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Eastwell's recusant priest house and chapel Eastwell's former Catholic chapel. A curious Grade II listed building is tucked away in a part of Eastwell few folks know about. On Stanley Lane is a late eighteenth century house constructed as a Catholic seminary, complete with chapel. The date of construction, 1798, is significant within the history of Catholic emancipation in England. The first Relief Act, called the Papists Act, was passed in 1778. If Roman Catholics swore an oath renouncing Stuart claims to the throne and the civil jurisdiction of the pope, the Act allowed them to own property and to inherit land. This first step towards full emancipation was not popular with everyone. Reaction against this Act led to riots in Scotland in 1779 and then the Gordon Riots in London on 2 June 1780. A subsequent Act in 1791, the Roman Catholic Relief Act, allowed the free practice of Catholicism subject to certain substantial restrictions designed to make Catholicism less visible in the communities where it was practised. This may well account for the 'tucked away' location of Eastwell's seminary and chapel. Greater political emancipation became an issue after 1800 with the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland. By 1832 Catholics could become MPs and work in the higher civil service and judiciary. But not until 1929 were almost all restrictions on Catholics removed. In 2025 there is only one remaining restriction: the monarch cannot be Catholic. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_emancipation Michael Honeywell in his 1987 book The Vale of Belvoir states that 'The Roman Catholic chapel was built by the Duke of Rutland's trustees 1790s'. That's as much as I know. And I'm not aware of anyone who can add to that brief statement. The substantial domestic accomodation on Stanley Lane in Eastwell has long been divided into two homes. When the chapel ceased being used does not seem to be known. The 1883 and 1902 OS maps show it as 'R C chapel' but the building is not labelled in any way on the 1928 revision. The inference is that it went out of use between 1902 and 1928. In the late 1990s I knew the then-tenant of the house with the former chapel and was able to enter inside. Almost all the interior fittings had been removed and the space was used for ramshackle storage by the landlord. Sadly I do not take any photographs and my friend soon moved to Norfolk. Modern houses have since been erected in the graveyard of the chapel. Historic England Listing: Pair of houses constructed as seminary with, originally, a free standing chapel to west. 1798. Coursed ironstone and slate roofs. Houses of 2 storeys and dormer attic, both of 3 bays. Both with porches to east side, symmetrically placed. Priest's House (to right) with early C20 casements, Presbytery with Cl9 horned sashes with glazing bars. Upper left window now a late C20 casement. Gabled roof with 3 hipped dormers lit through casements. Internal gable-end stacks and ridge stack left of centre. Rear has a cross wing to north and outshuts to ground floor. Brick extension to rear of Presbytery links house with chapel. Chapel. Rectangular, single storey chapel of ironstone and Cumberland slate roof. 2 arched 2- light Y tracery windows to north and south. Coved eaves cornice below gabled roof. Doorway to west end. At gable head an ashlar bell-cote. Chapel disused and interior not accessible. historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1075023 Another Catholic chapel in the Vale In his 1987 book The Vale of Belvoir Michael Honeybone includes a photograph of a former Roman Catholic chapel at Colston Bassett. The location is shown on the 1880s OS map. I have visited and possibly the house is remodelled from the former chapel. But the elevation facing the street seems entirely new. Back to top of this page     Back to home page   This website does not gather or store any visitor information. Copyright Bob Trubshaw 2025 No unauthorised copying or reproduction except if all following conditions apply: a: Copy is complete (including this copyright statement). b: No changes are made. c: No charge is made. www.hoap.co.uk/chronicle

Chronicle entries home page what's new? the geology of the Vale the boundaries and rivers of the Vale long, long ago prehistory in the Vale prehistoric boundaries in the Vale north-south prehistoric routeways Romans roads in the Vale Roman settlements in and near the Vale long ago introduction to Anglo-Saxons place-names of the Vale waterborne transport around the sixth century Orston's early church Anglo-Saxon sculpture in the Vale why Orston lost out to Bingham and Bottesford what the Normans did for the Vale Granby's importance in 1086 Granby's lost castle the Vale's watermills in 1086 Romanesque sculpture in the Vale St Remigius why Bottesford is in Leicestershire the Vale in medieval times medieval gargoyles of the Vale Eastwell's chancel screen St Ethelburga's church other early saints Elston's old chapel Muston and Long Clawson saltways of the Vale the Vale's medieval tile collection the Vale in Tudor times Dissolution in the Vale not that long ago the Vale in the C17th the 'great and the good' of the Vale Bottesford's effigies 'wicked practice and sorcerye' the whales on the Whalley memorial Car Colston's bigoted GP cum JP the Vale's very own regicide Wiverton Hall five rare C17th fonts in the Vale pinfolds and pounds in the Vale dovecotes in the Vale the Vale in the C18th turnpiking the Vale gravestones and C18th trade routes goodbye 'Belvoir Angels' C18th gravestone carvers in the Vale Daffy's Elixir the Marquess of Granby Stilton from the Vale springs and spas of the Vale outstanding organs in the Vale Grantham canal changes in the Vale's agriculture since 1800 Eastwell's recusant priest house and chapel Colston Bassett's ruined church seems like yesterday windmills in the Vale stained glass in the Vale village life in the southern Vale 1850 to 1880 folklore of the Vale Flintham museum lacemaking in the Vale gypsum pits in the Vale brick and tile works in the Vale ironstone quarrying in the Vale ironstone railways ironstone quarries of Leicestershire (YouTube video) The Vale's railway stations Orston's famous architect Mothers Union banners of the Vale redundant telephone exchanges in the Vale WWII airfields and pillboxes in the Vale the Vale in 1944 location shooting at Belvoir Castle Screveton's giants researching and writing local history the Vale as a verb getting started free advice from 2005 asking curious questions (YouTube video) local history groups in and around the Vale Aslockton (Cranmer LHG) Bingham Heritage Trails Association Bottesford Eastwell Harby Harlaxton Hickling Redmile archive Belvoir Villages History and Memories Group Belvoir Angel Society Grantham Canal Society you may also be interested in free PDFs written by Bob Trubshaw Earliest Churches in Nottinghamshire How Anglo-Saxons Found Their Way Anglo-Saxon Leicestershire Conversations in Churchyards Little-known Leicestershire and Rutland Bob Trubshaw's YouTube channel Introduction to medieval carvings Anglo-Saxon and Romanesque carvings How Anglo-Saxons found their way Anglo-Saxon shrines at fords Meetings at triangles Rota's Land and Franni's Land Reading Romanesque fonts Church and manor The significances of square headdresses Early churches and waterborne trade Charnwood slate gravestones and C18th trade routes Ironstone quarries of Leicestershire Roman roads in north-east Leicestershire Salt ways in Leicestershire Why Melton Mowbray needed to called 'middle town' Evolving Anglo-Saxon agriculture Nottinghamshire's earliest churches Ploughs not piety? Economic regeneration in the C7th Were Anglo-Saxon weaving huts women-only places? Barrowby Until Now website Rutland Village by Village website Sepulchral Effigies of Leicestershire and Rutland