Bell 1 of 1
Dove Bell ID: 63661 Tower ID: 25413 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Highclere Cemetary Chapel
Overview
Grid reference: SU 444 593
The chapel was built as a resting-place for the Carnarvon family and to provide shelter for the funeral services of those buried in its vault and in the churchyard outside. There is, therefore, no structural chancel, and the chief external feature is a large west doorway through which the coffins might be carried.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
The chapel is a single-cell building of three bays with a small west bell-cote; it has a west doorway and a south-east doorway. It is orientated in reverse, and liturgical terms are used henceforth in this entry. There is a burial vault beneath the chapel.
Description of Archaeology and History
The chapel was designed by Thomas Allom, and dates from 1855 From 1860. Allom was employed by the Fourth Earl of Canarvon to design the interiors of the house, some of which are in the Gothic style and some in William Kent's classical.
Exterior Description
The chapel is built of flint with dressings of Bath stone. The roof is tiled.
The west front of the chapel faces a small expanse of gravel from which the churchyard is separated by a low balustrade in the French style with tall piers flanking a pair of intricate iron gates. The piers are surmounted by a pair of garlanded urns and both the gates and cartouches on the piers contain ciphers referring to the Earls of Carnarvon. The throw-over above the gates has a coronet at its summit. The low runs of balustrade each side of the gates are interrupted by small semi-circular recesses which look to have been intended for seats, and the suave neo-classical style of this approach accords strangely with the heavy, rather spiky thirteenth-century Gothic style of the chapel itself.
The chapel was built as a resting-place for the Carnarvon family and to provide shelter for the funeral services of those buried in its vault and in the churchyard outside. There is, therefore, no structural chancel, and the chief external feature is a large west doorway through which the coffins might be carried. The two-leaved door, with plate glass set in the minimal Gothic frame and four shields of arms in pands at the foot, is set within a two-centred arch carried on nook-shafts with stiff leaf capitals. The arch itself is enriched with stylised leaves and a roll-moulding. Framing this is a bold concave moulding, and then further out again are four orders of nook-shafts bearing a finely embellished series of moulded end foliated arches.
At the apex of the gable stands a bell-cote supported on corbels each side of a small lancet over the doorway. The plinth of the bell-cote forms the backgound for a finely-chiselled coat-of-arms of the Carnarvon family which seems to have been brought from elsewhere. The bell hangs in a lancet-shaped opening and at the outer corners at this level are small attached shafts. The gablet is enriched with small cross-gablets to the north and south and prominent gargoyles at each corner. The crowning feature is a wrought-iron weathervane.
The side walls are each divided into three bays by low buttresses. In each bay, save the eastern bay of the south wall, is a single lancet window, the place of the missing one being taken by a doorway which was presumably provided for the priest although there is no vestry. The east wall has three lancets arranged as a single feature within attached shafts and hoodmoulds. At the apex of this gable is a stone cross. The entrance of the vault beneath the chapel lies on the north side, where a steep and narrow flight of steps descends below an iron grating.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
The east window is in the Italian style, with arabesques and neo classical details surrounding various symbols and coats of arms.
Stained Glass
c.1894
Windows with stained glass (two in the north wall and one in the south) showing an apostle with a book, St. Martin dividing his cloak with the beggar and a young child with a lamb. Inserted by Victoria Herbert.
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is very plain, with none of the elaborately foliated and moulded carving which the outer aspect of the west doorway shows. The only enrichment round the heads of the doorways and windows is a series of incised texts drawn from I Corinthians xv. The pine roof is of simple construction with arch braces marking the bays which rest on the corbels carved as demi-figures of angels. The depth of the west wall (to accomodate the deep arch round the doorway) allows for small arched recesses each side of the doorway. The triple lancets in the east wall are internally, as externally, arranged as a single composition unified by attached shafts. Along the sill runs the inscription: THIS CHAPEL WAS BUILT FOR THE USE OF THE PARISH OF HIGHCLERE AND FOR THE COMFORT OF THOSE THAT MOURN BY HENRIETTAANNA COUNTESS OF CARNARVON A.D. 1855. The floor is paved with green tiles bearing the Carnarvon crest of a wyvern holding a hand in its mouth interspersed with yellow tiles bearing the cipher CC under a coronet. In the centre of the floor is a ledger slab of red marble with brass insets to the Fourth Earl of Carnarvon; it is said to cover an aperture through which coffins might be lowered into the vault beneath.
Fixtures and fittings
Stall
On each side of the chapel stands two rows of Italianate stalls said to be after those at the Certosa di Pavia. The wood appears to be walnut. Each row consists of five stalls, the fronts with panels of cherubs and shields bearing CC and a coronet all carved in high relief.
Bells
Churchyard
Grid reference: SU 444 593
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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