History

Former chapel of College of Saint Mary founded 1365 by John of Gaunt and Bishop Adam Houghton for one master and seven priests to ensure properly trained clerics for the conduct of cathedral services. The cloisters were built shortly after the chapel. The College survived until 1549 but was ruinous by early C19, the ashlar tracery having been robbed for building works, notably for John Nash's W front of 1793. In 1966 restored as Cathedral hall by Alban Caroe with new low-pitched eaves roof and vertical window mullions.

Exterior

Tall, rubble-stone and ashlar 4-bay chapel raised on high barrel-vaulted undercroft with attached remnants of cloister to S, and SW plain square tower.

Chapel has tall pointed windows deeply set back over undercroft plinth and purple ashlar buttresses between, rising flush with undercroft wall and stepped back with two set offs. Buttresses now terminate under deep eaves of 1966 roof where originally there were probably pinnacles and parapets. Windows have fragments of original ashlar surrounds and Perpendicular tracery. On N side, undercroft has 6 vent loops and 3-sided stair tower with pointed doorway to right, and upper floor has one blank bay and three with windows. NW angle has square stair turret rising to flat cap over roof from broad masonry base with low-pitched 1966 roof up to base of SW angle tower. This NW angle is part of the ante-structure to the chapel, whose W gable rises behind the low-pitched roof. Plain rubble W front with low pointed door to undercroft and 4-centred arched stair window above with 1966 vertical mullions. To right string course at base of plain rubble tower with moulded flat parapet. Big NW stepped buttress rising from former W wall of cloister to tower parapet.

S front has 9-bay arcading of the demolished cloister at lower level, with further fragments of cloister E and W sides together with foundations of the inner wall also surviving. Three chapel windows above and blank bay to right where tall building running S to cathedral (above cloister) was attached, of which the high three-storey E wall survives with pointed doorway, window at first floor and small light above. To left of main chapel (under tower) rubble stone arch, robbed of ashlar, gives access from former cloister to flight of 14 broad steps up to chapel door. Remnant of 2 bays of vaulting over stairs. Modern door to chapel, now single hall space with modern roof.

Rubble stone E end wall with low 4-centred door to undercroft and large E window above.

Scheduled Ancient Monument Pe 444 (cloister ruins).

Reasons for Listing

Group value with cathedral.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q17742736

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)