Oxhey Chapel
OXHEY CHAPEL, GOSFORTH LANE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1174300
- Date first listed:
- 01-Sept-1953
- List Entry Name:
- Oxhey Chapel
- Statutory Address:
- OXHEY CHAPEL, GOSFORTH LANE
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2004-09-16
- Reference:
- IOE01/09313/20
- Rights:
- © Mr Donald Rintoul. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1174300
- Date first listed:
- 01-Sept-1953
- List Entry Name:
- Oxhey Chapel
- Statutory Address 1:
- OXHEY CHAPEL, GOSFORTH LANE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- OXHEY CHAPEL, GOSFORTH LANE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Hertfordshire
- District:
- Three Rivers (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Watford Rural
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 11364 93347
Details
TQ 19 SW WATFORD RURAL GOSFORTH LANE (Southwest side) Oxhey
10/335 Oxhey Chapel 1.9.53 II*
Proprietary chapel to Oxhey Place (not listed) now redundant. 1612 for Sir J. Altham. Repaired 1852 for T. Estcourt. Restored and narthex added 1897 for T.F. Blackwell by J.E.K. Cutts. Altered and repaired 1963. Knapped flint and 2 inch red brick chequer work. Stone dressings. Tiled roof. 2 bay rectangular cell with narthex to west. Entrance to W in projecting narthex with slightly further projecting entrance bay. Original plank and muntin door with carved head. Moulded Tudor arched surround with square hood mould and panels dated 1897 in spandrels. Stone quoins return to flanking bays with 2 light windows, hollow moulded surrounds and pointed heads to each light all under square hood moulds. Stone quoins to returns. Moulded stone cap to continuous flint plinth. Stone capping to narthex. C20 plaques in narthex front wall. In W end above narthex a 4 light window with octagonal and hexagonal leaded panes, hollow moulded inner surrounds, pointed heads to each light, chamfered outer surround, square hood mould. Rendered course below moulded stone cornice. Stone quoins. C19 brick parapet with C20 stone coped gable. Behind gable a C20 octagonal timber belfry with an ogee headed cupola. N and S sides have two 3 light windows as at W end, separated by a C19 brick buttress to N. E end: central blocked entrance with timber lintel. C17 brick to sill level of 4 light window as at W end. Plaque with dates 1612 and 1963 in E gable. Interior: double rows of 1897 stalls following C17 model arranged in collegiate fashion. Late C17 W doorcase with richly carved Corinthian pilasters and entablature. At E end late C17 reredos, twisted Solomonic columns frame 2 panels with Ten Commandments, outer panels with Lord's Prayer and Credo. Richly carved open pediment to centre with cartouche and pendant drops, urn to gilded flame finial, flanking pediments. Black and white marble paving in sanctuary. Shallow pitched 5 bay roof retains moulded tie beams, purlins and ridge plate. Arched braces with cusped traceried spandrels. C17 font at W end, octagonal base and panelled shaft coved out to circular bowl and domical cover, upper part with rich foliate carving, urn finial. 8 branch candelabrum. C19 communion rails and lectern. Wall tomb to S to Sir J. Altham, d.1616, and his last wife Helen, d.1638. 2 praying figures in aedicular frame of alabaster and marble. 2 arches with carved soffits, Corinthian columns, segmental open pediment surmounted by a shield of arms in a scrolled cartouche, flanking obelisks. Inscribed panel below base. At W end of S wall a brass plate recording building of chapel and a marble tablet to J.A. Bucknall dated 1797 and signed by C. Regnant, over tablet a female mourning figure with an urn in high relief. (Kelly's Directory 1898: VCH 1908: RCHM 1910: Pevsner 1977).
Listing NGR: TQ1136493347
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 158980
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Doubleday, AH, The Victoria History of the County of Hertford, (1908)
Pevsner, N, Cherry, B, The Buildings of England: Hertfordshire, (1977)
Kelly's Directory in Kelly's Directory, (1898)
Other
Inventory of the Historical Monuments of Hertfordshire, (1910)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 26-Jun-2026 at 23:22:16.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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