St Aldhelm'S Chapel

SY 97NE WORTH MATRAVERS SAINT ALDHELM'S HEAD

4/111 Saint Aldhelm's Chapel 20-11-59 - I

Anglican chapel-of-ease. C12. Rubble stone walls, pyramidal stone slate roof surmounted by a C20 stone cross on a circular base. Moulded corbel table on north-east wall. Large added buttresses on north-west, north-east and south- east walls, and at north angle. Original shallow buttress at south angle. Square plan. Small lancet window at east end of south-east wall. Moulded string course on this wall. Entrance in north west wall has a round-headed doorway of 2 simple orders with hoodmould. Internally a central composite pier supports a quadrupartite vault, with simple chamfered ribs and shallow wall shafts. Unplastered walls. Stone flagged floor. This has been raised, but is still below ground level. C19 stone font. Note. Although always described as a chapel and, according to Hutchins, served by a royal chaplain in the C13, this building has no specifically ecclesiastical features. The plan form, orientation, and small amount of natural lighting are unusual for a church. It has rather the appearance of a vaulted undercroft - possibly for a projected but uncompleted tower structure. It stands on a platform in the centre of an earthwork enclosure. RCHM Monument 2 (Dorset, Vol II). Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Listing NGR: SY9607175558