Fulham Palace Chapel
Overview
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Building Fabric and Features
Sanctuary
Floor
Building Materials
Brick
The original brickwork is visible most clearly on the exterior of the chapel, where a diaper pattern, formed by a grid of black and red bricks, can be observed. Originally, the Chapel contained white, yellow, red and black bricks alongside inlaid marble. This was typical of the Gothic Revival or Victorian Gothic style, and was a prominent feature in the work of William Butterfield. Whilst this was obscured in 1953 by the white paint and murals seen today, some of the original brickwork patterns are visible in the outline of the bricks laid around the Sanctuary walls.
Marble
Encaustic Tile
18th Century to 19th Century The ceramic tiles on the floor of the Sanctuary are examples of encaustic tiles, characterised by their elaborate surface pattern, made through inlaying different colours of clay through moulds. The tiles were made by the ceramic specialist firm Minton, who had a workshop was in Staffordshire under Herbert Minton (1793-1858). Encaustic tiles were part of the Gothic Revival movement and were primarily used in ecclesiastical settings.
Historical Notes
1793 - 1858
Period Qualifier: 2
Interior
Fixtures and fittings
Stained Glass (window)
19th Century to 20th Century Originally the stained-glass work of Clayton & Bell featured in all of the windows in the Chapel, however the main east window was shattered by bomb damage in 1940 and 1944. Now only the original west window of remains from 1868. The two stained-glass quatrefoils either side of the altar on the north and south walls are also original and were made by Swindon Gibbs around the same period. The east window was redesigned by Ninan Comper in 1948 and depicts ‘the Baptism of Christ’ and ‘the Risen Saviour’ instructing St Peter, flanked by portraits of Bishop Creighton and Wand, whilst the text underneath reads ‘Feed my sheep’. Comper’s stained glass contains two memorials - the angel at the top of the east window is a portrait of Bishop Wands’ son Paul, who died in a mountaineering accident in 1934, whilst Comper’s signature motif from 1903 onwards was strawberry plants, in homage of his father. The money used to remodel the Chapel was claimed from the War Charge, set up by the government to restore damage sustained during the Second World Waar. However, Comper charged more per square foot than the fund allocated so there was only enough money to complete the East window, at a cost of £1260.
Historical Notes
1868 - 1868
Period Qualifier: 2
1940 - 1944
Period Qualifier: 1
Bomb damage
1948 - 1948
Period Qualifier: 2
Altar
Reredos
Victorian Period The current wooden reredos was brought to the Chapel by Bishop Creighton from Peterborough. It was made by C.E. Kempe (1835-1907) and carved by the German firm, Oberammergau. In 1897, in an attempt to tone down the Chapel, Creighton and his wife placed a curtain over the east wall brickwork and mosaics, placing the new and simpler reredos in front.
Historical Notes
1835 - 1907
Period Qualifier: 2
Mosaic
The mosaics found directly opposite the altar on the West wall were originally situated on the east wall, underneath the stained-glass and behind the altar. The mosaics were produced by the Venetian firm directed by Antoni Salviati, but the cartoon was made by Alexander Gibbs under the direction of the architect William Butterfield. Called ‘The Adoration of the Shepherds of Bethlehem’, the historian Charles Feret once mistook the subject as the three kings because of the elaborate decoration and striking colours. The firm Jackson’s rediscovered the mosaics hidden by a curtain put up by Bishop and Mrs Creigton in 1897, moving them to the west wall during the redesign of the Chapel
Wall Painting
20th Century The current murals were commissioned by Bishop Wand in a deliberate attempt to soften the interior of the Chapel by hiding the colourful brickwork. They were commissioned and completed by Brian Thomas and students from the Byam Shaw School of Drawing & Painting in 1953. Thomas intended them to depict ‘important dogmas and historical events of the Christian faith lucidly and memorably’. They murals depict a series of biblical scenes including on the North wall ‘Visit of Jesus by the Wise Men’, ‘Garden of Eden’, ‘Crucifixion’ and ‘Pentecost’. The South wall shows ‘God on High’, ‘The Stoning of Stephen’ and other scenes including Peter’s vision at Caesarea and the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Historical Notes
1953 - 1953
Period Qualifier: 2
Piscina (component)
The north wall of the Sanctuary contains a niche with a drain, known as a sacrarium, and would also originally have held a stone basin. Known as a piscina, this niche was used to wash communion vessels and dispose of the sacrament by returning it to the earth, and is connected directly to the ground outside.
Churchyard
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
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 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.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
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 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
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
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 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.
Further information
Submit a change
If you notice something incorrect or missing, please explain it in the form below and submit it to our team for review.