St Catherine’s Chapel

St Catherine’s Chapel, on its hill above the village of Abbotsbury in West Dorset, forms a dramatic landmark and seamark. From a platform of level ground, its ‘fearfully exposed position’ (as Thomas Hardy described it) gives extensive views across the Fleet to Portland, and west across Lyme Bay to Torbay in Devon. Below, in a protective fold in the hills, lie the village, and the ruins of the great monastery which built the rugged little chapel to St Catherine in the fourteenth century.

(Quoted from the preface of ‘St Catherine’s Chapel at Abbotsbury and the Legend of the Saint’ written by Laurence Keen, County Archaeologist, for Abbotsbury’s Millennium project celebrating St Catherine of Alexandria. )

St Catherines ChapelThis booklet giving more detail of the chapel, and also the legend and influence of St Catherine of Alexandria can be bought via Amazon, see link here.

Proceeds from the sale of this book will go to St Nicholas Church, Abbotsbury.


 

A service either inside or outside St Catherine’s Chapel, will start at 3.45 p.m. during the Candles on St Catherine’s Hill, Abbotsbury, event on 26th November 2023.

The project is being run by Friends of St Nicholas.
Led by: Julian Andrews, Julie Evans, Gard Gawor, Helen Millard, Barbara Laurie

St Catherine of Alexandria is the patron saint of the chapel on the hill in Abbotsbury.
We celebrate on the nearest convenient Sunday to St Catherine’s Day, 25th November.

More information – Candles On St Catherine’s Hill