More information : Non-Conformist mortuary chapel at Arnos Vale Cemetery, later utilised as a crematorium chapel. It is a Grade II* Listed building. It was built 1837-38 in the style of Greek Ionic temple to the designs of Charles Underwood and is constructed from limestone with a Pennant rubble basement and a slate roof. The building is of an open plan, single storey above a vault. In the 1920s the chapel was converted into a crematorium chapel and a single storey cremation furnace building was constructed adjoining the north-west elevation. To the south, the chapel is adjoined by a stone crematorium designed in a Neo-classical style by H G Malcolm Laing of London in 1937. A later single storey flat roofed concrete porch for sheltering hearses projects from the north east facade of this building. To the south west of the crematorium is a mid 20th century Neo-classical style columbarium in the form of a single-storey loggia constructed in rendered brick. This structure was designed by Laing in 1937. As of the early 21st Century, neither the chapel nor the crematorium are in use. (1-2)
The Friends of Arnos Vale are hoping to turn these buildings into a visitor's centre. (3)
The south-west or Nonconformist chapel (listed grade II*) is designed in the style of an Ionic temple, with a broad flight of stone steps ascending to a monumental Greek Ionic portico to the north-east. The side elevations are left plain, while tall rectangular windows separated by pilasters light the south-west facade. The Nonconformist chapel was built, also in 1837-8, to the designs of Charles Underwood. To the south, the chapel is adjoined by a stone crematorium building designed in Neoclassical style by H G Malcolm Laing of London in 1927. A later single-storey, flat-roofed concrete porch for sheltering hearses projects from the north-east facade of this building. To the south-west of the crematorium is a mid-20th century Neoclassical-style columbarium in the form of a single-storey semicircular loggia constructed in rendered brick. This structure was designed by Laing in 1927. There are further structures associated with the crematorium to the north-west of the Nonconformist chapel, including a tall stone chimney which appears originally to have served the chapel boilers. Today (2002), neither the chapel nor the crematorium is in use. (4)
The chapel was restored in 2008-09 and is now the Spielman Centre which provides function, conference and exhibition space. (5-6)
Corinthian-style chapel built in 1839 to designs by Oaten and Bunce, converted to a crematorium for the Bristol General Cemetery Company, to designs by Messrs Dowling. (7) |