TEESDALE PLACE-NAMES. 35 



In Hensleigh Wedgewood " The canopy or covering of an 

 altar where mass was celebrated was called capella, or hood. 

 And it can hardly be doubted that the name of the canopy was 

 extended to the recess in a church in which the altar was placed, 

 forming the capella or chapel of the saint to whom the altar was 

 dedicated." 



Prom the seventh century, and perhaps from an earlier date, 

 the word chapel has accompanied the march of Christianity into 

 all countries of the north, south, and west of Europe, and pro- 

 bably into other regions. 



Capsa, a coffer, chest, box, case, having been used by Cicero, 

 and capsula, a little coffer, by Catullus, before the Christian 

 era, are no doubt older words than capa and capella, which very 

 probably, as Spelman avers, were derived fi'om the former, s eli- 

 minate ; and this would not be a difficult elimination, since it 

 might save a little muscular exertion in pronunciation. 



Capa and capella have not been traced back beyond the seventh 

 century (660, Diez). Since that time, therefore, capa, cap, hood, 

 head covering, has been transferred in its diminutive form, 

 — capella, a canopy, to the covering of an altar, then to that 

 division of a church set apart as the site of an altar, also to 

 a sanctuary or covered place or coffer for the preservation of 

 relics, then to the building in which such chapels or capellse 

 or sanctuaries were included, and lastly, to any small place of 

 worship belonging to Christians of any denomination whatever, 

 and in which there may be no altar or canopy or sanctuary at all. 



" Cope is a later spelling than cape.'''' Skeat. " Cappa, in early 

 Christian times, meant an entire covering of the body." Ducange. 



The derivation of cape or cappa from caput by Skinner is not 

 generally allowed — it is doubtful. 



There can be no doubt of the correctness of the derivation of 

 chapel from Latin capsa — capa — capella. 



Examples ; — 



St. James' Chapel. 



St. Jude's Chapel. 



Eoman Catholic Chapel. 



Baptist Chapel. 



