Monument record MDO8104 - St Margaret's Chapel, Egliston, Tyneham

A medieval chapel dedicated to St Margaret. The exact site of the chapel is not known, but a platform where traces of stone have been seen is thought very likely.

Egliston was anciently a manor and hamlet, to which a chapel dedicated to St. Margaret, is supposed to have belonged. A field a little to the south of North Egliston farmhouse, is still known by the name of "Chapel Close". <1>

At 'A' (SY 89458061) is a level platform 6.0m. square where probing revealed possible foundations at a depth of 6-8". The area is under grass and is situated in a military range. <2>

SY 895806. Chapel Close, the site of the former chapel of St. Margaret at (Nrth) Egliston referred to as "Capella Sce Margar' de Eglyneston, Capella Beate Margar' de Eglemenesdon" in 1288 Assize Rolls. <3>

Although confirmation can only be obtained from excavation the most probable site of St. Margaret's chapel is SY 89458061. Here, on a high point overlooking the village is a platform with an E.S.E. to W.S.W. orientation. It measures 12m. by 4m. and on the S. and W. sides is bounded by a bank up to 0.5m. high which, probing suggests, conceals stone rubble. It seems to be the only platform in the village with vestiges of stonework and it bears the traditional name of Chapel Close.

200m. to the S.E., at SY 89658052, there is a much damaged but apparently six sided block of stone, half buried in a ditch. It is about 1m. across and 0.4m. thick and may have come from the chapel. Platform surveyed at 1:2500 on M.S.D., plan with SY 88 SE 45. <4>

<1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1861, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 1, 619 (Monograph). SWX4496.

<2> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F1 JR 25-JUL-52 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<3> Mills, A D, 1977, The place-names of Dorset, Part 1: the Isle of Purbeck, the hundreds of Rowbarrow, Hasler, Winfrith, Culliford Tree, Bere Regis, Barrow, Puddletown St George, 102-3 (Monograph). SWX972.

<4> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F2 NVQ 25-AUG-81 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 455456 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Oct 23 2023 11:13AM