| Watts Chapel In Pictures |
Click
on thumbnails and
link text for images
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StoryPage |
Descriptions
of detail are derived from
Watts Chapel by Veronica Franklin Gould Arrow Press ISBN 0951581112
available from the the Watts Gallery
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This is a working Chapel and an icon of
the Arts & Crafts Movement
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1The
Chapel designed in 1896 by Mary Watts as a memorial to her husband the
Victorian painter George F Watts
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Extract
from the Path representing Truth symbolised by the wise
owl and keys of truth 10b
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2
View on approach. Based on a Greek cross with 4 arms creating deep
embrasures for the decorated walls
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One
of many angels on the Path of the Just and here protecting the
roundel of patience. This on the Path showing Hope.10c
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3
Chestnut over oak with wrought-iron mounts fashioned by local
blacksmith show an evil dragon and a Tau cross surrounded
by cherubs wings
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Guilded
terracotta altar on which the ashes of GF Watts were
presented in July 1904 beneath Watts own oil painting of
"The All Pervading" 11
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3a The
Garment of Life on the door spandrel designed as an emboidered wall
hanging
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Inside
the \chapel the
Tree of Life rises thru' the Trinity to the Seraph surrounded
by
symbols of the truths in turn encompassed by the medallions of the
cherubims 12
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4 The
letters 'I AM' woven into the central pillar represent God who protects
the kneeling men on both sides |
Apex
of the ceiling at the centre of the greek cross showing the heads of
the
4 seraphs and the arms of each embrasure13
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5
One of 15 in the choir of angels in the archivolt above the door
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The
Italianate arcade completed in 1907. Iron gates at centre. Centre front
is the grave
of Mr&Mrs
Watts and behind a
clay memorial14
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6 The
gabled campanile & river of life. The spandrels are
decorated with doves & the 31inch bell rings "C" |
An
angel on the terracotta wellhead dated 1906
inscribed "The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden.." Other
watering methods were also traditional.15
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7 Shallow
ripples of the pure water of the River of Life beside the branches of
the Tree of Life
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The
Potters Arts Guild created many Celtic terracotta crosses
and gravestones 16
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8 One
of 4 capitals surmounting the River of Llife and representing the four
evangelists. This symbolising Matthew. |
Visitors
may meet Simba the hard working Chapel cat here resting at the Chapel
door 17
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9
Corbels beneath the Path of the Just. Here representing The Truth, The Way and The Life
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View
of the Cemetery Garden 18
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10 One
fourth of the Path of the Just - each section with a core spirit eg owl
of truth, and angels protecting symbols such as courage, unity, patience
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The
Cemetery Garden in April 19
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10a The
Path ends in a circle of light surrounded by sun and stars with great
eagles, symbol of the sun, and angels protecting the way
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Remember
Mary Seton Watts 20
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21 Chapel
interior showing 1 embrasure and the interior decoration around the
altar |
Exterior
with foreground terracotta grave marker made in the local pottery
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Updated
April 08 with a couple of improved images & two additional images |
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