Charnel chapels are medieval religious structured located within the confines of the cemetery in abbeys, cathedrals, hospitals, monasteries and parish churches.
One key purpose of charnel chapels is to house disturbed or disinterred human boned, which are usually stacked up along the interior walls in huge numbers.
Disturbed human bones are often referred to as ‘charnel’, and hence to practice of collecting these has been termed ‘charnelling’.
The chapels were generally well-lit and accessible, and most likely provided a location for pilgrims and locals to pray for the souls of the dead while among their physical remains.
They were thought to be relatively uncommon in medieval England, however archaeologists from the University of Sheffield have identified up to 60 potential charnel chapel sites throughout the UK.
Rothwell charnel chapel is the most complete surviving example with medieval remains.
Source: The Rothwell Charnel Chapel project