The Little Chapel was a work of art and labour of love built by Brother Déodat, who started work in March 1914. His plan was to create a miniature version of the famous grotto and basilica at Lourdes in France. The version we saw today is actually the third version.
The first, measuring a tiny 9 feet long by 4.5 feet wide, was criticised, so Brother Deodat spent the following night demolishing the building. He soon set to work again and, in July 1914, the grotto was completed and officially blessed. This survived until September 1923; Brother Deodat demolished it in that month because the Bishop of Portsmouth had not been able to fit through the doorway.
He soon set about the construction of a third chapel - which we see today.
The building operation proved laborious, collecting pebbles and broken china to decorate the shrine.
It is absolutely amazing!
A tiny little Chapel, complete with altar and stained glasses windows. Incredible!
That is definitely a strange little story.
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