Clifton College, Guthrie Memorial Chapel

The Guthrie Memorial Chapel at Clifton College, Bristol, was originally built in 1866 and designed by Charles Hansom. It was later enlarged between 1909 and 1910 by Sir Charles Nicholson. The chapel is constructed from snecked Brandon Hill Grit with limestone ashlar dressings, featuring a copper-clad lantern and a slate roof with bands of hexagonal slates.

The architectural style is Decorated Gothic Revival. The east and west ends date back to the 19th century, while a crenellated nave was inserted in the 20th century. The octagonal apse includes a plinth, parapet, steep roof with lead crockets, a finial, and decorative ridge tiles. Contemporary chapels flank the apse, each with sloping parapets. The octagonal nave has crenellated sides that project at an angle, with a ground-floor linking screen wall above a vaulted cloister to the south. It features two-light windows with Decorated tracery. The west end is steeply gabled with three bays separated by buttresses, lancet windows with columns and bell capitals, a string course, a large rose window, and three carved panels.

A large, octagonal lantern rises above the nave, featuring wide, two-centred arched, five-light windows and a crenellated parapet with corner pinnacles, clad in copper. A two-centred arched doorway is located to the northwest, leading to a block that connects with a two-stage octagonal tower, featuring louvred windows, a pierced parapet with gargoyles, and a spirelet with gabled spire lights. A projecting clock is housed within a timber case.

Inside, a reredos consists of triple lancets on columns with foliate capitals and moulded hoods. Rere arches to the windows are supported by banded black marble columns, while banded granite columns support the painted roof. The mosaic floor extends to the altar. Paired arches lead to side chapels, which incorporate outer triple arches to the roof resting on stout granite columns with foliate capitals, and angel corbels playing instruments. The octagonal nave contains blind lower arches, with plain vault ribs ascending to the lantern, which has figures in niches at the angles. The three-bay narthex includes a two-centred arched doorway with head stops.

The chapel contains an octagonal pulpit with steps and a sounding board, pews facing inward, and thrones with canopies flanking the entrance. Stained glass includes depictions of knightly figures such as King Arthur and Sir Galahad, dating from the Boer War period. Nicholson’s alterations retained Hansom’s east and west ends, dismantled the original nave, and superimposed two octagons, resulting in what is described as a “unique design and one of outstanding merit.”