Diameter: 15" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by John Warner & Sons
Dove Bell ID: 52798 Tower ID: 19418 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Cowley Chapel: St Antony
Overview
Grid reference: SX 905 956
Chapel of Ease 1867-8. Designed by Rohde Hawkins, financed by William Gibbs and built of land donated by the daughters of Joseph Sheppard of Cowley House.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Nave with north porch and south alcove, chancel with south-east vestry.
Dimensions:
[Approximate] Nave 14m (46ft) x 6m (20ft), chancel 6m (20ft).
Footprint of Church buildings: 209 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
St Anthony's was built as a chapel of east in 1867-8 for 150 people. It was designed by Rhode Hawkins of London and built by E P White of Pimlico. The foundation stone was laid on the 28 August 1867 and the church consecrated in May 1868. A brass plaque beneath the south stained glass window records that the church was paid for by WIlliam Gibbs of Tyntesfield near Bristol, whose parents lived in the parish, and was built on land given by the Sheppard family who had purchased adjacent Cowley House in 1848. Joseph Sheppard died in 1865 and his daughters gave land for a chapel before they sold the estate in 1866. Services have been held at the house prior to his death.
In terms of the archaeology of the wider area, to the south east of the site the earliest record for a bridge crossing the river is 1286 with the current Cowley Bridge built in 1813-14 by James Green. A lower Palaeolithic hand axe was found in a field near to it and the site of a Roman signal station lies across the river to the east. The archaeological potential of the site is low. There are no designations relating to the ecology of the site.
Exterior Description
St Anthony is a small, simple church in a plain decorated gothic style. The exterior stone walls are unbuttressed and punctuated on their north and south elevations by paired, trefoil-headed lancets, with the exception of the single light north west window.
There is a fine open bellcote situated over the chancel arch with a square base, open colonnade with a stepped pyramidal cap and surmounting metal cross finial. A stone cross finial from the east gable lies against the south wall, whilst over the west gable is a chimney-like turret. The west end has two lancet windows with hood-moulds and moulded stops in the form of heads. A moulded stone cross is set within the wall above. At the east end a window of three-lights with sexfoil window set above is again set beneath a hood-mould with figurative stops.
Original cast iron rain water heads and downpipes survive either side of the north porch, not elsewhere. Entry to the church through the porch which is accessed directly off the road. It is screened by a contemporary wrought iron gate which has been backed with Perspex and is kept locked. A metal cross finial marks the north gable.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th century
Porch
19th century north
Alcove
19th century south
Chancel
19th century
Vestry
19th century south east
Building Materials
Stone
19th century Westleigh stone walls with Hamhill and Bath stone dressings
Slate
19th century roof tiles
Terracotta
19th century ridge tiles
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is ceiled by a timber trussed-rafter roof. The construction, though rhythmic, is simple. The floor is paved in red and black quarry tiles set on the diagonal, overlaid with rush matting in the aisle. Iron gates with stone slabs either side lie beneath carpet by the organ. Seating is provided by fixed pine pews on level wood board platforms with carpet runners along the seats. The walls are of white-washed plaster and the windows in the nave contain diamond-paned clear glass. The west window is an exception with rectangular panes and appears to have been replaced at some stage. Further light is provided by shaded pendant lights which drop down from the centre of the roof, whilst simple, original branched candle-holders are fitted to the walls. Brass plaques on the north wall record the restored heating (1920) and introduce of electricity (1934).
At the east end of the nave a pointed arch in the south wall leads into a small alcove with a single stained glass light and a number of brass plaques. One of these refers to Gibbs of Tyntesfield and the land given by the daughters of Sheppard, and bares the consecration date of 1868. This area is seated with children's pews. Next to it, a stone pulpit is built into the angle between the nave and chancel and is entered through the vestry. Three open trefoil panels have been boarded over.
The pointed chancel arch is of exposed stone. A hood mould on the nave side of the arch has figurative heads as the stops whilst the inside moulding ends in foliate corbels. Above the arch the base of the bellcote projects. The chancel is raised by three limestone steps with a single off-centre rail. Simple pine choir stalls are fixed north and south of the chancel with later oak frontals in a style similar to the communion rails. Designs for the frontals survive in the vestry. Both chancel and sanctuary floors are laid in red and black quarry tiles laid in different sequences to the nave, and from one another.
The sanctuary is raised by another two limestone steps. To the south a door into the vestry has a fireplace to the east (a chimney can be seen outside) and an external timber door. The east wall of the sanctuary, either side of the reredos, is panelled in limed oak dated 1931.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
20th century limed oak high altar with five recessed panels, perhaps contemporary with sanctuary panelling
Reredos
19th century carved oak reredos with fleur-de-lys motif in relief in outer blind, trefoil headed traceried niches, gabled central panel framed by buttresses with crocketed pinnacles, inscription in bottom right-hand panel saying it was given as a memorial in 1886 - central wooden cross built into the reredos inscribed as having been a gift from the Bishop's Chapel, 1936
Pulpit
19th century quarter-circle sandstone pulpit built into the south east corner between the south alcove and vestry, painted stone with trefoil headed openings boarded over
Lectern
20th century carved oak of architectural design with vaulted front, fixed to chancel step, inscribed 1920
Font (component)
20th century stone octagonal font with buttressed oak cover, the cover bares an inscription informing that it and the sanctuary panelling were given in 1931, placed on stone step in north west corner
Rail
20th century fixed oak rail with carved decoration echoing the choir frontals, extendable bar to join the two sections in the middle, inscribed 1946
Stained Glass (window)
19th century • East window - ‘Christ in Majesty’ in upper sextafoil with St Mark and St Luke either side of 'Suffer Little Children', c.1866. Dr Neil Moat attributes the window to Wailes of Newcastle and suggests that the architect, Rhode Hawkins, may have had some involvement as the design is of a quality better than their other work of this time. • West window – remainder of some stained glass visible at the top, appears similar to chancel windows and suggests an original glazing scheme. • Chancel windows - all very similar. Simple geometric patterns with bands of text. Those in north-east and south virtually identical, c.1866? That to north-west dated 1871. Dr Neil Moat attributes to Joseph Bell of Bristol, with possible input from Hawkins. • South nave - ‘Watch and Pray’, c.1866. Tentatively attributed to Fouracre & Watson (of Plymouth) by Dr Neil Moat. Attractive.
Plaque (component)
19th / 20th century Assorted brass and marble plaques, including that commemorating the gift of William Gibbs and the Sheppard family, 1868
Organ (component)
19th century within timber case on north side adjacent to chancel step c 1868 by Dicker
Bells
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Registers dating from 1908
Churchyard
Grid reference: SX 905 956
Burial and War Grave Information
The church/building is consecrated.
The churchyard has been used for burial.
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 | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
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
Sources
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