Monument record MDO739 - St Catherine's chapel, St Catherine's Farm, Cerne Abbas

The site of a medieval chapel also known as St Katherine's Chapel on Cat-and-Chapel Hill. Stonework from the chapel building is said to be incorporated into a modern farm building.

St Catherine's chapel is thought to have been situated in the vicinity of St Catherine's Farm, as parts of the building are said to be incorporated into the the stonework of a modern farm building. Documentary sources show that the chapel stood on a hill known as Cat and Chapel Hill, and this name seems to go back to the fourteenth century. It is known that the chapel belonged to Cerne Abbey before the Reformation. Several altars dedicated at Cerne Abbey in 1311 included one to St Catherine (or Katherine). <weale>


St Catherine's chapel stood on a hill at Cerne Abbas, which is commonly known as "Cat-and-Chapel Hill". Only vestiges of the building now remain, incorporated into the stonework of a farm building. (2)

Several altars, dedicated at Cerne Abbey in 1311, included one to St Katherine. <3>

There are no visible remains of this chapel. The site is now occupied by a stone-paved farmyard. <5>

<1> Ordnance Survey, 1900, Ordnance Survey 25-inch map, epoch two (Map). SDO11594.

(ST 67840085). St Katherine's Chapel (NR) (Site of) (NAT)

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1969, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1968, 261 (Serial). SDO68.

<3> Hutchins, J, 1873, The history and antiquities of the County of Dorset. Volume 4. 3rd edition, 20 (Monograph). SDO10245.

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Archaeology Division Object Name Book (ONB) reference, 1900 26 (Monograph). SWX8217.

'Applies to the site of an ancient chapel siuated at New Barn. This chapel belonged to the monastery … Authorities, probably the best, consider it not to date further back than the 14th century.'

<4.1> Creech, A W, 1900, Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments: A W Creech (Agent to A Pitt-Rivers) Sturminster Newton (Verbal communication). SDO17383.

<5> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, 31-JAN-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<6> Phillips, A S, Various, Field Investigators Comments ASP, F1 ASP 15-JUL-77 (Unpublished document). SWX3817.

No change.

<7> Weale, A, 1995, The Excavation of Two Trial Pits at the Site of the Proposed Portal Frame Barn, St Catherine's Farm, Old Sherborne Road, Cerne Abbas (Unpublished document). SDO12274.

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 198997 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Dec 23 2021 10:13AM