NHER 9439 (Building record) - Beckett's Chapel, Wymondham

Beckett's Chapel, Wymondham

December 1950. Listed, Grade I

Guild chapel 84 ft (25.6m) long.

Founded 1174 (Listed Building description (S1)) or 1187 (S2). Chapel rebuilt 1400 (S2) converted to school 1559, restored 1873 as public hall; later a school again, now a library. Unknown source states that there is a blocked Norman window in north wall, blocked by an arch once the east side of bell turret, ornamented on each side, 15th century. Also in north wall two small doorways and blocked openings to two-bay chapel or aisle with 15th century pier. North side not seen by E. Rose (NLA), but south side has large brick slab where south transept used to join, and traces of ?stair turret or portion of this. South doorway around 1400. Small south window above doorway, another above former transept; large window at east end south wall; and similar one to latter in north wall; large east and west
windows. All of these large windows are in vaguely Dec style but date from 1873 and doubtful how near the originals they are, but they do represent something that would fit around (S1)'s date of 1400. Note that east window however is surrounded by mark of much larger pointed blocked window. Stone buttresses. Arch-braced hammerbeam roof (but
interior not seen). House built against southwest corner in 18th century, south exterior, east and west walls seen by
E. Rose (NAU), 13 February 1980.

Department of the Environment 1984 state this building is still scheduled (But D. Sherlock says not so. 1985); also listed (S1).

1984. Plaque of fleur de lys over door, said to be Bath stone and so late, fell off and broken.
Information from C. Carus.

Old photo of building in 1870 reproduced in (S1) shows that before restoration the larger east window was intersected tracery, but south window of chancel as now. East window as shown looks as if it might be of post medieval date.

A 'clink' or lock-up for unconvicted prisoners was attached to the building from the 17th century (at least) until 1848.

November 2008.
Plans to convert the chapel into an arts centre.
See (S3) for further details
H. White, (NLA), 23 September 2009

2009.
Opened as Wymondham Arts Centre.
A. Beckham (HES), 12 July 2012.

March 2010.
Groundworks by EDF Energy immediately west of the chapel (approx 3m from the west wall) to remove the remains of an electricity substation and associated underground cabling have revealed part of a layer of orange mortar with flints, possibly a make-up layer for the floor of a building abutting the chapel shown on a map of 1810 (S4). This appears to be roughly aligned with the two buttresses supporting the west wall. Work continues.
D. Gurney (NLA), 30 March 2010.

June 2015. Excavation.
A small archaeological excavation took place immediately to the west of Becket’s Chapel after in situ human remains were discovered during the installation of broadband architecture. Two graves of probable medieval date were present, confirming that the chapel had been associated with a burial ground. This work also exposed part of the footings of the post-medieval building attached to the south-western corner of Becket’s Chapel. These footings were made of re-used medieval limestone blocks and soft red bricks. It remains uncertain whether the medieval masonry originated from a building on this site or further afield.
See report (S5) and NHER 61905 for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), September 2016.

October 2022. Watching Brief.
Maintained during replacement of the existing concrete floor, which had probably been lain when the chapel was converted to a library in 1948.
The removal of the concrete floor and an underlying layer of modern rubble exposed the remains of a probable medieval or early post-medieval burial vault at the eastern end of the chapel. This vault was constructed from flint and mortar and tapered towards its eastern end. It was entirely filled with modern rubble, suggesting any human remains once present had been previously removed and reburied elsewhere. The position of the vault within the chapel suggests this had probably been the internment of a prominent individual.
Removal of the modern rubble also exposed a series of low brick walls that had supported a timber floor installed during the Victorian period. It appears that these earlier works had entirely removed the medieval floor and any associated deposits. Other structures uncovered included the remains of brick-built fireplace of probable Victorian date. A former entrance in the south wall was also exposed, which had been filled with limestone blocks. The use of bricks in the jambs of this doorway suggest its insertion was a later modification, most likely during the 18th or 19th century, when cottages and other buildings were constructed against the walls of the chapel. It was also noted that the central aisle column has a brick foundation, suggesting it had been inserted as part of the Victorian renovation of the building. It is possible that the column itself had been salvaged from the abbey or another church, although its Purbeck marble base appears to be a replacement.
The flint and mortar wall foundations of the medieval chapel walls were also partially exposed by these works.
No finds of archaeological interest were recovered.
See report (S6) for further details.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2022.132).
P. Watkins (HES), 14 May 2024. Amended 24 August 2025.