Listed Building record MDO10277 - Church of St Mary, Hermitage

A church thought possibly to have been built in the 14th century, and possibly the site of a hermitage before the 15th century. It was restored in the 17th century, possibly in 1682, and rebuilt around 1800. The plan of the building consists a nave, chancel and south porch.

Church of St Mary, originally a hermitage. The Hermitage of Blackmoor appears to have been a loose association of persons following the role of St Augustine but not formally adhering to any regular order, which died out in the latter part of the C14th. <1>

The church of St Mary is puzzling as it has a distinct C17th flavour but no records point to such a date, and the date of building is actually given as 1800. The nave and chancel windows are Decorated, are (Perpendicular) but all are as if remodelled later. <2>

Church of St Mary. The simple plan of nave, chancel and South porch is possibly of C14th origin, with much restoration in the C17th (possibly 1682) and rebuilding of ca.1800. Grade II*. <4>

Le Pard, Gordon, 1998, Medieval sundials in Dorset. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 119, 75-76 (Article in serial). SDO21411.

Ward, H, 2011, St Mary's Church Hermitage in Dorset (Monograph). SDO18156.

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 122 (Monograph). SDO97.

<2> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 227 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 scale, 1974 (Map). SWX1197.

(ST 6497 0697) St Mary's Church (NAT)

<4> DOE (HRR), 17 Oct 1986, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: District of West Dorset amendment 1986, 36 (Scheduling record). SWX2454.

<5> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 2013, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 2012, 103-5 (Serial). SDO16328.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 887196 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 1 2025 12:48PM