2014

SY9675 : St Aldhelm's Chapel

taken 9 years ago, near to Worth Matravers, Dorset, England

This is 1 of 15 images, with title St Aldhelm's Chapel in this square
St Aldhelm's Chapel
St Aldhelm's Chapel
St Aldhelm's Chapel

St Aldhelm's Chapel is a Norman chapel on St Aldhelm's Head near Worth Matravers, Dorset. It is a Grade I listed building.
The square stone chapel stands within a low circular earthwork, which may be the remains of a pre-Conquest Christian enclosure. The building has several architectural features which are unusual for a chapel; the square shape, the orientation of the corners of the building towards the cardinal points, and the division and restriction of the interior space by a large central column. The lack of evidence for an altar or a piscina suggests that the building may not have been built as a chapel. It may have originally been built as a watchtower for Corfe Castle, covering the sea approaches to the south.
The interior of the chapel is approximately 25 feet square. In the centre is a square pier supporting four square rib vaults, with the heavy ribs leading to transverse arches, all stop-chamfered. In the north-west side is a Norman round-arched doorway. A small window is contemporary with the doorway.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries regular weekly services were held, attended by coastguards and their families who lived in nearby cottages.

Grade I and Category A listed buildings and structures

Grade I listed buildings and structures are of exceptional, even international importance. There are over 6,000 in the country. Only 2.5% of listed buildings are Grade I listed.
In Scotland the classification is Category A
Index: LinkExternal link


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright N Chadwick and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
This photo is linked from: Automatic Clusters: · St Aldhelm's Chapel [45] Title Clusters: · St Aldhelm's Chapel [15] ·
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Grid Square
SY9675, 138 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
N Chadwick   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Monday, 29 December, 2014   (more nearby)
Submitted
Sunday, 12 July, 2015
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SY 9605 7555 [10m precision]
WGS84: 50:34.7805N 2:3.4289W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SY 9600 7552
View Direction
East-northeast (about 67 degrees)
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Image classification(about): Geograph
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