The historic St Edmund of Abingdon Chapel in Priory Road Dover has entered into another phase of its long life. A grant from the Coastal Communities Fund has funded restoration of the walls, wooden roof beams and improved heating and lighting.
The little chapel dates from 1253 and was originally built as a mortuary chapel for the many pilgrims who died passing through Dover on their way to the great shrine of St Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. It was consecrated and dedicated by Bishop Richard of Chichester to his teacher St Edmund of Abingdon. Bishop Richard died a few days later in the Maison Dieu – now Dover Town Hall.
After the destruction of the monasteries by King Henry VIII the chapel was lost behind shops and houses. At one stage it was a blacksmith’s forge. Following the bombing during the second world war it was “found” again and identified and escaped destruction by the Dover Borough Council in the 1960s by the skin of its teeth. Eventually it was saved and funds raised to restore it. The St Edmund of Abingdon Trust manages the Chapel today and regular religious services are held there.
The work just completed will enable the Chapel to be much more widely used by the whole community and a series of concerts and other events are planned. Mr Paul Smye-Rumsby, Chairman of the Trust, welcomed a full house of local people and supporters of the Chapel to the opening event on Thursday 19日 九月.
The successful bid to the Coastal Communities Fund and all the work at the Chapel has been spearheaded and managed by Destination Dover – the Town Council’s Tourism Partnership with Dover Big Local and other organisations.
委员苏琼斯, 社区与服务委员会主席说
The opening has shown just what a fabulous venue the Chapel is for events for everyone to enjoy. The refurbishment will underpin and support the economic development and regeneration taking place in this part of our historic Town Centre.
信托正在积极合作，进一步发展的活动方案在教堂 - 如果你有兴趣使用教堂社区活动请联系目的地佛经理, Diederik迪斯在 diederiksmet@destinationdover.org.uk 或致电 01304 242625.
我们图为保罗先生Smye，Rumsby, 阿宾登信托圣埃德蒙主席欢迎观众到教堂的重新开放.