Biggin Hill Memorial Chapel |
| Hob Uid: 1385601 | |
Location :
Greater London Authority
Bromley
Non Civil Parish
|
| Grid Ref : TQ4107060600 |
| Summary : A memorial chapel at the former RAF Biggin Hill, built in 1951, by the Air Ministry Works Directorate architects A Beasley, WS Harper and GA Williams. This building replaced a memorial chapel formerly located elsewhere at RAF Biggin Hill which burnt down in 1946. The 1951 chapel was built on the site of an aircraft hangar which had been destroyed in 1940. The building is constructed of brick with a tiled roof and takes early Christian Lombardic churches as its inspiration. The interior features stained glass windows by Hugh Easton depicting the winged spirits of the dead pilots, and later (1985) windows by Goddard and Gibbs commemorating the role of ground support. There is a memorial tablet which records the names of the airmen lost from Biggin Hill. |
| More information : An English Heritage report produced in May 2003 recommended the memorial chapel at the former RAF Biggin Hill for consideration as a potential Grade II Listed Building. The chapel was built in 1951, by the Air Ministry Works Directorate architects A Beasley, WS Harper and GA Williams. This building replaced a memorial chapel formerly located elsewhere at RAF Biggin Hill which burnt down in 1946. The 1951 chapel was built on the site of an aircraft hangar which had been destroyed in 1940. The project for a "permanent shrine of remembrance" in the words of Winston Churchill was supported by Churchill himself and the families and friends of servicemen who died serving from Biggin Hill. The building is constructed of brick with a tiled roof and takes early Christian Lombardic churches as its inspiration. The interior features stained glass windows by Hugh Easton depicting the winged spirits of the dead pilots, and later (1985) windows by Goddard and Gibbs commemorating the role of ground support. There is a memorial tablet which records the names of the airmen lost from Biggin Hill. (1) |