Mortlake Crematorium

Crematorium. 1938-39 by F. Douglas Barton, MICE MRSI. Brown-red brick, metal windows and grilles, tiled roofs.

PLAN: centrally planned, with an axial chapel with oven chamber behind, flanked to the front by offices and reception rooms; behind are cloistered walks. A tower is attached to the south-east of the central range.

EXTERIOR: entrance front with projecting porte cochere with arched openings; tall stone-framed side lights; side ranges with mullioned five-light windows; arched openings to either side beyond. The main central section containing the chapel is stepped up in stages, with pedimented gable ends to each section. The ventilation shaft is housed in the square, two-stage tower which is capped by a hipped roof. The side elevations of the chapel have tall arched windows with buttresses between. The sides and rear of the crematorium are fronted with arcaded walkways, within which are memorial-lined walls, the memorials in the form of regular grey stone inscription plaques.

INTERIOR: the side walls of the entrance vestibules sport inscription plaques referring to the opening of the crematorium. Remembrance book rooms flank the entrance; to the east is a waiting room, and to the west is an office. The reception rooms are plain, and the interest is concentrated within the barrel-vaulted chapel. The catafalque (the upper parts of which are of fairly recent date) has decorative marble facing to the base: it is set within an arched recess, the main order of which has feather ornament; there are arched windows to the sides. Arched doorways flank this recess: these, like the dado, are faced in grey marble. The entrance, northern, end of the chapel has a triple-arched glazed screen, with pilasters flanking the central door: above is an oak-faced gallery.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: In the rose garden to the south are matching brick and tile benches. The entrance gates to the north-west are in a matching style also.