Watts Chapel

I was amazed when I first saw photographs of this place, in a magazine a few years ago. I was even more impressed when I read of how it had been hand built by locals,

 under the direction of Mary Watts.

I had opportunity to visit, en route to the south coast, last weekend. These are my photographs but with poor weather and light - there are many far better here and other places on the net.

The interior decoration has been created using gesso and an array of materials to form the relief,

 including felt, chicken wire and rope.

I love how the colours reflect light and glow through the darkness.

The whole place is full of symbolism.

I liked best of all the red brick exterior but here I have to rely on others' photographs.

 The chapel was built using clay dug from Mary Watts' garden.

 After the completion of the chapel, in the early nineteen hundreds, she held pottery and clay modelling classes for locals. Those students became professional, forming the Compton Potters' Art Guild and then Compton Pottery, which continued until 1956. 

 Each angel face is individual.

Exterior images from Peter Cook on flickr

Sue Roddis and Gothic Bohemian Stock.