More information : A Christian church at the eastern side of the fortified area of Richborough castle and near to its southern corner (see plan 2) are the remains of a chapel beside which was a graveyard in which were found many Anglo-Saxon coins covering reigns from Offa of Mercia "757-96" and Edwald of East Anglia, who is unkown except for his coins, to Cnut "King of England, 1016-35". The chapel is mentioned in several Kentish wills and is termed the chapel of St. Augustine in one dated 1475. The tradition that Augustine landed at Richbourgh goes back to William Thorne, a 14th century monk at St. Augustine's Abbey, Canterbury; but Bede records only that he landed in the Isle of Thanet. (The chapel measured) nearly 60ft in overall length consisting of a recantgular chancel, a wider rectangular nave and a small western annexe, all with walls about 2ft. thick. The chapel was later enlarged and given a semicircular apse, but no precise date could be fixed for any of the separate periods. (1-2)
The remains of the chapel of St. Augustine. A medieval legend relates that St. Augustine landed in Richborough on his way to meet Ethelbert, King of Kent, in 597, and in former days a stone was shown to pious pilgrims which was reputed to retain the print of his feet, the chapel being built to preserve the relic. The building was originally rectangular, consisting of a chancel with an annexe at the western end. The semi-circular apse was added later. There was a graveyard near and many skeletons were found as well as Saxon coins. (3)
Richborough Castle. Late Saxon church, extended in the 12th century and destroyed in the 17th century. Grade 1. (4)
A Saxon Shore fort, Roman port and associated remains at Richborough. Scheduled. (5) |