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United Kingdom
England
South West England
Dorset
Purbeck
Worth Matravers

St Aldhelm's Chapel

St Aldhelm's Chapel

Recommended by 17 hikers

This Highlight is in a protected area

Please check local regulations for: Dorset National Landscape

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    Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Intermediate

    Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

    Intermediate

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    December 10, 2024

    Built in the C12th century constructed as a place of worship for the local community, and its name is thought to refer to Saint Aldhelm, a 7th-century bishop of Sherborne who was known for his piety and learning.

    A small, simple building made of local limestone and Purbeck stone. It features a nave, a chancel, and a small tower added in the c14th. Chapel's architecture is typical of the Norman style, with rounded arches, a barrel-vaulted ceiling, and small, narrow windows.

    The chapel contains several interesting features and fittings, including:

    *c12th font, which is one of the oldest in Dorset

    *c14th piscina, which was used for washing the sacred vessels

    * c16th-century pulpit with intricate carvings


    **Restoration and Conservation**

    c19th , the chapel underwent a significant restoration, which included the installation of new windows, a new roof, and a new pulpit.

    **Worship and Community**


    Saint Aldhelm's Chapel is still used for worship today, with occasional services held throughout the year.

    The Chapel is one of the smallest chapels in England, with a capacity of just 20 people.

    * Said to be haunted by the ghost of a former priest, who was murdered in the chapel in the 14th century.

    * The chapel's tower is home to a colony of rare and endangered bats, which are protected by conservation laws.

      February 9, 2025

      Atop the dramatic cliffs of St Aldhelm's Head, south of Worth Matravers village, stands a striking 12th-century chapel dedicated to St Aldhelm, the early 8th century Bishop of Sherborne. The chapel gives its name to the headland, which rises 354 feet above the rocky shore below. Near the chapel stands a coastguard lookout station and a radar research memorial.Very little is known about the chapel's origins. A local legend says that in AD 1140 a bridge and groom were drowned when their boat capsized off the headland, and the bride's father erected the chapel built the chapel in their memory. He paid for a light to be kept burning in the chapel to help sailors avoid his daughter's fate. It is entirely possible that the legend is based on fact, and the chapel was taken over by the church.

        February 14, 2025

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          Elevation 130 m

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          Location: Worth Matravers, Purbeck, Dorset, South West England, England, United Kingdom

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