AttractionEnglish Heritage

Abbotsbury, St Catherine's Chapel

Weymouth, Dorset

A 14th century pilgrim chapel to explore with your dog after a short steep climb, standing alone on a hilltop above Chesil Beach. Free and never closed.

St Catherine's stands by itself on a hilltop above Abbotsbury, a squat, heavily buttressed 14th century chapel built by the monks of the abbey below as a place of pilgrimage and retreat. It has outlived the abbey it served, and there is nothing else on the hill.

Whilst you take in the wishing holes, where local women once prayed to St Catherine to find them a husband, your dog gets a steep quarter mile of open downland with no gates, no stiles and nothing to keep off. At the top the view opens onto Chesil Beach running away in one unbroken shingle line, the Fleet behind it and Portland to the south, with skylark over the hill all summer.

No ticket, no gate and no closing time, but no water up there either, and the climb from the village is real work in the wet. Sheep graze the hill and no dog rules are published for the site, so leads stay on and you carry everything you need.

At a Glance

Site Type: Abbey & Church
Entry: Free
Members: Free for English Heritage members

English Heritage Membership

Planning Your Visit

Opening times and prices were checked on 26 August 2026 and are subject to change, and some sites close for events or over winter. Confirm on the English Heritage site page before you travel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Abbotsbury, St Catherine's Chapel dog friendly?
Dogs are welcome at St Catherine's Chapel, and the hilltop setting suits them well — a steep quarter mile of open downland with no gates or stiles to navigate. There are no published dog rules for the site, but sheep graze the hill, so keeping your dog on a lead throughout is the sensible approach.
Are dogs allowed at Abbotsbury, St Catherine's Chapel year round?
Yes — the chapel has no ticket, no gate and no closing time, so you can visit any time of year. Just bear in mind that the climb from the village can be hard going underfoot when it's wet, so it's worth picking your day in winter.
What should I know before visiting Abbotsbury, St Catherine's Chapel with my dog?
The most important thing to pack is water, as there's none available on the hill. Sheep graze the site, so keep your dog on a lead, and be prepared for a genuinely steep climb — short but real work, especially in wet conditions.