chantries of St John's church

chantry of the holy cross

Of the Church of St John the Baptist

 

The Chantry of the Holy Cross was founded in 1432 in the north transept of St John's church.

John Botreaux, third and youngest son of William, Lord Botreaux of North Cadbury, was a co-founder of the Chantry of the Holy Cross in St John's church in 1432, in honour of his wife Alice. He endowed it with lands in Kingston. The ancient arms of Botreaux, shown here at left, are argent, three toads erect, 2, 1, sable (on a silver ground, three upright black toads, two above the third).

Stephen Hooper was among those who founded the Chantry of the Holy Cross, for which purpose he gave certain lands in Yeovil and East Lambrook. In 1448 he was granted licence by the Bishop to have a chapel or oratory in his Yeovil dwelling ‘on account of his age and bodily weakness’.

In the Patent Rolls dated 12 November 1432 there is a licence to "William Lambrooke, Treasurer of Wells Cathedral, Alice late the wife of John Wynford, John Botreaux Esq. and Stephen Hoper of Yevele and Joan his wife, to found a chantry of one chaplain to celebrate mass daily at the altar of the holy Cross in the church of St John the Baptists in Yevele, for the souls of the said John Wynford and John de la Bere, sometime husbands of the said Alice, of Alice late the wife of John Botreaux, and of Marjory Warmwell, to be endowed to the annual value of ten marks (about £4,400 at today's value). Two later entries show that Hoper gave lands in Yeovil and East Lambrook, Alice Wynford lands in Galhampton and John Botreaux lands in Kingston and Hendford.

In a certificate in Bishop Stillington's register, dated 29 August 1468, Walter Bath, or Bache, was named as "perpetual chaplain of Holy Cross chantry" and Sir John Hall is described in his will of 1546 as "Priest of the Chantry of the Holy Cross in the Church at Yevell".

In 1548, in the Return of Chantries, Holy Cross was noted as being worth in properties £8 15s 8d per annum (about £4,500 at today's value) and had a silver gilt chalice weighing 13oz and ornaments to the value of 19s 2d. William Trevylyan, clerke of the age of 60 years, was incumbent.

The whole of the chantry properties were sold in August 1548. The north transept became the family pew of the Harbin family of Newton Surmaville. The Harbin family vault lies below the floor of the transept and family memorials adorn the walls.

 

 See also the Windows in St John's church.

 

Survey of the Chantry & its benefactors, 1548

 

The following is taken from the Survey and Rental of Somerset Chantries of 1548. Note that I have converted amounts from Latin to English, for example xiiijli xjs ijd as £14 11s 2d.

 

..... holds the dwelling house there, and renders per ann. 5s.

William Croft holds a tenement or burgage in Estlambroke, and renders per ann. 40s.

The same holds two cottages there, and renders per ann. 8s.

Robert Banton holds a tenement there, and renders per ann. 8s.

Robert Stuckey holds a tenement there, and renders per ann. 8s.

William Pyttarde holds a tenement there, and renders per ann. 4s.

Robert Craft holds a tenement there, and renders per ann. 5s.

John Harvye holds a tenement in Galhampton, and renders per ann. 25s.

Richard Brownyng holds a tenement there, and renders per ann. 13s.

Thomas Vele holds a tenement there, and renders per ann. 13s 4d.

John Symes alias Robertes holds a tenement there, and renders per ann. 10s.

Henry Gaylarde holds a tenement in Chilterne Domer, and renders per ann. 9s.

William Stone holds a tenement in Yevell aforesaid, and renders per ann. 19s.

William Mason holds a cottage there at the will of the lord, and renders per ann. 5s.

William Woodhill holds a garden there, and renders per ann. 6d.

Nicholas Donne holds a garden there, and renders per ann. 10d.

Robert Hacker holds 2 acres of arable land there, and renders per ann. 2s.

 

Total £8 15s 8d

Deduct in. Rent resolute to .... Bonvyl;e for free rent, per ann. 3s.

Rent resolute to the Canons of Wells for free rent, per ann. 4d.

Rent resolute to the Burgesses of Yevill aforesaid for free rent, per ann. 3s.

Rent resolute to the Lady the Queen for the land in Yevill, per ann. 6d.

Money paid annually to the Provost there for superintending the performance of the Will of the founder as appears by the foundation, 6s 8d.

Total 13s 6d.

And remains over, per annum £8 2s 2d. 

 

gallery

 

The north choir aisle of St John's church - site of the Chantry of the Holy Cross. The glass in the window is Victorian. Photographed in 2013.