Redland Chapel

Redland Chapel, built between 1740 and 1743, was likely designed by John Strahan and features plasterwork by Thomas Paty. It was commissioned for John Cossins of Redland Court. The chapel is constructed of limestone ashlar with a leaded dome, the roof being hidden. The design is of the Baroque style.

The chapel comprises a chancel and nave. The square chancel has rusticated quoins, a sill band, a cornice, and a parapet, incorporating a blind lunette with a Gibbsian architrave supported on Moor's head corbels. The north and south elevations each have four semicircular-arched windows with panelled architraves, impost detailing, keys, aprons beneath the sill band, and a plain frieze beneath the cornice, with sections of blind balustrade above the windows. The west front features an engaged portico with two pairs of Ionic pilasters supporting a modillion pediment, which contains a lunette with a floral architrave. A segmental-headed double-leaf panelled door is located within an eared architrave, adorned with a scrolled key, garland, and floating cornice, with rustication on either side. Above the door is a shell-head niche with volute feet and a winged cherub set in a raised panel. The pediment incorporates a square plinth with urns at the corners, which curve upwards into an octagonal cupola. This cupola has keyed oculi on its principal sides, a cornice supported by acanthus brackets, and a gadrooned octagonal dome surmounted by a gilded ball and cross.

The interior is described as fine and complete. At the east end, winged cherubs surround the lunette, with octagonal coffering to the chancel ceiling. A cornice runs around the chancel, transitioning into a pulvinated frieze flanking a semicircular chancel arch resting on fluted pilasters. Panelled wainscotting features winged cherub-head corbels and fluted pilasters flanking the windows, with coffered reveals, and plasterwork decoration to the spandrels. At the west end, a shouldered architrave with a console key leads to an octagonal vestibule, featuring semicircular keyed arches on either side, and three equal arches leading to a gallery, with blind balustrades to flanking elliptical arches, and niches between containing busts.

Notable fittings include a pulpit with a tester – both by Thomas Paty, carved with trophies; a hexagonal baluster font from 1755, also by Thomas Paty; and a marble Communion table supported by gilded eagles in the style of Kent. Monuments featuring busts of John and Martha Cossins by Rysbrack are located in the gallery.

A flight of Pennant stone steps leads to the entrance, returning at the ends with a wrought-iron rail. While attribution to John Strahan is likely, William Halfpenny, who supervised the chapel’s completion, may also have been the architect.