Dissenters' Chapel, Kensal Green facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dissenters' Chapel, Kensal Green |
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Dissenters' Chapel,
Kensal Green Cemetery |
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| OS grid reference | TQ 239 824 |
| Built | 1831–34 |
| Built for | General Cemetery Company |
| Rebuilt | 1997 |
| Restored by | Historic Chapels Trust |
| Architect | John Griffith |
| Architectural style(s) | Neoclassical |
| Governing body | Historic Chapels Trust |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Designated | 15 April 1969 |
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The Dissenters' Chapel in Kensal Green is a special building located in Kensal Green Cemetery in London. It's a working chapel, meaning it's still used today. This chapel is considered a very important historic building. It is listed as Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England. The Historic Chapels Trust helps look after it.
Contents
History of the Chapel
The Dissenters' Chapel was the first chapel built specifically for Nonconformist Christians in a public cemetery. Nonconformists were Protestants who did not follow the official Church of England. A part of the cemetery was set aside just for them.
The chapel was built between 1831 and 1834. An architect named Henry Edward Kendall first won a design competition. However, the job was given to John Griffith from Finsbury. Griffith designed the chapel in a Greek revival style. This style looks like ancient Greek temples.
Damage and Restoration
During the Second World War, the chapel was badly damaged by bombs. For many years after the war, the building slowly fell apart. Its side sections were even taken down in the early 1970s. By the 1990s, the chapel was empty and being damaged by vandals.
To save the building, it was given to the Historic Chapels Trust. They started a big project to fix it up. The restoration was finished in 1997. This work included rebuilding the side sections and fixing the main part of the chapel. They also brought back the original painted designs inside. A new visitor center was added in the north wing.
This restoration project received awards. It got an Environment Award in 1997 and a Europa Nostra Award in 1998.
Architecture and Setting
The Dissenters' Chapel is located in Kensal Green Cemetery. This cemetery is London's oldest public cemetery, opened in 1832. The cemetery itself is a very important historic site. It is listed at Grade I on the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
The chapel is built from Portland stone and brick covered with stucco (a type of plaster). At the front, it has an Ionic portico with four columns and a triangular top called a pediment. On each side of the portico are three-section wings. These wings have columns and pillars along the front and sides.
Inside the chapel, you will find modern pews (benches), a pulpit, and a reading desk. There are also pillars along the east wall. Below the chapel, there is a catacomb, which is an underground burial place.
What Happens There Today?
Today, the Dissenters' Chapel is managed by the Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery. They work with the Historic Chapels Trust. The chapel is used for funerals and other special events.
The Friends also organize art exhibitions, open days, and evening talks there. It's often the last stop on tours of the cemetery that the Friends arrange.
See also
- List of chapels preserved by the Historic Chapels Trust
