Two Chapels At South Ealing Cemetery

The South Ealing Cemetery comprises two chapels built in 1861 by Charles Jones. They are constructed of ragstone with limestone dressings and slate roofs, incorporating fishscale banding. The chapels are situated on the main axis of the cemetery and are symmetrical in design. A central porte cochere, topped with a clock and belfry, sits between the chapels, which are flanked by the Church of England chapel with a mortuary to the rear, and a Nonconformist and Catholic chapel. The western facade features a tall, buttressed arch bearing a stone head inscribed "C. Jones Architect," with a hoodmould featuring foliate stops and chamfered arch mouldings. Flanking this are two-light windows within flush surrounds. A tall, shallow-shouldered belfry includes cusped stone braces to the bell chamber, above a clock face set within a dressed stone niche, beneath a hoodmould, and surmounted by an iron cross. The north and south chapels are aligned east to west, each featuring three bays. The west windows are traceried; the north chapel's window is four-light, while the south chapel’s is three-light, both set within flush stone arches. The south chapel has three acutely pointed south lancets containing stained glass, while the north chapel has square-headed windows with leaded, part top-hung lights. Each chapel's east end features a rose window with individual tracery and two narrow blind lancets below. The south chapel retains iron gable crosses, those of the north chapel are missing. The north mortuary has an entrance under a hoodmould with a small circular light above, and a two-light north window. The east porte cochere arch mirrors the west. The porte cochere is lined in ragstone, and the entrance passage to each chapel has rendered walls. The roofs are diagonally close boarded. Broad, simple, chamfered arches lead to passages for each chapel, with a two-light window to the east; the south chapel's window is blind. Each chapel has a pair of diagonally boarded, ledged and battened doors with ornate strap hinges, and a similar single door under a shouldered arch leads to the north and south vestries. Inside each chapel, the three-bay cusped scissor brace roof has diagonal close boarded linings, with foliate stops to the corbels, and a band of diagonally set headers. Vertically boarded dado runs along the east and west ends and returns. Ledged and battened doors with diagonal boarding are present within, and each has a door under a shouldered arch. The south chapel has three tiers of pews, braces echoing the roof, and three stained glass windows. The south vestry has vertically boarded linings to the east. The north vestry houses a Gillett and Bland clock mechanism dating to 1877, modified with an electronic trigger.