St Tugual's Chapel is a

non-denominational A non-denominational person or organization is one that does not follow (or is not restricted to) any particular or specific religious denomination. Overview The term has been used in the context of various faiths including Jainism, Baháʼí Fait ...

and non-

consecrated Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...

chapel A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...

which dates from the 11th century. It is located on

Herm Herm (Guernésiais: , ultimately from Old Norse 'arm', due to the shape of the island, or Old French 'hermit') is one of the Channel Islands and part of the Parish of St Peter Port in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. It is located in the English ...

, the smallest of the

Channel Island The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, ...

s open to the public. The Chapel is currently listed on the Register of Ancient Monuments and Protected Buildings for the States of Guernsey. Stained-glass window St Tugual's Chapel Herm

Stained-glass window St Tugual's Chapel Herm

History

The chapel, which incorporates an earlier structure, dates from the 11th century; but it has been suggested that the site has been of religious significance from the 6th century. It is uncertain if the chapel was named after Saint Tugual because he visited Herm; or if it was so called by Tugual's followers. The current chapel was built by

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

monks A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedicat ...

who lived on the island. When the Wood family took over the island's lease in 1949, they re-opened parts of the chapel; and cleared several windows. The Chapel featured on a 1970

stamp Stamp or Stamps or Stamping may refer to: Official documents and related impressions * Postage stamp, used to indicate prepayment of fees for public mail * Ration stamp, indicating the right to rationed goods * Revenue stamp, used on documents to ...

Restoration work

In 2010 and 2011, the chapel was closed for

restoration work Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to: * Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage ** Audio restoration ** Film restoration ** Image restoration ** Textile restoration * Restoration ecology ...

, in which there was re- roofing,

repointing Repointing is the process of renewing the pointing, which is the external part of mortar joints, in masonry construction. Over time, weathering and decay cause voids in the joints between masonry units, usually in bricks, allowing the undesirable e ...

, re-rendering, and

drainage Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of a surface's water and sub-surface water from an area with excess of water. The internal drainage of most agricultural soils is good enough to prevent severe waterlogging (anaerobic conditio ...

installation. The

States of Guernsey The States of Guernsey (french: États de Guernesey), sometimes referred to as the Government of Guernsey, is the parliament and government of the British Crown dependency of Guernsey. Some laws and ordinances approved by the States of Guern ...

are responsible for the chapel's upkeep. The chapel re-opened with a special re-dedication service in May 2011.

Skeletons

During the works; two

skeleton A skeleton is the structural frame that supports the body of an animal. There are several types of skeletons, including the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside ...

s were found; that of an

adult An adult is a human or other animal that has reached full growth. In human context, the term ''adult'' has meanings associated with social and legal concepts. In contrast to a " minor", a legal adult is a person who has attained the age of major ...

and that of a

child A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger ...

. The skeletons were originally estimated to be between 400 and 500 years old. Soon, three more part skeletons were expected to be excavated; but eventually, within a 15m sq area; 40 skeletons were found, around 50% of which were children. The skeletons were taken to Guernsey by a team led by

Philip de Jersey Philip de Jersey is a Guernsey archaeologist and numismatist. He is known as an expert on Celtic coins of the Iron Age. Life and career De Jersey was born in Guernsey, and studied Geography at Hertford College, University of Oxford. After gr ...

, then were returned to Herm for burial. The earliest bones dated were from the second half of the 10th century.

References

{{reflist Herm 11th-century churches in the United Kingdom Buildings and structures in the Channel Islands