Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall |
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 Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall
Location in England
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| 51°44′07″N 0°56′24″E / 51.73536°N 0.93994°E | |
| Location | Essex |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Chapel |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Designated | 30 December 1959 |
| Specifications | |
| Other dimensions | wall thickness 2.5 feet (0.76 m) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | looked after by the parish church of St Thomas Bradwell-on-Sea |
| Diocese | Diocese of Chelmsford |
The Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall is a very old Christian church. It is located in Bradwell-on-Sea, England. This chapel was built around the years 660–662. It is one of the oldest churches in England that is still mostly standing. People still use it regularly for Church of England services. Also, the nearby Othona Community uses it. The chapel is a Grade I listed building, which means it is a very important historical site.
Contents
History of the Chapel
The chapel has a long and interesting history.
Building the Chapel
A writer named Bede lived in the early 700s. He wrote about a "city" called Ythanceaster near a river named Penta. The Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall was very likely built by Bishop Cedd. He started building it in the year 654.
Bishop Cedd came from Lindisfarne in 653. He traveled south to share Christianity with the East Saxons. This was at the request of Sigeberht the Good, who was their king. Cedd became a bishop. He returned in 654 to build this chapel and probably other churches too.
The chapel was an Anglo-Celtic church for the East Saxons. It was built on the old ruins of a Roman fort called Othona. The chapel you see today was probably built between 654 and 662. The builders used old Roman bricks and stones to construct it.
Changes Over Time
Bishop Cedd died in October 664 because of a serious illness called plague. After his death, the chapel became part of the Diocese of London.
There are no records of the chapel being used again until 1442. At that time, local church leaders told the Bishop of London that the chapel had been made a bit bigger. It had a small tower above the entrance with a bell. However, they did not know how old it was. They also reported that it had been damaged by fire and could not be used.
The chapel was repaired and used regularly alongside the main church in Bradwell-on-Sea. This continued until at least the Tudor period (the 1500s). After that, it stopped being used as a church. Instead, it became a barn. You can still see where a wide barn doorway used to be on the south side of the building. It has now been filled in.
In 1920, the chapel was restored. It was then used as a chapel again. In 1959, it was officially named a Grade I listed building.
How the Chapel is Used Today
The Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall belongs to Chelmsford Cathedral. It is cared for by the Chaplain, the Revd Steven Poss. He is also the Rector of the local church, St Thomas in Bradwell-on-Sea. Members of the church also help look after it.
Regular Services and Events
The chapel holds public services every week. There is a Communion service on Thursday mornings at 9:00 am. Special services are also held during Christmas and Easter. In the summer, evening services take place every Sunday in July and August at 6:30 pm.
The chapel and the field next to it are also the location for the Bradwell Pilgrimage. This event happens on the first Saturday in July. The procession starts at the Parish Church of St Thomas. Pilgrims walk from there to the Chapel of St Peter's. Once they arrive, services and other events are held.
Community and Music
The chapel is also used by the nearby Othona Community. This community was started in 1946 by Norman Motley. It is a Christian-based community. However, it welcomes people of all faiths and even those with no faith.
In 2018, a boys' choir called Libera filmed two music videos at the chapel.
The chapel is the end point of St Peter's Way. This is a 45-mile (about 72-kilometer) walking path. It starts in Chipping Ongar.
See also
In Spanish: Capilla de Saint Peter-on-the-Wall para niños
