Chapel of St Apolline, Guernsey, Medieval chapel in Saint Saviour, Guernsey.
The Chapel of St Apolline is a small stone building in Saint Saviour with walls about 75 centimeters thick. The construction materials come from several islands and Normandy, creating the appearance of a compact medieval structure.
Nicholas Henry of La Perelle manor built the chantry chapel in 1392 and dedicated it to Saint Apolline. A 1394 charter of Richard II names it la chapelle de Saint Marie de la Perelle. After the Reformation, a royal commission of 25 May 1563 conveyed it to Thomas Effart, and it fell into ruin, saved by use as a stable. The States bought it in 1873 for £120, the first such preservation acquisition in Guernsey.
The chapel is dedicated to Saint Apolline, the patron saint of dentists, invoked in a 14th-century Dominican prayer against toothache. A stained glass window in the north wall shows her with an angel holding a tooth. The chapel is used as a place of prayer for Christian Unity.
The chapel is open every day to the public and is used as a place of prayer for Christian Unity. It is a single room with seating for 14, so visits are brief. The building has no modern facilities; access is from La Grande Rue in Saint Saviour.
During the Protestant Reformation, people hid religious objects inside the building to protect them from destruction. These hidden items included a stone figurine from the 14th century and a cross from the 16th century.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,832 contributors worldwide.