Conserving Grove Gardens Chapel
“It’s a marvellous transformation. It was pigeon-infested and open to the wind and the rain. Now it is restored and quite lovely”
– Honor Bailey, Environment Trust trustee, 1999
Grove Gardens Chapel: 1960s-1990s
The condition of Grove Gardens Chapel deteriorated dramatically following its closure in the 1960s. By 1990 it was in a poor state of repair. The roof was partially collapsed, ivy and other vegetation had grown up to the roof, the doors had been graffitied, and pigeons had made it their home. It is believed that the chapel faced the threat of demolition if no one stepped in to save it.
In 1995, The Environment Trust for Richmond (now Habitats & Heritage) were awarded a grant of £250,000 from the National Lottery. Broadcast live on the BBC, The Environment Trust were presented a large cheque by the performer Meatloaf.
The restoration project, led by architect David Plummer covered the following key areas:
- Clearing the inside – particularly the removal of pigeon droppings
- Repairing the roof including replacing rotten timbers
- Removal of broken stained-glass windows
- Installing under-floor heating and levelling the floor
- Building new toilet facilities and a small office
The 1990s Restoration Project
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In 1999, the works were complete and the result was a great transformation.
The whole project took around four years to complete.
Grove Gardens Chapel was used as a community hub for the benefit of local people.
Between 2010 and 2021, it was run primarily as a children’s nursery.
New Challenges at Grove Gardens Chapel
In 2021, the chapel was closed due to safety concerns around the structure of the building. Significant ground movement, caused by the heave and shrink of clay subsoil, was causing the east end of the nave to move away from the rest of the building. Large cracks had formed and debris was falling from the walls and ceiling.
Habitats & Heritage requested that Historic England add the chapel to their Heritage At Risk Register.
In 2022 a full 3D model was created using photogrammetry. This was intended as an archival resource but it also allowed the public to engage with the chapel while it was closed for repair. Explore it for yourself below.
In 2023, Habitats & Heritage fundraised to carry out urgent surveys to find the best way to stabilise the building. We were then able to secure a funding grant of £243,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to repair the building and bring the chapel back into regular community use.
The most important part of the project was underpinning the east wall of the building with special piles and reinforced concrete. We also made repairs to the roof, the east apex stone, and cleaned up the interior. This has made the building structurally secure and safe to be opened to the public.
In March 2026, Grove Gardens Chapel was opened to the public for the first time in five years. It will host a range of community projects including The Fixery – Richmond’s circular economy hub!
Further works to the transepts are yet to be completed. This second phase of conservation is dependent on further funding. To learn more about our fundraising or to donate, click here.
The 2025 Conservation Project
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