Brompton Cemetery Conservation ProjectIntroduction & Site History

IntroductionThe Royal Parks is submitting an application for funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) for the Brompton Cemetery Conservation Project.

This funding will enable The Royal Parks to develop the project with local people and, if successful, go on to implement

improvement plans for Brompton Cemetery to ensure the heritage and wildlife are conserved for future generations.

Improvements to Brompton Cemetery

Round One of the HLF application proposes:

Heritage improvements: • Assess the existing heritage assets • Consider their significance

• Identify assets at risk and devise a plan for conserving them

Access improvements: • Ensure that the Cemetery and facilities are accessible by all • Make sure the heritage and wildlife features can be enjoyed by everyone

• Find ways of engaging new visitors

Visitor facilities: • Improve existing facilities for visitors • Look at additional facilities that help the Cemetery become more accessible and sustainable such as a cafe, visitor centre within the North Lodge, and flexible community space in the Chapel

• Introduce facilities that support the local community

Environmental and ecological improvements: • Assess the existing wildlife on site • Identify key species of special interest or indicator species

• Propose management changes or projects to enhance the wildlife on site

Community activities: • Work with the Friends of Brompton Cemetery, local community groups and partners to develop an exciting range of activities and resources aimed at existing and new visitors • Develop a range of educational and volunteer activities on offer such as wild

life identification sessions and guided tours

Funerary activities: • Improve the services that we provide • Restore key monuments and memorials • Developing a sustainable financial future for the cemetery

Site HistoryBrompton Cemetery is a significant member of one of London’s most remarkable of Victorian legacies, a ring of private cemeteries created around central London known as ‘The Magnificent Seven’, developed in response to cope with the cholera epidemic of the 1830s and 1840s and dire burial practices in overcrowded churchyards and chapel vaults.

In 1837 by Act of Parliament, The West London and Westminster Cemetery Company was authorised to develop a site to the west of London. They appointed architect, Benjamin Baud who brilliantly handled the flat, unassuming 16 hectares site to create one of the finest cemetery designs of the early Victorian period.

Today the Cemetery is owned by the Government and is managed by The Royal Parks, and forms a much used green oasis in a densely populated area of inner London characterised by a notable absence of public open space.

Brompton Cemetery’s historical significance is recognised by being Grade I listed on the English Heritage Parks and Gardens of Special Interest in England, the historic monuments and sculptures range from Grade I* - II, with several listed tombs. The site is also of importance for its ecological interest and is listed as a Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI) of Borough Importance (Grade I).

This plan is the earliest drawing yet found of Baud’s design for Brompton Cemetery. It was used as illustrative material by The West London and Westminster Cemetery Company in its table of charges (sometime between 1840 & 1853)

‘Bird’s Eye View’ of Brompton CemeteryA lithograph by Hawkins commissioned by Baud in 1840

View of the southern entrance from Fulham Road after the construction of the South Lodge

We would like to hear your viewsPlease complete our online survey at

http://www.royalparks.org.uk/projects/brompton-cemetery-conservation-project or complete a paper version here today.

This view illustrates a scattered arrangement of trees and shrubs, very different to the illustration above

Extract from The West London and Westminster Cemetery table of charges (undated). Note the absence of trees, shrubs and memorials at this early stage in the Cemetery’s history

Brompton Cemetery Conservation ProjectRestoration Strategy

Buildings & Mausolea

Buildings1. Convert North Lodge into visitor centre, shop, cafe and base for The Friends, volunteer and maintenance staff facilities, with outdoor seating area and remodelled landscape at entrance11. Refurbish South Lodge as residential accomodation for Cemetery manager, and enhance landscape setting including entrance railings, gates, paths and planting12. Add disabled ramped access into Chapel and redesign to accommodate office and flexible community facilities16. Re-design leaf yard

Landscape2. Improve setting to North Lodge by restoring entrance railings and gates, path surfacing and planting3. Retain close mown area for family recreation and include additional seating opportunities4. Raise canopy of lime avenue to reveal views of Chapel5. Maintain mown grass border to edge of paths9. Retain existing open space close to entrance10. Introduce evergreen tree planting in staggered pattern along ceremonial axis13. Additional/replacement tree planting to reduce visual impact of Chelsea F.C. football stadium14. Resurface existing paths to link with available burial areas18. Maintain close mown grass and replacement/additional shrub planting in vicinity of frequently visited graves21. Re-design Garden of Remembrance

Wildlife6. Maintain “controlled” areas of nature conservation within historic path framework and in vicinity of less frequented graves

Heritage7. Maintain close mown grass within meadow grassland to highlight important monuments 8. Restore Chapel and landscape setting to increase opportunities for community use, including new ramped access 17. Conserve most significant aspects of Western catacombs and boundary wall22. Restore a section of tree and shrub layout based on Baud’s original proposal23. Selectively remove some mature trees to re-establish historic vista lines across the site

Community & Audiences15. Interpretation of Catacombs, promenade and entrance notice boards19. Proposed burial space20. Refurbish existing landscape maintenance facilities to provide separate storage for maintenance and volunteer teams24. Introduce additional seating to secondary avenue paths

Focus for historical planting restoration*Key Historic Vista

Honey Lane

CHAPEL

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Finborough Road

Warwick Road

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GREAT CIRCLEENTRANCE

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NORTHLODGE

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Secondary Paths

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Brompton Cemetery Conservation ProjectNorth Lodge Proposals

Existing Layout (NTS) Sketch Elevation of Visitor Centre and Cafe

Proposed Layout (NTS)Visitor Centre and Cafe

Landscape Enhancement Proposals

Proposals aim to convert the North Lodge into a visitor centre, shop and cafe, whilst also providing a base for The Friends of Brompton Cemetery and volunteer and maintenance facilities. The entrance will be remodelled, with entrance gates and railings restored, and paths and planting upgraded.

North Lodge converted to create visitor centre, cafe, shop and base for The Friends

Restore entrance railings and gates

Maintain relaxed mowing regime

New ornamental plant beds

New lawn for cafe spill-out space

Entrance setting re-levelled and surfaced in resin-bound gravel

Restore key significant gravesand monuments within context

Re-designed vehicle turning circle

New outdoor seating areas

Brompton Cemetery Conservation ProjectThe Chapel Refurbishment

Landscape Enhancement ProposalsExisting Layout (NTS)

Proposed Layout (NTS)

Proposals aim to restore The Chapel and re-design to accommodate office and flexible community facilities, including new ramped access, and enhance landscape setting.

Introduce new ramped access points to increase accessibility

Introduce evergreen tree planting in a staggered pattern along ceremonial axis

Re-present landscape setting of Chapel by upgrading planting scheme

Restore significant graves and monuments within setting

Selectively remove existing trees to restore historic vista lines

Brompton Cemetery Conservation ProjectSouth Lodge Proposals

Landscape Enhancement ProposalsExisting Layout (NTS)

Proposed Layout (NTS)Residential accomodation for Cemetery Manager

Proposals aim to refurbish the South Lodge as residential accommodation for Cemetery Manager and enhance landscape setting including entrance railings and gates, paths and planting.

Remove inappropriate conifer tree

Maintain close mown grass

Relaxed mowing regime

Create private garden and car park bay

South Lodge converted to provide residential accommodation for

Cemetery Manager

Extend existing hedge-line to provide privacy screen

Re-lay granite sett apron

Re-position ‘welcome’ signage andupgrade seating bay and litter bin

Re-surface entrance setting with resin-bonded gravel, and granite sett trims