Listed building or place reference: HE1319

Historic site reference
Property: Almorah Cemetery
Road name: La Pouquelaye
Parish: St. Helier
Location: View on map
Grade: Listed Place Grade 1
Category: Designed landscape
Statement of significance: An outstanding example of a mid-C19 early Burial Board period garden cemetery with an ensemble of fine buildings, monuments and planting. Contains the greatest collection of Victorian monuments in Jersey, with some exceptional and unique examples of funerary architecture. It survives largely intact, with some loss of trees it seems, in good condition, although some of the monuments are deteriorating. It is comparable with nationally important contemporary cemeteries in the UK and is of the highest significance in Jersey.
Context: n/a
External Description: A mid-C19 garden cemetery situated on the plateau above St Helier. The site is laid out in a grid pattern, softened by curved corners and roundel panels at the intersections of paths, and focussed on the chapel, offset to the west of centre. The setting is now suburban but was originally rural with clear views south over St Helier to the sea. The four main quarters accommodate various denominations: the north-west for the Roman Catholics, the north-east for Congregationalists and Baptists, the south-east for Methodists, and the south-west for others. From the main entrance on the south boundary the axial view up the drive to the chapel is framed by a pair of lodges with towers and an iron screen with gates. The cemetery is enclosed by a granite rubble boundary wall, forming high retaining walls to the roads to the west and south. Near the centre of the south boundary the main entrance is marked by a grand gateway and forecourt set back from the road, with a large copper beech at the east end of curving wing walls, framing the vista up to the mortuary chapel backed by a line of mature limes. The forecourt and gateway are flanked by 2 granite rubble lodges (1 of which may have been an office), of two storeys, in Neo-Norman military style. Granite piers and screen walls flank the central iron vehicle gates with pedestrian gates to either side attached to the octagonal towers of the lodges. Set on the forecourt to the east of the entrance gateway is a cast iron Victorian sewer vent (stink pipe) with tapering fluted column base with decorative moulded banding. The axial drive leads north up to a simple central chapel, built of granite rubble with ashlar dressings in Neo-Norman style, and gabled below a slated roof. The chapel is 4-bay separated by buttresses with chamfered round-headed windows. The north end has a triple-window and the principal south front has a window of paired round arches above an open arcaded porch. The south, entrance elevation is dominated by a recessed arcaded porch the leading to a single round-headed doorway with double round-headed windows above, under a semi-circular dripstone. Neat but ornamental buttresses line the side elevations, four bays deep. In front of the chapel the drive splits to curve around the chapel, rejoining to the north and leading to the north boundary drive, lined by a mature lime avenue. At its west and east ends this drive returns south along the west and east boundaries, then along the south boundary, to arrive back at the forecourt flanked by the lodges. The central drive from the forecourt to the chapel is slightly sunken below the main ground level as it rises to the north; half way along it is flanked by 2 raised triangular grass panels each with a mature beech, leading to cross paths. The layout is based on a grid system of drives and paths, softened by the south drive curving on either side of the forecourt around behind the lodges, and by curved corners of sections. The grid system is also softened by small raised roundel and triangular panels at intersections which form focal points in the views along the paths. The raised panels were either set with specimen trees as demonstrated by surviving Lombardy poplar, Arbutus, beech, etc, or with individual monuments, some of which retain several specimen Irish yew around the edges. The panels at intersections were surrounded by large shaped granite kerbs, many of which survive, formerly supporting iron railings which have all gone. The numerous monuments contribute greatly to the character. They are varied in style, largely of limestone, some unusual, with two small mausolea. Some iron railings survive on kerbs surrounding monuments. The planting is a good example of its type, with the survival of many apparently C19 trees of varied types, largely deciduous, but also holly and Irish yew. Some monuments are overgrown with ivy but generally the site is well maintained. Long views extend from this elevated plateau out over the buildings of St Helier to the south and beyond to the sea.
Internal Description: The walled cemetery contains the greatest collection of Victorian monuments in Jersey, with some exceptional and unique examples of funerary architecture. Some monuments are of high architectural or sculptural quality and include some of the island's finest works of public art. Funerary monuments often reflect historic design trends of the day, such as the Neoclassical style which retained its popularity in the Victorian period, and the Gothic Revival which became popular from the mid-19th century. Others monuments are eclectic, one-off designs reflecting local circumstances and individuals, such as the inclusion of carved sailing ships and anchors, masonic symbols, or the hand sculpted gravestones by "Turnkey" Giffard.
Special interest: Architectural,Artistic,Historical

Documents

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14/09/2015

Schedule Schedule Listed Building Grade 1

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