Teddington Cemetery

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A cemetery with buildings designed by T Goodchild opened in 1879.

DESCRIPTION

LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING

Teddington Cemetery is situated in Teddington, c 17km south-west of the centre of London, near the suburbs of Twickenham, Strawberry Hill, and Richmond. The c 4ha level, drop-shaped site is bounded to the south by Shacklegate Lane, to the east and north by railways, and to the west by the gardens of houses on Strathmore Road. A school borders the north-west corner of the cemetery. Adjoining the site on the east is the Strawberry Hill Railway Depot. The east and north boundaries are marked by a wire-netting fence combined with the remains of, and in part replacing, the original iron railings. To the south, cast-iron railings set on a brick wall, with Portland stone copings supported by ragstone piers, form the boundary to Shacklegate Lane. The private gardens to houses on Strathmore Road and the school area are fenced off.

ENTRANCES AND APPROACHES

The cemetery is approached by four entrances. The main entrance is situated on Shacklegate Lane c 80m west of the railway and is marked by a cast-iron gate with brick gate piers. Adjacent to the main entrance to the west is a gabled lodge with bargeboards (c 1879). Two further entrances are located along the southern boundary to Shacklegate Lane. A cast-iron gate lying c 20m south-west of the mortuary and c 100m south-west of the main entrance marks the former west boundary of the cemetery. Lavatories formerly situated at this entrance have been demolished. The third entrance on Shacklegate Lane is located to the west of this, in the late-C20 extension in the south-west corner of the site, adjacent to the remains of the allotment gardens. The fourth entrance, situated on the west boundary of the site at the east end of Strathmore Road, is marked by an ornamented iron gate and brick piers to either side.

PRINCIPAL BUILDING

The two chapels stand c 70m north of the main entrance along the main drive. The chapels, designed by T Goodchild in the Decorated style, have crocketed spires and are connected by a large entrance arch. Built in 1878 of honey-coloured Bargate ragstone with Bathstone dressings, the chapels were consecrated in 1879. The western chapel was originally nominated for Anglican use, while the eastern chapel was for Nonconformists.

In 1970 the two Victorian steeples of the chapels were in danger of falling down; after a long debate the spires were eventually restored.

OTHER LAND

The layout of Teddington Cemetery is based on an oval system of interlocking broad (3m wide) drives and a network of narrower (1.8m wide) curving paths arranged about a north/south axial drive (5.5m wide) running between the main entrance on Shacklegate Lane and the north end of the site. This is crossed by three east/west axial paths: one parallel to Shacklegate Lane behind the entrance lodge, a second intersecting at a circular lawn c 30m north of the chapels which quarters the site, and a third c 80m north of the chapels connecting two circular lawns. The latter path has been extended westwards into the area added in the mid-C20. The path layout of the original cemetery area is near-symmetrical about the north/south axial drive. In each quarter minor paths intersect at rondpoints of similar design. The majority of these points are planted with single cypresses surrounded by heather and lawn, as is the junction of the main and central east/west axes north of the chapels. The greatest concentration of C19 graves is along the north/south axis; the western area of the old cemetery has been partially cleared. From the main entrance the axial path provides a view north to the two chapels, planted with a semi-mature deodar cedar to each side. Hidden among trees and shrubbery next to the central entrance on Shacklegate Lane is the Gothic-style mortuary (1879).

The former boundary to the west is lined by trees which divide the old cemetery ground from the later additions. A perimeter path lined with trees around the old part of the cemetery was extended westwards by two paths (OS 1962) linking an area to the north-west added in c 1950. This has a similar but simpler path layout to that in the old part. An asphalt drive enters from the entrance in the south-west corner and divides after c 110m into two, the western drive leading to the entrance at the east end of Strathmore Road, and the eastern one running towards the northern boundary, terminating at a rondpoint. In the newer area the burials are mostly set in rows on the lawns.

The most striking feature of the cemetery is the number of mature trees, some well over 100 years old. The whole of the old cemetery is covered with mature trees such as cedar, weeping beech, holly, yew, cypresses, giant redwood, and a fine large monkey puzzle. Several cherry trees, probably the remains of the former orchard, are scattered in the lawns of the cemetery.

REFERENCES

Sheaf J and Howe K, Hampton and Teddington Past (1975)

Cherry B and Pevsner N, The Buildings of England: London 2 South (1991), 535

Meller H, London Cemeteries: An Illustrated Guide and Gazetteer (3rd edn 1994), 267-9

Maps

OS 6" to 1 mile: 1st edition surveyed 1864-5, published 1869; 2nd edition published 1894-6; 3rd edition published 1920; 1938 edition

OS 25" to 1 mile: 2nd edition published 1894-6; 3rd edition published 1915; 1934 edition

Archival items

Photographs, c 1879/early-C20 (Twickenham Local Library)

Newspaper articles from Richmond Herald and Richmond and Twickenham Times, c 1970 (Twickenham Local Library)

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION

Teddington Cemetery is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

* Teddington Cemetery is a late Victorian cemetery (1879) laid out for a Burial Board.

* The cemetery was laid out to the design of the architect T Goodchild.

* The layout of the cemetery is symmetrical, with curvilinear paths dividing the burial areas and skilfully providing interest to a level site.

* The cemetery retains a significant level of original or near original planting, which was executed to a particularly high standard.

* The layout of the cemetery survives intact, including the lodge and two chapels (Goodchild, 1878) and a mortuary (1879).

Description written: March 2000

Edited: December 2009