Abbotsbury, St Catherine's Chapel

St Catherine's Chapel stands above Abbotsbury on a steep grassy hill, overlooking Chesil Beach and the Isle of Portland. Built in the fourteenth century by the monks of Abbotsbury Abbey, it provided a place for pilgrimage and retreat away from the monastery below. Its solid stone construction and barrel vault give the small building a distinctive outline against the sky. The chapel also preserves the tradition of the 'wishing holes', where women prayed to St Catherine for a husband. Visitors particularly value the coastal views and suggest wearing shoes with grip for the climb. The official approach follows Chapel Lane from the village and climbs roughly half a mile to the hilltop. Ordinary visits currently provide exterior viewing, with interior access dependent on advertised openings or services; keep dogs on leads where cattle graze along the approach.