Listed Building record MDO14254 - St Bartholomew's chapel, Corton, Portesham

A medieval chapel, the earliest parts of which is the early-thirteenth century chancel. The nave was rebuilt, probably in the sixteenth century, and the building was restored and partly rebuilt in 1897. The walls are of coursed rubble with ashlar dressings, and a slate-covered roof.

The chapel of St. Bartholomew at Corton, a former free chapel, has walls of coursed rubble with ashlar dressings and slate roofs. It consists of an early-13th century chancel and a nave rebuilt probably in the 16th century. After a period of desecration it was restored and reconsecrated in 1897, and the west part of the nave was again rebuilt. The Medieval stone altar, circa 1400 or earlier, is still in situ. There are also restored 13th and 14th century windows. <2> <3> <5>

Prior to the reconsecration in 1897 the chapel had been used as a thatched barn. <6>

Chapel, former free chapel. C13 chancel, C16 nave walls, with late C19 rebuilding at west end. Restored and reconsecrated
in 1897. Coursed rubble walls, with ashlar dressings. Slate roofs, with stone gable-copings and plain kneelers. Chancel: chamfered plinths. East window, late C14 alteration, and has 2 trefoiled lights with a tracery light between vertical bars in a 2-centred head. South wall has a single-light window, rebated externally and splayed internally, with a C20 pointed head. Nave: no plinth. South wall, C20 3-light window, doorway with chamfered polygonal arched head, of re-used voussoirs. Plank door with straphinges. West wall, rebuilt with a 3-light window, C20, with a 2-centred rere-arch. The bellcote surmounting the west wall is C20. Stone cross-crosslet on east gable, C20. Interior: alter, stone with chamfered Purbeck marble base and similar top carried on two stone cross walls, early C13. Brackets: in chancel, flanking east window, two moulded stone corbels, C15. Piscina: with chamfered jambs and illfitting two-centred head and label, moulded corbelled shelf, much restored, C13. Tiles: in chancel, re-set in floor, eighteen
medieval tiles, red with yellow glaze. <7>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1890 (Map). SWX1540.

SY 63608548) Chapel (NR)

<2> Miles Barnes' W, 1894, ‘The Ancient Free Chapel of Corton’, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society (Article in serial). SDO18061.

<3> DOE (HRR), 1951, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Dorchester Rural District 1951, 46 (Scheduling record). SWX2329.

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 63608548) St Bartholomew's Chapel (NAT)

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 242 (Monograph). SDO149.

‘(2) THE CHAPEL OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW, at Corton (63608548), a former free chapel, has walls of coursed rubble with ashlar dressings and roofs covered with slate. It consists of an early 13th-century chancel and a nave rebuilt probably in the 16th century. After a period of desecration it was restored and reconsecrated in t1897, and the W. part of the nave was then again rebuilt.

The Chancel (11 ft. by 10 ft.) has a chamfered plinth and a chamfered offset in the E. wall below the window. The E. window is of the late 14th century and has two trefoiled lights with a tracery light between vertical bars in a two-centred head. In the S. wall is a single-light window, rebated externally and widely splayed internally and with a modern two-centred head. There is no chancel arch. The Nave (24½ ft. by 13 ft.) has no plinth; in the N. Wall is a blocked doorway with chamfered depressed two-centred head and continuous jambs; the S. wall has a modern three-light window and a doorway with chamfered polygonal arched head, of reused voussoirs, and with two-centred rear arch. The W. wall is rebuilt and has a modern window with a two-centred rear arch of old stone used. The bellcote surmounting the W. wall is modern.

Fittings – Altar: of stone with chamfered Purbeck marble base and similar top carried on two stone cross walls, early 13th-century. Brackets: in chancel, flanking E. window, two moulded stone corbels, 15th-century. Piscina: with chamfered jambs and ill-fitting two-centred head and label; moulded corbelled shelf much restored; 13th-century. Plate: includes a pewter plate by George Lester of Dorchester, 1690-1700, inscribed ‘In usum Ecclesiae S: Petris par: Portesham’. Tiles: in chancel, reset in floor, eighteen medieval tiles, red with yellow glaze.’

<6> Good, R, 1979, Lost Villages of Dorset (Monograph). SWX1569.

<7> Department of the Environment, 1985, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: District of West Dorset (Scheduling record). SDO16361.

<8> Watson, K, 1997, Corton Farm, Portesham, Dorset. Archaeological Desk-Based Study (Unpublished document). SWX8468.

<9> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24612 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of St Bartholomew's Chapel at Corton from the south-west

<10> National Record of the Historic Environment, 452524 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jun 24 2022 3:59PM