1. The History
The Grade II listed Mortuary Chapel in centre of Edgerton Cemetery, in the Kirkless district of West Yorkshire dates back to the Mid-19th century. Constructed of Hammer-dressed stone under pitched fish-scale slate roof, it consists of two small chapels with parapeted gables. Other features include corner finials, diagonal buttresses and windows with decorated tracery.
Listed in 1978, the chapel has not faired well in recent years and now is in a state of disrepair. The cemetery in which it is located in was opened in 1856 and was extended by another four acres in 1885. The 1850 Parliament allowed local authorities to set up their own burial grounds and Huddersfield businessmen and politicians and journalists took the opportunity. James Pritchett was the architect hired to create the new cemetery. The twin chapels created by him were very firmly in Gothic style. Joined by a central arch, the hearse and the funeral procession would pass through it. The graveyard serves as the final resting places of many of Huddersfield's former movers and shakers, including political agitator Joshua Hobson and mayor Charles Henry Jones. The cost of the cemetery, including land and enclosing, the chapels, lodges, formation, and planting was £13,000 (approximately £800,000 in today’s money).
2. The Explore
So Plan A, a revisit to Dawson’s in Skelmersdale, was a no go, with demo teams on site so off to this much smaller and more holy explore in Edgerton. This lovely little dual chapel may not be very big but it is packed with lovely features both internally and externally. It was a chilled way to spend half-an-hour or so and prevented the morning from being a failure.
3. The Photographs
The approach:
It needs a bit of TLC:
Loving the fish-scale slate roof:
Plenty of other nice little external details:
Although this looks a bit precarious:
Rear view:
Old information board:
This bit has collapsed:
Fallen masonry:
Some of the former electrics:
And in we go the left-hand chapel (the right hand was sealed up tight):
In places the roof is OK:
And in others no so OK:
Back out and a few more externals:
THAT’S ALL FOLKS!
The Grade II listed Mortuary Chapel in centre of Edgerton Cemetery, in the Kirkless district of West Yorkshire dates back to the Mid-19th century. Constructed of Hammer-dressed stone under pitched fish-scale slate roof, it consists of two small chapels with parapeted gables. Other features include corner finials, diagonal buttresses and windows with decorated tracery.
Listed in 1978, the chapel has not faired well in recent years and now is in a state of disrepair. The cemetery in which it is located in was opened in 1856 and was extended by another four acres in 1885. The 1850 Parliament allowed local authorities to set up their own burial grounds and Huddersfield businessmen and politicians and journalists took the opportunity. James Pritchett was the architect hired to create the new cemetery. The twin chapels created by him were very firmly in Gothic style. Joined by a central arch, the hearse and the funeral procession would pass through it. The graveyard serves as the final resting places of many of Huddersfield's former movers and shakers, including political agitator Joshua Hobson and mayor Charles Henry Jones. The cost of the cemetery, including land and enclosing, the chapels, lodges, formation, and planting was £13,000 (approximately £800,000 in today’s money).
2. The Explore
So Plan A, a revisit to Dawson’s in Skelmersdale, was a no go, with demo teams on site so off to this much smaller and more holy explore in Edgerton. This lovely little dual chapel may not be very big but it is packed with lovely features both internally and externally. It was a chilled way to spend half-an-hour or so and prevented the morning from being a failure.
3. The Photographs
The approach:
It needs a bit of TLC:
Loving the fish-scale slate roof:
Plenty of other nice little external details:
Although this looks a bit precarious:
Rear view:
Old information board:
This bit has collapsed:
Fallen masonry:
Some of the former electrics:
And in we go the left-hand chapel (the right hand was sealed up tight):
In places the roof is OK:
And in others no so OK:
Back out and a few more externals:
THAT’S ALL FOLKS!
