St. Aldhelm's Chapel, St. Aldhelm's Head facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Aldhelm's Chapel |
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St Aldhelm's Chapel (2005)
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 St Aldhelm's Chapel
Location in Dorset
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| 50°34′47″N 2°03′24″W / 50.5797°N 2.0568°W | |
| Location | St Aldhelm's Head, Dorset |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 13th century |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I Listed building |
| Designated | 18 March 1955 |
| Style | Norman |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Worth Matravers |
| Diocese | Diocese of Salisbury |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Aldhelm's Chapel is a very old building found on St Aldhelm's Head in Dorset, England. It's a special type of church called a chapel, built in the Norman style. This means it was built a long, long time ago, around the 13th century. The chapel stands high up, about 108 meters (354 feet) above the sea, close to the cliffs. It's considered a Grade I Listed building, which means it's a very important historic site that needs to be protected.
About the Chapel's Design
This chapel is made of stone and has a square shape. It sits inside an old circular ditch, which might be the remains of an even older Christian area from before the Normans arrived. The chapel has some unusual features for a building of its kind. For example, its corners point towards the main compass directions (north, south, east, west) instead of its sides. Also, inside, a large central pillar divides the space.
What Was It Used For?
It's not totally clear if the building was always meant to be a chapel. There's no clear sign that it had an altar or a piscina (a special sink used in churches). Some people think it might have been a watchtower first. It could have helped protect Corfe Castle by watching the sea. However, old records show that a chaplain (a church leader) was paid to work there during the time of King Henry III (who ruled from 1216 to 1272). This suggests it was used as a chapel back then.
Inside the Chapel
The inside of the chapel is about 7.7 meters (25 feet) square. In the middle, there's a big square pillar. This pillar holds up four arched ceilings, which are called rib vaults. On the north-west side, there's a round-arched doorway, which is typical of Norman buildings. There's also a small window from the same time. The roof of the chapel now has a stone cross that was put there in 1873. Some repairs in the 20th century suggested that the roof might have once had a beacon (a light for ships) on top.
The Mystery Grave
In 1957, a large stone slab was found in a field not far from the chapel. It was about 2 meters (6.6 feet) long and 0.75 meters (2.5 feet) wide. The slab had a Celtic-style cross carved into it. Underneath the slab, there was a grave with the skeleton of a woman. She was thought to be between 30 and 40 years old, and the grave was from the late 13th century. The slab is now kept at St Nicholas' Church in Worth Matravers.
Chapel's History
The chapel first appears in official papers during the rule of King Henry III. At that time, a chaplain was paid to look after both St Aldhelm's Chapel and a chapel in Corfe Castle. In 1291, the area around St Aldhelm's Chapel was taxed, but by 1428, it was said to have no people living there.
Changes Over Time
In 1625, a surveyor named Thomas Gerard said the chapel was used as a sea-marke, which means it helped sailors find their way. The central pillar inside the chapel has dates and initials carved into it from the 1600s. This shows people still visited, even though the building was starting to fall apart. There's even a hole in the pillar where young girls would drop pins or hairpins to make wishes!
By 1797, parts of the chapel's roof had fallen in. In the early 1800s, a man named William Morton Pitt tried to fix it. Later, the 1st Earl of Eldon bought the land and also tried to repair the chapel. However, it seems only small fixes were made.
Reopening and Celebrations
Local landowners helped repair the chapel in the 1800s. It was reopened for church services in 1874. People used to have big parties there on Whit Thursday, with music, dancing, and decorating the chapel with flags and flowers. It was even used by coastguards to store things for a while.
In 1873, the 3rd Earl of Eldon paid for the chapel to be rebuilt. A new baptismal font (a basin for baptisms) was also added. A special service was held on July 18, 1874, to celebrate its reopening. After that, regular services were held there on Sunday evenings, attended by coastguards and their families who lived nearby.
Modern Times
During the Second World War, the chapel was used less often because the nearby Renscombe Farm was used for radar research. By the 1930s, the inside of the chapel was very damp. Services were held every two weeks. At one point, a gate and fence were put up to stop cows from going inside, but these were removed in 1963.
In 1965, the chapel was given to the Worth Matravers Parochial Church Council. They raised money and made more repairs. In 2000, the old circular ditch around the chapel was made a Scheduled Monument, which gives it special protection.
In 2005, a new altar table was made for the chapel from local stone. This was part of a celebration for the 1,300th anniversary of St. Aldhelm becoming a bishop. The new altar was blessed by Rowan Williams, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time.
Images for kids
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St Aldhelm's Head Chapel interior view
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St Aldhelm's Head Chapel interior view
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St Aldhelm's Head Chapel interior view
