Chapel Of Rest, Bourne Cemetery

Chapel of Rest, Bourne Cemetery

This is an Anglican and Nonconformist cemetery chapel in a single building, now disused. Built in 1854–5 by Edward Browning in Gothic Revival style, it is constructed of coursed and squared rubble with ashlar dressings and a Collyweston slate roof.

The building has a T-shaped plan, with the Nonconformist chapel oriented east–west and the Anglican chapel attached running south. The east front displays a moulded entrance arch to the Nonconformist chapel in the gable end, with a hood-mould and carved head-stops. Above sits a rose window with Geometrical tracery, hood-mould and head-stops. The gable end features offset buttresses terminating in trefoiled triangular gablets. To the left, the Anglican chapel has a two-light window and a lancet window with Decorated tracery, hood-moulds and head-stops, with an offset buttress between them. Its entrance porch has a moulded archway with hood-mould and head-stops, surmounted by a St James cross finial. The roof is of gradated Collyweston slate with trefoil ridge cresting, some of which is missing. Both entrances retain original timber doors with decorative iron hinges and handles.

The gable end of the Anglican chapel on the south side has angled buttresses and a large three-light window with Geometrical tracery. The west side of the Anglican chapel and north side of the Nonconformist chapel are identical, with three cusped lancet windows punctuated by two offset buttresses. The gable end of the Nonconformist chapel on the west side has offset buttresses with trefoiled gablets, and two cusped lancet windows with a trefoil window above. All windows contain clear glass in leaded diamond lattice, some damaged.

Interior

Both chapels have stained deal roofs with collar-beams and black and red Minton tile floors. They retain collegiate-style pews on platforms lining the two longer walls. The Anglican chapel has quotations from the King James Bible painted in Gothic script onto the wall-plate under the roof, reading from east to west: "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea saith the spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them" (Revelation 14:13); "O death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory" (1 Corinthians 15:55); "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God" (Job 19:25–26).

Historical Context

The Burial Act of 1853 authorised publicly-funded cemeteries across the country, prompting a boom in cemetery construction by Burial Boards run by parish vestries. Lincolnshire was among the first counties to embrace this provision, with competitions for chapel designs held in Boston, Grimsby, Holbeach and Louth in 1854, Lincoln in 1855 and Grantham in 1856. At Bourne, the Burial Board invited a select number of architects to submit designs for two chapels in a single building and a lodge. Nearly four acres of meadow land had been purchased—two acres for Church of England use and the remainder unconsecrated. The budget was £1,600; the final cost came to £2,000.

The design selected on 15 February 1854 was by Edward Browning, who had recently produced plans for a similar cemetery chapel in Stamford. Browning (1816–82) was the son of Stamford architect Bryan Browning (1773–1856), who designed Bourne Town Hall. Edward became a successful architect working from offices at No. 16 Broad Street, Stamford. Around 30 Listed buildings are attributed to him or associated with him, including the stone bridge erected over the River Welland at Stamford in 1849 (Grade II). He specialised in ecclesiastical commissions, undertaking restoration, addition and rebuilding works to medieval churches. He designed several rectories, including the Gothic rectory at Lowick, Northamptonshire (Grade II, 1855–6). Edward and his father both worked on alterations to Apethorpe Hall, Northamptonshire in the 1850s. In 1860 Browning designed the Ostler memorial drinking fountain, moved to Bourne Cemetery from the market place in 1962. He became an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects and Mayor of Stamford in 1862–3.

A drawing in Lincolnshire Archives shows that Browning's original design included a bell tower with a spire, similar to the one at Stamford. The tower was scrapped when construction estimates were received, as the Burial Board wished to avoid an undue burden on ratepayers. Browning modified the design accordingly. The drawing also shows a lodge for the cemetery keeper in matching Gothic style, which was built but demolished in 1960 and replaced by a bungalow.

The successful tender for building works was by Moses Peal of Stamford at £845, with construction beginning in July 1854. The consecration service for the Anglican chapel and ground was conducted by the Bishop of Lincoln on 26 May 1855; the following week all other burial grounds in Bourne attached to churches were closed by Act of Parliament. By 1904 the cemetery had been extended and almost doubled in size. Ownership transferred to Bourne Urban District Council in 1899 and Bourne Town Council in 1974. The chapel was deconsecrated in December 2004 and is currently used as a storage facility.