon admission to ta.ke an oath, swearing that each would be faithful to the chantry, college, its rights, etc., and would not alienate or destroy any of its goods or properties. 6 Lu. Oant. (Rolls Ser.), iii, 15-21. • Hussey, op. cit., 21. 1 Ibid. • V.O.H., vol. ii, 1926 (Fowler), 230. 88 PLATE I A. The east Front of the House. B. Jnsido Vault under Chaplain's Room. lfau p. 8􀀇 PLATE II A. The Crown-post Roof. ll. Original \\·indo"· and sevento<>nth-contury Firepluce iu Chitplain·s Hoom. Dl D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 F G "H N 10m FIG, I. Plan of the origino.l Rouse. KEY TO DRAWINGS Front Door, replaced by eight- RL Pa.rt of Old Ra.ll still open. eenth-century door and doorwo.y. K Original Kitchen. Rear Door of old Ha.11, now open Kn Modern Kitchen. doorway. MC Moulded Oak Cornice. Original Doorway into Chaplain's OS Outshot. Quo.rters. P Ori?ine.l Passage to Kitchen. Chaplain's Private Door. St I Statrs to Chaplain's Room. Moulded Doorway at N. end of St 2 Stairs to Students' Room. Passage, now blocked. St 3 Central Oak Staircase. Moulded Doorway at S. end of SW Original Stone Window. Pe.ssa,ge, now blocked. Vl Vault. Added Fireplaces. V2 Vault. Garden Store. W Site of old Hall Windows. Site of Open Hearth. WS Wedge Sprockets. E. W. P.ARKIN Holy vessels and other valuables belonging to the chantry were to be kept in a chest, or other safe place having three different locks and keys for greater security.9 This chest or cupboard must have been located in the chaplain's room, or in one of the storage vaults beneath it (Fig. 4). The chaplain's quarters were sealed off from the rest of the building by a heavy Gothic door (D3 on plans) of which the moulded stone doorway and the heavy pin hinges still remain. According to Igglesden, 10 the actual oak door had at some time been removed to a house on the west side of the village, known as Mann's Place, where it could still be seen. The vaults, apparently, were referred to locally as 'the dungeons'. The scholars were required to take the order of sub-deacon in their twentieth year, and not remain in the college after their twenty-fifth birthday. During the first week in October of each year of the anniversary of the founders was to be kept by the chaplain and scholars, and at this time an account was to be made up of the goods of the college. The chaplain was to retain a lawyer of the Council of the Archbishop of Canterbury at a fee of 6s. Sd. yearly. The books of the college were not to be lent out. In 1403 and later, further endowments were added to the charity. The V alor of 153511 throws further light upon the condition and the possessions of ' ... the primary chantry of Bredgar, given in the certificate of Walter Dowle,12 chantry priest there'. The stated value was then £32 14s. 8d. yearly, which after deductions of £4 18s. 5fd., left a net value of £27 16s. 2fd. In 15461 3 the gross value of' ... the late chauntery house of Bredgar' was given as £39 15s. 4d., with a net value of £36 128. 7d. The return also mentions a chalice of silver valued at 26s. 8d., a bell at 10s., and '. . . two old vestments and albs price 10 shillings, all which stuff came into the hands of Walter Dow le, late master there'. Graylingl4 refers to a bronze mortar formerly belonging to the College which was then (in 1913) in his possession at Brighton, but the present whereabouts of which is unknown. The first chaplain to be appointed to the chantry is not named, but is believed to have been John Foiset who resigned in 1397. Known wardens then may be listed as follows: 1393 (1) John Foiset, resigned 1397. 1397 Dom. John Bromhull. • Reg. S., fol. 11, also Reg. Morton, ii, f. 123 et eeqq. 10 Igglesden, Sauntere thr