A Dover Blacksmith's Shop

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7065, 26 January 1933, Page 4

A Dover Blacksmith's Shop

Light is at last thrown upon the ' origin of the small thirteenth-century building, now a blacksmith’s shop, in Dover which is hemmed in by business premises in Biggin street and Priory road (-states the London Times). The building is hidden from the view of passers-by, and there must be many persons in Dover who are unaware of its existence. Decently the building lias engaged the attention of Mr. W. ,J. Baker, of Dover, who has devoted a good deal of

study to local history. Mr. Baker is convinced that it was consecrated in 1253 as a wayside chapel, and that most probably it was used as a place for prayer by pilgrims on their way to Canterbury. The Bev. fc>. P. H, StalJiam, in ‘ Tho History of the Castle, Town and Port of Dover,' published in 1893, wrote:' ‘‘lt is a small building, somo L’Sft. in length by lift, broad. The walls, which ore fairly intact, are built of rubble masonry 2ft. thick, with Caen stone cpioins and dressings. The west doorway is plain pointed with roll mouldings. Tho north and south walls are pierced by two lancet windows, each

widely stayed, and a moulded string course ran round tho interior below their sills. The roof was of a good pitch, and had tie beams, collars, and struts. The chapel is now entirely given up to trade purposes and is diflicult of access, Wc conjecture that if, was erected by the canons of St. Maitin’s and HI. Mary's Priory, and was used as a wayside chapel, although it is not impossible that it may lie the remains of (lie hospital of Ht. Bartholomew's Chapel.” With regard to the last point, Mr. Baker states that there is now c-very reason to believe that H*- Bartholo-

mew's Chapel was situated-a little distance beyond where the church, of that name now stands. The chapel, he says, was consecrated and dedicated,to Bt. Ldmund, who was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1234 to 1240. Bichard, Bishop of Chichester, on B-efr.eshment Sunday, March 30, 1253, performed tho hist public act of his life in this building. lu I-is linal sermon ho said ho had always longed that before his last day he would •‘consecrate one church at. least in honour of Blessed Edmund.” Next morning during Mass he fell to the ground, and was carried to bed in the Maison Dieu, where he died-