GNATON HALL, near Yealmpton, Devon. 

Chapel 1887

The chapel, which was located next to the hall, was designed in 1887 and demolished in 1977.  The stonework and windows were sold for use in another private dwelling. Thanks are due to the Hon. George Lopes for this information.

Further information about the building, and the involvement of the architect’s brother, Edward, are to be found in a report in the Western Morning News of 21 December 1887:

Mr. Edward A. Fellowes Prynne, the artist son of the vicar of St. Peter’s, Plymouth, is not only a most successful portrait painter, but is reintroducing something of the high artistic spirit into religious art.  One or two of his efforts in this direction adorn his father’s church, and he has just completed at his studio, 20, Princess-square, a gem of a triptych which is to form the reredos of the chapel attached to Gnaton Hall, the residence of Mr. Michael Williams, near Yealmpton.  The frame of the triptych has been beautifully carved in oak by Messrs. Wippell and Co., of Exeter, from a design by Mr. G. H. Fellowes Prynne, who was the architect of the chapel.  Upon the centre panel Mr. Edward Prynne has painted a striking Crucifixion, and in smaller panels on either side are the four great “types” of Christ – Melchisideck, the priest; Isaac, the victim; Moses, the law giver; and David, the King.  In the wing panels are the four Evangelists, and the four major prophets – Isaiah. Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel;  while the centrepiece and immediately under a richly-carved canopy are figures of the three archangels, treated, as they usually are in ecclesiastical art – Raphael, as the angel of intercession, holding the censer; Michael, as the angel of judgement, holding the scales; and Gabriel, the angel of redemption, bearing the chalice.  Every figure is wrought with the minutest care as a finished painting, and not merely done in outline on the flat.  The [sic] are necessarily small owing to the size of the panels, but both colouring and artistic style end to bring them up with much distinctness; and they will be altogether worthy of the rich surroundings in which they are to be placed.