Chichele College: the remains of the medieval college of Higham Ferrers

Chichele College stands in the quiet village of Higham Ferrers in Northamptonshire. It was founded in the early 15th century by Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury, as a place for secular canons to study and pray. Chantry colleges like this one were common in the 14th and 15th centuries, set up by wealthy patrons to offer masses and teach. The college once housed eight canons, four clerks and six choristers, all supported by the archbishop’s royal licence granted in 1422. After Henry VIII seized the college in 1542, many buildings were demolished and the site passed through different uses. By the 18th century it became an inn, then farm buildings in the 20th century before being restored. The remains include a gatehouse, a chapel and parts of the original stone walls. The chapel still serves for local events, while the gatehouse and other ruins show the college’s layout. The walls were built with roughly dressed limestone and the roofs used Collyweston slate, typical of the period. A rare walled garden survives from 1425, enclosed and still visible today. The site was recognised as a scheduled monument in 1981, protecting its buried and standing remains. The Ministry of Works took charge in 1948 and later restorations uncovered more of the original structure. Visitors walk among the ruins and foundations, seeing how the college was organised centuries ago. The chapel’s interior hosts small gatherings, linking past and present. The walled garden offers a quiet space with its medieval walls intact. The surviving stone buildings stand close to the village centre, easy to reach on foot. The contrast between the ruined walls and the still-used chapel shows how the site has changed over time. The scheduled monument status keeps the remains safe for future generations to explore.