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[23878] Kensal Green Cemetery : Anglican Chapel - Looking East
Anglican Chapel, Kensal Green Cemetery, London, 1836-38.
By John Griffith (1796-1888).
Looking East.
Grade l listed.
The Chapel is used for funeral services and there is a hydraulic catafalque for lowering coffins into the catacomb. It was added soon after the Chapel was built in 1837, and designed by an enterprising engineer, a Mr A Smith of Princes Street, Leicester Square. The principle o operation was a screw jack mechanism. However, the primitive manufacturing processes of the early 1800’s meant that this apparatus was far from reliable and in 1844 it was replaced.
The new device worked on the principle similar to that of the one installed in West Norwood Cemetery. The catafalque worked on an unusual hydraulic principal, with its main advantage being silent operation in both raising and in particular lowering mode. The work was complete by the firm of Bramah & Robinson. The catafalque was restored and bought back into use in May 1997 by the Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery. The repaired catafalque is extremely important and rare as a working mechanism.
Underneath the chapel is a brick-vaulted catacomb which is divided into section (Ioculi) with brick walls and shelves a stone slabs. Some Ioculi have decorative grills or glass fronts, others are sealed, the remainder are left open.
[23878] Kensal Green Cemetery : Anglican Chapel - Looking East
Anglican Chapel, Kensal Green Cemetery, London, 1836-38.
By John Griffith (1796-1888).
Looking East.
Grade l listed.
The Chapel is used for funeral services and there is a hydraulic catafalque for lowering coffins into the catacomb. It was added soon after the Chapel was built in 1837, and designed by an enterprising engineer, a Mr A Smith of Princes Street, Leicester Square. The principle o operation was a screw jack mechanism. However, the primitive manufacturing processes of the early 1800’s meant that this apparatus was far from reliable and in 1844 it was replaced.
The new device worked on the principle similar to that of the one installed in West Norwood Cemetery. The catafalque worked on an unusual hydraulic principal, with its main advantage being silent operation in both raising and in particular lowering mode. The work was complete by the firm of Bramah & Robinson. The catafalque was restored and bought back into use in May 1997 by the Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery. The repaired catafalque is extremely important and rare as a working mechanism.
Underneath the chapel is a brick-vaulted catacomb which is divided into section (Ioculi) with brick walls and shelves a stone slabs. Some Ioculi have decorative grills or glass fronts, others are sealed, the remainder are left open.