Chambrecy British Cemetery

Description

The cemetery lies to the east of Rheims and was constructed after the war. In principle, the layout is symmetrical, although one half of the cemetery lies lower than the other. This difference has been resolved by creating three plateaux of various heights on the roadside. The entrance allows access to the central plateau with the Cross of Sacrifice, directly behind the entrance.

The entrance consists of a stairway with a total of five steps and an intermediate landing with two white natural stone blocks with the land tablets. This is something similar to the entrance at Dive Copse British Cemetery. The attractively designed landing, with two steps in front of the entrance, bridges a small ditch. A shelter combined with a storage space is situated on the highest plateau. The design is almost identical to the building at Jonchery-sur- Vesle, which was also designed by assistant architect True- love. The building, with a peaked roof, is finely detailed in local limestone combined with a white natural stone cornice, reglet and bench. The building has been incorporated in a low natural stone wall with a white covering band that alters in height to follow the slope of the ground. On the street side, the corners are rounded and, on the other side, the wall is convex, like an apse. The total ground plan calls to mind a small church, but one without an altar. The cemetery is too small for the installation of a War Stone. In this context, the cabinet with the register evokes the idea of a tabernacle in a small chapel. (Geurst, 2010, p.239)

Bibliography

Geurst, J. (2010) Cemeteries of the Great War by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Rotterdam: 010 Publishers.

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Listing Reference

Client

Imperial War Graves Commission