St. Mary Chickerell  

This delightful little church has possible origins in Celtic Christianity, but the present building dates from about 1260.  There is a gentle approach with clipped yews, which leaves one quite unprepared for the huge graveyard behind.

On entering through the porch of 1722, one's attention is immediately drawn towards the most attractive chancel beyond the arch.  A northern aisle was added by public subscription in 1834.  This appears to create an almost square body to the church and means that the occupants of the new aisle cannot see into the chancel.  There is a balcony across the entire west end, which accommodates both pews and organ.  There are two bells, housed in a C14 bellcote above the west wall, with an intriguing mechanism of levers and chains to ring them.  One bell, C13, is the second oldest in Dorset. (The oldest being in St. Michael and All Angels in the parish of Hanford near Child Okeford.)

Registers date from 1699 and churchwardens' accounts from 1729.  There is a well preserved stoup, an excellent Jacobean pulpit, a font dated at about 1150 and an interesting C15 grave slab (mounted on the north wall) engraved with the effigy of a man, possibly an early incumbent

 The Trust gratefully acknowledges images and text by Robin Adeney ©

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