Church Heritage Record 823011

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Guards Chapel of Wellington Barracks

Name:

This is the church’s legal name as given by the Church Commissioners.

Guards Chapel of Wellington Barracks
Record Type:

A classification of the current status of the building

Chapel
Church code:

This is a unique identification number supplied to each church building by the Church Commissioners.

823011
Diocese:

Name of diocese in which the church building is located at the time of entry.

London
Archdeaconry:

Name of archdeaconry in which the church building is located at the time of entry

Unattached or Closed Church
Parish:

This is the legal name of the parish as given by the Church Commissioners.

Guards Chapel of Wellington Barracks

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Statutory Designation Information

Listed Building?

The decision to put a church building on the National Heritage List for England and assign it a listing grade is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is normally based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on the historic environment.

This is a Grade II* Listed Building
View more information about this Listed Building on the National Heritage List for England web site
Scheduled Monument?

The decision to schedule a feature (building, monument, archaeological remains, etc.) located within the church building’s precinct or churchyard is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The decision is based on recommendations made by Historic England, the government’s adviser on cultural heritage.

There is no Scheduled Monument within the curtilage or precinct

National Park

National Parks are areas of countryside that include villages and towns, which are protected because of their beautiful countryside, wildlife and cultural heritage. In England, National Parks are designated by Natural England, the government’s advisor on the natural environment.

The church is not in a National Park

Conservation Area

Conservation areas are places of special architectural or historic interest where it is desirable to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of such areas. Conservation Areas are designated by the Local Council.

The church is in the following Conservation Area: Birdcage Walk

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Heritage At Risk Status

On Heritage At Risk Register?

The Heritage at Risk programme is run and managed by Historic England, the government’s advisor on cultural heritage. It aims to protect and manage the historic environment, so that the number of ‘at risk’ historic places and sites across England are reduced.

This church is not on the Heritage at Risk Register
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Approximate Date

Approximate Date:

Selecting a single date for the construction of a church building can sometimes be very difficult as most CoE buildings have seen many phases of development over time. The CHR allows you to record a time period rather than a specific date.

The CHR records the time period for the building’s predominant fabric as opposed to the date of the earliest fabric or the church’s foundation date.

Victorian/Pre-WWI

Exterior Image

Exterior image of Guards Chapel of Wellington Barracks
Caption:

603242 

Exterior image of Guards Chapel of Wellington Barracks
Description:

It seems to be the wrong photograph. Provided coordinates come up with another church on geograph.org.uk

Photograph taken 3 March 2017
Year / Date:

2011, April 06

2017
Copyright:

Keltek Trust

Archbishops' Council
Originator:

Keltek Trust

Anna Campen

Summary Description

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Known as ‘The Guard’s Chapel’, the Royal Military Chapel is the ‘spiritual home’ of the Household Division of the British Army and was rebuilt in 1963, after a V1 flying bomb destroyed the original chapel in 1944. The Chapel’s architecture is a tribute to its past, somehow seamlessly blending the spectacular marble and mosaics of the original apse into the stark white walls and bold cast aluminium sculpture of Geoffrey Clarke. The foundations contain over 2,000 memorials from the original chapel and the west wall transcribes the names of the past memorials, alongside the names of those who died in the attack. Everywhere you look there are reminders that this is a military chapel - from the colourful red, white and blue of the standards and colours which line the walls, to the Cenotaph and War Memorial Cloister containing the rolls of honour of each regimental division. With individually designed Regimental Cloisters for each of the seven regiments, the Chapel is both a memorial and an active place of worship, hosting recitals, concerts and events.

Visiting and Facilities

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The church is open for worship.
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Church Website

Church Website:

www.holytrinitylyonsdown.org.uk

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Sources and Further Information

Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
R. Asquith, J. Moore & H. Mead (2017) Canon Clarke Project Research Report pages 55 to 60 [Digital Archive/Document]
Canon Clarke Project Research Report
Anna Campen (2017) Exterior image of Guards Chapel of Wellington Barracks [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
Exterior image of Guards Chapel of Wellington Barracks
Anna Campen (2017) Interior image of the Guards Chapel of Wellington Barracks [Digital Archive/Graphic material]
Interior image of the Guards Chapel of Wellington Barracks
James Miles (2018) Closed Churches [Digital Archive/Data]
Church of England (2021) A Church Near You https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/33177/ [Digital Archive/Index]
View information on worship and access at this church

If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: TQ 295 795

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Administrative Area

Great London Authority:

The administrative area within which the church is located.

Greater London Authority

Location and Setting

This field describes the setting of the church building, i.e. the surroundings in which the church building is experienced, and whether or not it makes a positive or negative contribution to the significance of the building.

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Church Plan

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Ground Plan Description and Dimensions

Ground Plan

Provide as written description of the ground plan of the church building and well as its dimensions.

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Dimensions

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Footprint of Church buildings (m2):

Small (<199m2)

Medium (200-599m2)

Large (600m-999m2)

Very Large (>1000m2)

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Description of Archaeology and History

This field aims to record the archaeological potential of the wider area around the building and churchyard, as well as the history of site.

The Guards Chapel, although part of Wellington Barracks, was originally built due to Dr William Dakins, Chaplain to the Brigade. When the Barracks was newly built, no chapel or place of worship existed and it was due to his efforts that the permission was granted and funds raised. The original chapel was known for it’s beautiful decoration, contributed solely by donations from members of the Brigade. The Chapel was tragically destroyed on 18 June 1944. During the Sunday morning service at 11.10am, the Chapel was hit directly by a flying bomb which collapsed the ceiling, killing 121 soldiers and civilians, and injuring 141 others. The current chapel incorporates in the foundations over 2,000 memorials from the original chapel, whose names are now inscribed on the west walls. Redesigned by Bruce George, it was conceived to incorporate the original apse and the H.S. Goodhart-Rendel’s new Household Brigade War Memorial Cloister. The finished chapel was dedicated 26 November 1963 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Exterior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the exterior of the church building and the churchyard.

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Architects, Artists and Associated People/Organisations

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Building Fabric and Features

This field is an index of the building and its major components

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Collapse Building Fabric and FeaturesBuilding Fabric and Features
APSE
CENOTAPH (20th Century to 21st Century)
CLOISTER
MILITARY CHAPEL (19th Century to 20th Century)
WAR MEMORIAL (20th Century)

Building Materials

This field is an index of the building’s material composition

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Interior Image

Interior image of the Guards Chapel of Wellington Barracks
Caption:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Interior image of the Guards Chapel of Wellington Barracks
Description:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Photograph taken 3 March 2017
Year / Date:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
2017
Copyright:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Archbishops' Council
Originator:
Missing help text - to be added by an administrator
Anna Campen

Interior Description

This field aims to record a written description of the interior of the church building.

The stunning and eye-catching apse was designed by George Edmund Street in the Lombardo-Byzantine style in 1879, with its original marble, stonework and colour scheme, it is a reminder of how the original chapel interior looked. The mosaics were designed by J.R. Clayton of the firm Clayton & Bell, and were completed by the firms Salviati, Burke & Co in 1881. The subject is ‘The Story of the Passion’, depicting ‘the Crucifixion’, ‘Christ in Majesty’, ‘The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane’, alongside the Apostles and angels carrying scrolls labelled with virtues. The stained glass in the western wall above the entrance and memorial wall, is also by Clayton & Bell and was salvaged from the original chapel. Reset as one piece and different to its original design, the glass depicts many biblical stories and events. The glittering golden mosaics lie in stark contrast to the white walls and monolithic cast aluminium sculpture of Geoffrey Clarke which frame it. On the walls of the Chapel hang the bright red, white and blue of the colours of the Household Division, reminding the viewer of the intimate connection between the Chapel and the Army.

To the north lies the War Memorial Cloister, which contains individual chapels for each of the seven regiments that make up the Household Division: the five regiments of Foot Guards (Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh) and the two regiments of the Household Cavalry (The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals). Each chapel contains the regimental coat of arms and roll of Honour; displaying the names of those who died 1939-45. The Cloister is positioned at a right angle to the chapel, perfectly in line with the Chapel’s Cenotaph, which holds the book of remembrance containing the names of all those who have died in service from 1945 onwards.

Alongside the south wall of the Chapel lie the Regimental Cloisters, themselves small chapels individually dedicated to each regiment. Their stonework is inscribed with each regiment’s badge and battle honours, whilst the windows are etched with designs chosen by soldiers of each unit. Many of the furnishings have been donated by family and friends in memory of their loved ones.

The Chapel’s unique fusion of old and new make a whole that transcends the sum of its parts. It acts both as a memorial to the past and points to a future. Through war and tragedy, the Chapel and its community continue to survive.

Internal Fixtures and Fittings

This field is an index of the building’s internal, architectural components. This includes its internal spaces and those areas’ fixtures and fittings (building components which are securely fixed to the church or cathedral).

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Collapse Internal Fixtures and FittingsInternal Fixtures and Fittings
MOSAIC (19th Century)
PLAQUE (COMPONENT) (20th Century)
STAINED GLASS (WINDOW)

Portable Furnishings and Artworks

This field is an index of the building’s movable, non-fixed furnishings and artworks.

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Collapse Portable Furnishings and ArtworksPortable Furnishings and Artworks
FLAG
SCULPTURE (OBJECT) (20th Century)

If you notice any errors with the below outlines of your connected churchyards, please email heritageonline@churchofengland.org with the corrections needed.

This could include information on new churchyards, edits to the boundaries shown, or different land characteristics. 

We are working on adding the consecrated land found within local authority cemeteries, and in time, this data will be shown on the map.

Grid Reference: TQ 295 795

To zoom into an area hold the SHIFT key down then click and drag a rectangle.

Ecology

This field aims to record a description of the ecology of the churchyard and surrounding setting.

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Ecological Designations

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The everyday wildlife of burial grounds means much to those who visit and cherish them but many burial grounds are so rich in wildlife that they should be designated and specially protected. Few have the legal protection of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or, in the case of local authority owned cemeteries, Local Nature Reserve. This makes it even more important that they are cared for and protected by the people looking after them.

Many have a non-statutory designation as a recognition of their importance. These non-statutory designations have a variety of names in different regions including Local Wildlife Site, County Wildlife Site, Site of Importance for Nature Conservation or Site of Nature Conservation Importance (Local Wildlife Site is the most common name). Their selection is based on records of the most important, distinctive and threatened species and habitats within a national, regional and local context. This makes them some of our most valuable wildlife areas.

For example, many burial grounds which are designated as Local Wildlife Sites contain species-rich meadow, rich in wildflowers, native grasses and grassland fungi managed by only occasional mowing plus raking. When this is the case, many animals may be present too, insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. This type of grassland was once widespread and has been almost entirely lost from the UK with approximately 3% remaining, so burial grounds with species-rich meadow managed in this way are extremely important for wildlife.

These designations should be considered when planning management or change.

If you think that this or any other burial ground should be designated please contact Caring for God’s Acre (info@cfga.org.uk) to discuss. Many eligible sites have not yet received a designation and can be surveyed and then submitted for consideration.

There are no SSSIs within the curtilage of this Chapel.

There are no Local nature reserves within the curtilage of this Chapel.

There are no Local Wildlife sites within the curtilage of this Chapel.

Evidence of the Presence of Bats

This field aims to record any evidence of the presence of bats in the church building or churchyard.

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Burial and War Grave Information

This field records basic information about the presence of a churchyard and its use as a burial ground.

It is unknown whether the church or churchyard is consecrated. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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It is unknown whether the churchyard is closed for burial. Work in progress - can you help?
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The churchyard does not have war graves.

National Heritage List for England Designations

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There are no Listed Buildings within the curtilage of this Chapel.

There are no Scheduled Monuments within the curtilage of this Chapel.

Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees

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Churchyards are home to fantastic trees, in particular ancient and veteran trees which can be the oldest indication of a sacred space and be features of extraordinary individuality. The UK holds a globally important population of ancient and veteran yew trees of which three-quarters are found in the churchyards of England and Wales.

There are more than 1,000 ancient and veteran yews aged at least 500 years in these churchyards.

To put this in context, the only other part of western Europe with a known significant yew population is Normandy in northern France, where more than 100 ancient or veteran churchyard yews have been recorded.

Burial grounds may contain veteran and ancient trees of other species such as sweet chestnut or small-leaved lime which, whilst maybe not so old as the yews, are still important for wildlife and may be home to many other species.

Specialist advice is needed when managing these wonderful trees. For more information or to seek advice please contact Caring for God’s Acre, The Ancient Yew Group and The Woodland Trust.

If you know of an ancient or veteran tree in a burial ground that is not listed here please contact Caring for God’s Acre.

There are currently no Ancient, Veteran or Notable trees connected to this Chapel

Churchyard Structures

This field is an index of the churchyard’s components.

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Significance

Setting Significance Level:

Significance is the whole set of reasons why people value a church, whether as a place for worship and mission, as an historic building that is part of the national heritage, as a focus for the local community, as a familiar landmark or for any other reasons.

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Setting Significance Description:
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Fabric Significance Level:
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Fabric Significance Description:
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Interior Significance Level:
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Interior Significance Description:
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Community Significance Level:
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Community Significance Description:
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Church Renewables

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Species Summary

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All of the species listed below have been recorded in close proximity to the Chapel . A few species which are particularly threatened and affected by disturbance may not be listed here because their exact location cannot be shared.

NOTE: Be aware that this dataset is growing, and the species totals may change once the National Biodiversity Network has added further records. Species may be present but not recorded and still await discovery.

No species data found for this record

Caring for God’s Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.

To learn more about all of the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.

‘Seek Advice’ Species

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If any of the following species have been seen close to the Chapel, it is important to seek advice from an expert. You will need to know if they are present now, and to follow expert recommendations when planning works. All of these species have specific legal protection as a recognition of their rarity. All of them are rare or becoming increasingly endangered, so it is important to ensure that management and other works do not adversely affect them. In addition, there may be things you can do to help these special species. N.B. Swift and House Martin do not have specific legal protection but are included, as roof repair works often impact breeding swifts and house martins which is against the law.

This is not a complete list of protected species, there are many more, but these are ones that are more likely to be found. All wild birds, their nests and eggs are also protected by law, as are all bats and veteran trees. In a few cases, species are considered particularly prone to disturbance or destruction by people, so the exact location of where they were recorded is not publicly available but can be requested. These ‘blurred’ records are included here, and the accuracy is to 1km. This means that the species has been recorded in close proximity to the Chapel, or a maximum of 1km away from it. As these ‘blurred’ species are quite mobile, there is a strong likelihood that they can occur close to the Chapel. To learn about these special species, use the link provided for each species in the table below

One important species which is not included here is the Peregrine Falcon. This is protected and advice should be sought if peregrines are nesting on a church or cathedral. Peregrine records are ‘blurred’ to 10km, hence the decision not to include records here. Remember too that species not seriously threatened nationally may still be at risk in your region and be sensitive to works. You should check with local experts about this. You may also need to seek advice about invasive species, such as Japanese knotweed and aquatics colonising streams or pools, which can spread in churchyards.

N.B. If a species is not recorded this does not indicate absence. It is always good practice to survey.

No species data found for this record

Caring for God’s Acre can help and support you in looking after the biodiversity present in this special place. If you know that any of these species occur close to the Chapel and are not recorded here, please contact Caring for God’s Acre with details (info@cfga.org.uk).

To find out more about these and other species recorded against this Chapel, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas.

The church was the centre of many people’s lives and remains a guide to their cares and concerns. Glimpses into those lives have often come down to us in the stories we heard as children or old photographs discovered in tattered shoe boxes. Perhaps your ancestors even made it into local legend following some fantastic event? You can choose to share those memories with others and record them for future generations on this Forum.

Tell us the story of this building through the lives of those who experienced it. Tell us why this church is important to you and your community.

Upload your photographs, share your videos, or compose your story below using a Facebook, Twitter, Google or Disqus account.

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WhoActionWhen
Julie PatenaudeModified asset dataFri 16 Jun 2017 17:39:51
Julie PatenaudeModified asset dataWed 14 Jun 2017 14:31:30
Julie PatenaudeModified asset data - Modified the Church Website addressWed 14 Jun 2017 14:30:23
Anna CampenModified asset data - Modified the Conservation Area informationWed 05 Apr 2017 12:39:33
Julie PatenaudeAdded image of the interior of the buildingThu 09 Mar 2017 17:26:57
Julie PatenaudeAdded image of the exterior of the buildingThu 09 Mar 2017 17:24:44
Julie PatenaudeModified asset dataThu 09 Mar 2017 17:19:03
Julie PatenaudeModified asset dataThu 09 Mar 2017 17:18:57
Julie PatenaudeModified object type - Added PeriodWed 15 Feb 2017 15:32:35
Julie PatenaudeAdded object typeWed 15 Feb 2017 15:32:21
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