Lighthouses · South East England
St Catherine's Oratory
In or near Godshill.
St Catherine's Oratory — medieval lighthouse on the Isle of Wight, England, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 30 min–1 h
- Nearest railway station
- Shanklin · 9.9 km
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit St Catherine's Oratory, the nearest railway station is Shanklin, located 9.9 km away. The postcode for sat-nav is PO38 2JB. Entry is free, but accessibility is limited for wheelchair users.
About
St Catherine's Oratory is a working or historic lighthouse on the United Kingdom coast. Records date its origin to 1328. Constructed primarily of stone. Heritage designation: Grade II listed building. Owned by English Heritage. Managed by English Heritage. Wikidata describes it as: "medieval lighthouse on the Isle of Wight, England, UK". Coordinates: 50.5932°, -1.3040°.
Photo gallery
Heritage listing
St. Catherine's Oratory is a medieval lighthouse on St. Catherine's Down, above the southern coast of the Isle of Wight. It was built by Lord of Chale Walter de Godeton (sometimes spelled "Goditon") as an act of penance for plundering wine from the wreck of St. Marie of Bayonne in Chale Bay on 20 April 1313. The tower is known locally as the "Pepperpot" because of its likeness to a pepper shaker.
From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.
From English Heritage
A tall medieval octagonal tower, allegedly a lighthouse, built here in 1328 as penance for stealing church property from a wrecked ship.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: Compton Chine to Steephill Cove SSSI
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Isle Of Wight
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
St. Catherine's Oratory is a medieval lighthouse on St. Catherine's Down, above the southern coast of the Isle of Wight. It was built by Lord of Chale Walter de Godeton (sometimes spelled "Goditon") as an act of penance for plundering wine from the wreck of St. Marie of Bayonne in Chale Bay on 20 April 1313. The tower is known locally as the "Pepperpot" because of its likeness to a pepper shaker.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
De Godeton was tried for theft in Southampton, before a jury from the island, and fined 287 and half marks on 27 February 1314. However, he was also later tried by the Church courts, since the wine had been destined for the monastery of Livers in Picardy. The Church threatened to excommunicate him unless he built a lighthouse near Chale Bay. There was already an oratory on the top of the hill, dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria. This was augmented by the construction of the lighthouse, with a chantry to accommodate the priest who tended the light, and also gave Mass for those at peril on the sea. Although de Godeton died in 1327, the lighthouse was nevertheless completed in 1328. It…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 50.5932, -1.3040
- District
- Isle of Wight
- Parish
- Chale
- Postcode
- PO38 2JB
- Parliamentary constituency
- Isle of Wight West
- Phone
- 0370 333 1181
- Established
- 1328
- Nearest railway station
- Shanklin — 9.9 km
- Opening
- Open any reasonable time during daylight hours
- Official site
- www.english-heritage.org.uk
Sources
- wikidata: Q7587435 (CC0)
- wikipedia: St Catherine's Oratory (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Stcatherineoratory3Ja10.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is St Catherine's Oratory?
- St Catherine's Oratory is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode PO38 2JB), in the parish of Chale.
- What is St Catherine's Oratory?
- St Catherine's Oratory — medieval lighthouse on the Isle of Wight, England, UK.
- How do I get to St Catherine's Oratory?
- The nearest railway station is Shanklin, about 9.9 km away. Drivers can use postcode PO38 2JB.
- When was St Catherine's Oratory built?
- Built or established in 1328.
- Who runs St Catherine's Oratory?
- St Catherine's Oratory is operated by English Heritage.
- Is St Catherine's Oratory a listed building?
- St Catherine's Oratory is officially recognised as Grade II listed building listed.
- Is St Catherine's Oratory a protected site?
- Yes — St Catherine's Oratory is part of the Compton Chine to Steephill Cove SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the Isle Of Wight National Landscape (AONB).
- Is St Catherine's Oratory free to visit?
- Yes, St Catherine's Oratory is free to enter.