Cemetery Chapel Of Widcombe, Lyncombe And St James'S Cemetery

LOWER BRISTOL ROAD (South side) Cemetery Chapel of Widcombe, Lyncombe and St James's Cemetery 05/08/75

GV II

Pair of cemetery chapels. 1861-1862, by CE Davis. MATERIALS: Lias with limestone ashlar dressings, plain tile roof. PLAN: Ornate pair of apsidal chapels, each with small transeptal chapels, joined on their main axes by two-bay open port cochere, crowed by remains of fleche. Group is strictly symmetrical, on east-west axis. STYLE: French Flamboyant style. EXTERIOR: Each chapel has octagonal apse, with five high coped gables on two-light traceried windows, and two stage square buttresses, balancing chapels have lower ridges, clasping square buttresses, with three-light traceried windows, all with moulded drip courses. North side each chapel has pointed plank door with strap hinges to apsidal side. Short naves in two-bays, with two small two-light traceried windows to flat segmental heads. Above nave bays are quatrefoil pierced parapets, and high plinth with double offset continues round whole unit. Lower level is transverse gabled roof of porte-cochere, with two high moulded pointed arches on shafts, with square buttresses to gabled and crocketed heads, central buttress carried up to base of central cruciform fleche, cropped at level part way up former pinnacles. Open porches each have simple quadripartite ribbed vault, giving to inner porch with plank door on strap hinges, pointed arch below fleche in wall between two halves. Each side of arches has single small bay to porches with square light having reticulated tracery. Ten original cast iron downpipes and hopperheads each side of building, and lead spouts to apsidal valleys. Each apse has delicate wrought iron terminal feature. INTERIORS: Stripped of most fittings. Walls unplastered, with heavy double chamfered `chancel arch' on shafts with capitals, to scissor rafters roofs. Chapels are enclosed by timber screens. Fully detailed Gothic Revival chapels.

Listing NGR: ST7412364562