Church

Tait Chapel, Fulham Palace

Tait Chapel, Fulham Palace

The Tait Chapel is the Grade II episcopal chapel at Fulham Palace, the former residence of the Bishops of London, a Gothic Revival aisleless chapel of 1866–67 by William Butterfield for Bishop Archibald Campbell Tait.

Location
Fulham Palace, Greater London
Country
England
County
Greater London
City / town
Fulham Palace
Address
Fulham Palace, Fulham Palace, Greater London, SW6 6EA
Postcode
SW6 6EA
Built
1866–67
Consecrated
1867
Architect
William Butterfield
Denomination
Church of England
Dedication
Holy Trinity
Diocese
London
Parish
All Saints, Fulham
Grade
II
Style
Gothic Revival (Decorated)
Materials
English-bond red brick with blue-header diaper work; gabled tile roof
Grid reference
TQ 240 760
Opening hours
Summer: 12.30pm to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday 12pm to 5pm Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays. Winter: 12.30pm to 3.30pm Monday to Thursday 12pm to 4pm Sunday.
Access
Non-accessible toilets in church. Level access to the main areas. Accessible toilets nearby. Accessible toilets in church

Overview

This is the fourth known chapel on the palace site. Tait found the Great Hall an unsatisfactory unconsecrated chapel and commissioned Butterfield; the new chapel, dedicated to the Blessed Trinity, was consecrated in 1867 at a cost of £1,869. Historic England lists it separately from the Grade I palace (NHLE 1286903): English-bond red brick with blue-header diaper work, a gabled old-tile roof, Decorated-style windows and an aisleless plan (NHLE 1358570; listed 7 May 1954, formerly under Bishops Avenue). Bomb damage in the Second World War led to a 1950s reordering for Bishop William Wand: Salviati mosaics were covered by murals of 1953 by Brian Thomas and students of the Byam Shaw School; the Adoration of the Magi reredos was reset at the west end; Ninian Comper supplied a 1956 east window. The west window by Clayton and Bell survived. The palace itself ceased to be the bishop’s house in 1973; the chapel remains consecrated and is reached from the public palace.

Further Information