Odda's Chapel, Deerhurst 
See all 43 photos in our Odda's Chapel Photo Gallery.
West end of Odda's Chapel.
View from the southwest.
South side of Odda's Chapel.
Interior of Odda's Chapel, looking east from the entrance.
Interior of half-timbered cottage adjoining the chapel.
Replica of dedicatory inscription.
The Gloucestershire village of Deerhurst, just 9 miles from Gloucester and 2.5 miles from Tewkesbury, boasts two historic religious sites: a Saxon parish church that is still in use and Odda's Chapel, a Saxon chapel managed by English Heritage.
History
Odda's Chapel was built in 1056 by Odda, a relative of King Edward the Confessor, in honor of his brother Aelfric. It lay neglected until the 20th century, when the plaster that had long covered the Saxon masonry was removed.
What to See
The chapel is a simple rectangular stone building, just 40 feet long. A half-timbered cottage with two storeys clings to the east end of the building.
Odda's Chapel incorporates many typical Anglo-Saxon features, including "long-and-short" corner stones, double-splayed windows and tall proportions.
A copy of the dedicatory inscription from Odda, discovered in 1675, is on display inside the chapel. The original stone is in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford.
A footpath across the lane from Odda's Chapel leads across a field to the peaceful River Severn.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Odda's Chapel |
| Type of site: | Christian chapel |
| Faith: | Anglo-Saxon Christianity |
| Status: | Monument managed by English Heritage |
| Date: | 1056 |
| Architecture: | Saxon |
| Location: | Deerhurst, Gloucestershire, England |
| Phone: | None |
| Website: | None |
| Hours: | Open daily |
| Cost: | Free |
Getting There
By car: From the A28 between Gloucester and Tewkesbury, turn onto the B4213 and follow the signs for Deerhurst and Odda's Chapel.
By bus: From Tewkesbury, take the #351 bus to Gloucester (Mon-Sat) or the #41 to Cheltenham (Sun), both of which stop within a mile of Deerhurst.
On foot: Deerhurst is just 2.5 miles from Tewkesbury along footpaths across fields and along the Severn River.
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of Odda's Chapel. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our England Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Article Sources
- Personal visit (October 15, 2007).
- The Rough Guide to England 7 (May 2006), 376.
