Redland Chapel

BRISTOL

ST5774 REDLAND GREEN ROAD, Redland 901-1/34/1723 (South side) 08/01/59 Redland Chapel

GV I

Chapel. 1740-43. Probably by John Strahan. Plasterwork by Thomas Paty. For John Cossins of Redland Court (qv). Limestone ashlar and leaded dome, roof not visible. Chancel and nave. Baroque style. Square chancel has rusticated quoins, sill band, cornice and parapet, with blind lunette with Gibbsian architrave on Moor's head corbels below the band; 4-bay N elevation of semicircular-arched windows with panelled architraves, imposts and keys, aprons below the band and plain frieze under cornice, with sections of blind balustrade over windows. Similar S elevation. W front is an engaged portico, 2 pairs of Ionic pilasters to modillion pediment containing lunette with floral architrave; segmental-headed 2-leaf panelled door in eared architrave with scrolled key, garland and floating cornice and rustication either side, beneath shell-head niche with volute feet and winged cherub set in raised panel; on the pediment a square plinth with urns at corners, which curves up into an octagonal cupola with keyed oculi on the principal sides, cornice on acanthus brackets and gadrooned octagonal dome with gilded ball and cross. INTERIOR: fine and complete. At E end winged cherubs round the lunette, with octagonal coffering to chancel ceiling, and a cornice running round into a pulvinated frieze flanking semicircular chancel arch, on fluted pilasters; panelled wainscotting with winged cherub-head corbels to fluted pilasters flanking windows, coffered reveals, and plaster decoration to spandrels; at W end a shouldered architrave with console key below pediment leads to octagonal vestibule, semicircular keyed arches either side, below 3 equal arches to gallery, with blind balustrades to flanking elliptical arches, and niches between containing busts. FITTINGS: pulpit with tester by Paty, carved with trophies; hexagonal baluster font 1755 by Thomas Paty; marble Communion table on gilded eagle in style of Kent. Monuments: busts of John and Martha Cossins by Rysbrack in gallery. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: flight of Pennant stone steps to entrance returns at the ends with a wrought-iron rail. Attribution is not proven, and William Halfpenny, who supervised completion, may also have been the architect. (Gomme A, Jenner M and Little B: Bristol, An Architectural History: Bristol: 1979-: 135; Ison W: The Georgian Buildings of Bristol: Bath: 1952-: 55; The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: North Somerset and Bristol: London: 1958-: 470; Dening C F W: The Eighteenth Century Architecture of Bristol: Bristol: 1923-: 85).

Listing NGR: ST5798174983