England

St Cuthbert Old Chancel, Oborne, Dorset

Visited in January 2024

pacoulmag, wuzmi

• 2 min read
St Cuthbert Old Chancel, Oborne, Dorset
"Only the chancel survives of the 1553 church, which must have been one of the last to be built before the Reformation " (Church Conservation Trust). It would appear that the site was used as a "chapel of ease" for Sherborne Abbey in the 10th century.
Front of the chancel retained after the destruction of the rest of the church.
Blocked north window of the chancel, letters above the window: "“Pray for the good standing of Master John Dunster Sacristan of Sherborne who built this in the year of our Lord 1533”. John Dunster was the first rector of the church.
Some heraldic shields on each side of the blocked window, may be for Sherborne abbey.
Inside the chancel, altar with Jacobean pulpit and altar rail (17th C)
Detail of the old altar rail.
The pulpit (1639) is of oak, with carved designs.
Probably the nave doorway of the original church (16th C)
Stoup and font
A panel show some of the tiles collected, and some fragments, generally with a geometric design
Only one slab remains : "Here Lyeth of John S? gent degended of the antient familly of the Shuttleworth of Gawthon in Lancashire and was buried here the 16 day of Nevember 1686"