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The chapel on St Aldhelm’s Head was built in the 12 century
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on the remains of earlier earthworks which could be an early
Christian monastic enclosure. Tradition tells that St Aldhelm

landed here before becoming Bishop of Sherborne in the early
8 century. A legend relates the story of a newly married
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couple who drowned off the headland in the 12 century’ The
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grieving father of the bride built the chapel in their memory

with a beacon on the roof to warn other seafarers of the
dangerous rocks.

The chapel’s importance waned in the Middle Ages with a

declining population and it became derelict until the first
Lord Eldon began restoration in the 19 cent. The first
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service for centuries was held in 1874 and occasional services
are held today.

The beautiful, peaceful
interior of the chapel
must have been familiar

to our priest, but the
Norman doorway was
locked because of

Covid-19 when we
visited this autumn.

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