Watts Cemetery Chapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Watts Cemetery Chapel |
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Town or city | Compton, Surrey |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°13′04″N 0°37′56″W / 51.21775°N 0.6321°W |
| Construction started | 1896 |
| Completed | 1898 |
| Client | Watts Gallery |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Mary Fraser-Tytler |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name | Watts Memorial Chapel |
| Designated | 14 June 1967 |
| Reference no. | 1029541 |
The Watts Cemetery Chapel is a special building in the village cemetery of Compton in Surrey, England. It was designed by Mary Fraser-Tytler, an artist who lived in the village. She was married to the famous painter and sculptor George Frederic Watts.
The chapel has a very unique look. It combines a style called Art Nouveau with Celtic Revival art. While the main building looks a bit like old Roman buildings, the amazing decorations inside and out are inspired by Celtic art. These decorations are made from terracotta, which is a type of clay. Local experts say it's "a unique mix of Art Nouveau, Celtic, Romanesque, and even Egyptian styles, all with Mary's own original touch." This chapel is so important that it's a Grade I listed building.
Building the Chapel
When the village of Compton needed a new cemetery, Mary Fraser-Tytler offered to design and build a new chapel for it. Mary and her husband, George Frederic Watts, had recently built their home, "Limnerslease," nearby. This house is now part of the Watts Gallery.
Mary was a big supporter of the Home Arts and Industries Association. This group, started in 1885, encouraged people to learn crafts and make things by hand. The chapel was Mary and George's way of helping their community. They believed that learning creative skills could make people's lives better.
A Village Project
A team of local people who loved art and crafts built the chapel between 1896 and 1898. Many of these people later helped Mary Fraser-Tytler start the Compton Potters' Arts Guild. Almost everyone in the village helped out!
The chapel is shaped like a circle. From the outside, it looks a bit like an old Italian chapel. Mary invited villagers to help decorate the inside. This led to a beautiful mix of Art Nouveau and Celtic styles, along with Mary's own special designs. Each person in Mary Fraser-Tytler's evening art class, taught by Louis Deuchars, had a specific job. In total, 74 villagers from Compton took part. George Frederic Watts paid for the entire project. He even painted a special picture called The All-Pervading for the altar, just three months before he passed away.
Sayings and Memorials
The gravestones in the cemetery have special sayings inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement. For example, one says "The Morning Stars Sang Together." Inside the chapel, you can read "Their hope is full of immortality but the souls of the righteous are in the hands of God."
Both Mary and George Watts have memorials in a covered walkway, called a "cloister," near the chapel. Many other memorials in the cemetery also use unglazed terracotta. This is a special type of clay that was also used by the Compton Pottery. Members of the famous Huxley family, including Julia Huxley and her sons Aldous Huxley and Julian Huxley, are buried here too.
The Watts Cemetery Chapel is open to visitors. It is managed by the nearby Watts Gallery, which celebrates the work of Mary and George Watts. There is no charge to visit.
Gallery
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The doorway
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Chapel view showing the bell tower
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Chapel and altar
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Tree of life design
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Monument to Mary and George Watts
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Close-up of the outside decorations
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Chapel, with a terracotta grave marker in front
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Watts mortuary chapel from the outside
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The altar inside the chapel
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Chapel ceiling top showing the four angels
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The covered walkway near the chapel
