Little Chapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Little Chapel |
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The Little Chapel
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Non-denominational |
| Region | Guernsey |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Municipality | St Andrew |
| Architecture | |
| Groundbreaking | 1923 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 16 feet (4.9 m) |
| Width | 9 feet (2.7 m) |
The Little Chapel is a very special and tiny church located in the Les Vauxbelets valley in Saint Andrew, Guernsey. It was started in July 1914 by a man named Brother Déodat. He wanted to build a small copy of a famous cave (called a grotto) and church (called a basilica) found in Lourdes, France. This famous church is known as the Rosary Basilica.
Many people say the Little Chapel is one of the most popular places to visit in Guernsey. It is known for its amazing and detailed design.
Contents
Building the Little Chapel
Brother Déodat's Vision
Brother Déodat began building the first Little Chapel in March 1914. It was quite small, measuring about 9 feet long and 4.5 feet wide. However, other brothers thought it was too small.
Because of their comments, Déodat decided to take down the first chapel. He then built a second one, which he finished in July 1914. This version was a bit bigger, measuring 9 feet by 6 feet.
The Third and Final Chapel
In 1923, the Bishop of Portsmouth came to visit the chapel. He found that he could not even fit through the door! So, Brother Déodat decided to demolish the chapel once more.
Soon after, he started building the third and current version of the chapel. This one is larger, measuring 16 feet long and 9 feet wide. Sadly, Brother Déodat went to France in 1939 and passed away there. He never saw his amazing chapel completely finished.
Caring for the Chapel
In 1977, a group was formed to help restore the chapel. For a while, Blanchelande College looked after it. Today, the Little Chapel Foundation takes care of this special place.
Chapel Challenges and Repairs
Vandalism and Damage
The Little Chapel has faced some tough times. In 2003, and again in 2010, vandals caused damage to the chapel. During the 2010 incident, five beautiful stained glass windows were broken. This caused about £3,000 worth of damage. People were very upset about these acts of vandalism.
Restoration Work
In 2013, a lot of work was done to clear away overgrown plants. These plants were actually hiding parts of the chapel. This helped to show off its unique design.
In November 2015, the chapel had to close for major repairs. These repairs included strengthening the building's base and making sure it was protected from bad weather. This big project was estimated to cost £500,000, and people worked hard to raise the money needed.
The Little Chapel fully reopened to the public in April 2017. The most important work, like making the foundations strong, was finished. However, more money was still needed to complete the very last parts of the renovation.
Unique Decorations
The Little Chapel is famous for its incredible decorations. It is covered with seashells, small stones (pebbles), and pieces of broken china. When you look at it from far away, the colors and patterns look beautiful together. But when you get close, it's amazing to see all the tiny pieces used to create the artwork. The chapel is very small inside, with room for only about eight people.
How the Decorations Came to Be
The chapel became famous very quickly after an article about it appeared in the Daily Mirror newspaper. This led to people on the island donating colorful china pieces. Even the Lieutenant-Governor of Guernsey offered mother of pearl for the decorations. Gifts also arrived from all over the world!
The Pique-assiette Style
The way the chapel is decorated is called "pique-assiette" or "Picassiette". This is a French term for a type of mosaic art. In this style, artists use broken pieces of pottery, china, glass, buttons, and even jewelry. They glue these pieces onto a surface to create a new design. Almost anything can be used as a base, and artists can combine any pieces they imagine.
This style was also used by a French artist named Raymond Isidore. He decorated his house near Chartres, France, in a very similar way to the Little Chapel. His house is known as Maison Picassiette.
See also
In Spanish: Pequeña Capilla de Saint Andrew para niños
