As a follower of the Home Arts and Industries Association, set up by Earl Brownlow in 1885 to encourage handicrafts among the lower classes, when Compton Parish Council created a new cemetery, local resident artist Mary Fraser-Tytler, the wife of Victorian era painter and sculptor George Frederic Watts, offered to design and build a new mortuary chapel. The chapel was the Watts' contribution to this characteristically Victorian preoccupation with social improvement through creative enlightenment.
Leading a group of local amateurs and enthusiasts, many of whom later went on with Mary to found the Compton Potters' Arts Guild, it was constructed between 1896 - 98 with virtually every village resident involved. Essentially circular, from the outside it has the look of a Roman Italianate Chapel; local villagers were invited to decorate the chapel under her guidance, resulting in an interior which is a merger of Angels and Arthurian Legend meets Burne-Jones. Each member of Marys' evening class, led by Louis Deuchars, had a separate job, with 74 Compton villagers taking part. G.F. Watts paid for the project, and also painted a version of The All-Pervading for the altar only three months before he died.
Members of the Huxley family including Aldous Huxley are buried within the Chapel grounds.
WWs make no apologies for this Church Micro after our recent experiences of some "straight forward" Church Micros in Essex. This cache represents our 50th and final Church Micro placed by us.
Arthur Cobbett - d 2 A 1898
Well - 190B
Julia Cairns - b 2 C 1893
Lilian Ethel - b 25 D 1893
Wilfred Henry Clayton - b E7 7 1897
Roland Wright Alston - d 21 1F 1958
George Frederic Watts - Plotinus AD 2G0
F. R. House - 5190593 Age HJ
May Marian Brunskill - 31 K 1982
Ada Amelia Simon - 30 5 1950 Age LM
The cache can be found at: N51 (B+D).(K*(H*L + A - E)) W000 (C*J + E).(A+H)(M)(F+G)
The cache has a log book but no pen so please bring one with you.
If anybody would like to expand this series please do, I would just ask that you could let sadexploration know first so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication