Twin Chapels

UPPER BRISTOL ROAD (North Side)

LOCKSBROOK CEMETERY

656-1/0/0 Twin Chapels

II

Twin Mortuary Chapels (north chapel Church of England, south chapel, Non-conformist) with Bell Tower and Linking Covered Arcades. Mid C19. Hicks and Issac architects. MATERIALS: Dresses randomly coursed Pennant stone with Bath Stone dressings, Welsh Slate roof with twin bands of scalloped heather coloured slates and crested terracotta ridge tiles. PLAN: The pair of chapels are aligned north west - south east with a central bell tower linked to the chapels by a covered arcade incorporating two raised and gabled carriage arches. EXTERIOR: South east elevation comprises coped gables of each chapel with large central windows with geometrical tracery with angle buttresses with steep stepped weatherings below. Each arcade is of three bays with pointed arches on compound piers with stiff leaf capitals and abacus above. The innermost bays form carriage arches and are topped with coped gables. The inner north walls of the linking arcades have runs of blind arcading, each comprising six bays; pointed arches with cusped detail set on capitals with stiff leaf carving formerly set on colonnettes, now lost. Angels project from the springing of each arch. Over the passage at the base of the tower there is a simple cross vault with chamfered ribs and Bath Stone ashlar behind with carved figures of Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as the corbels at the base of the ribs. The doors to each chapel are vertically boarded with decorative wrought iron hinges and latches. The bell tower is tall and of three stages, with angle buttresses and two tiers of steep stepped weatherings. There is a tall broached spire above a decorative corbel table; lucarnes in each face of the spire. Belfry has `Y' tracery window in each face with scalloped wooden louvers to each opening. North elevation repeats the coped gables of the front with angle buttresses with steep stepped weatherings and large central windows with geometric tracery. The returning inner elevations comprise pairs of transverse coped gables with angle buttresses with stepped weatherings forming offices to each chapel. INTERIOR: Not inspected. HISTORY: Opened as the Walcot Cemetery, and occupying twelve acres of sloping high ground to the north-west of the City, it was laid out to the designs of Mr Milner, best known for laying out the grounds of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, South London. The structures were designed by the busy Bath firm of Hickes and Issac.

Listing NGR: ST7321065254