Kemmel Chateau Military Cemetery

Description

The cemetery was named after the nearby ruined castle. Its construction began in December 1914 and it was in use until March 1918. It fell into the hands of the Germans in December 1914, was recaptured and used again until October. There is a small grotto with a cross and a statue of the Virgin Mary next to the cemetery. The original cemetery, which was constructed during the war, consists of long rows of headstones and has no side paths. The design by Lutyens and Goldsmith showed a new avenue next to the existing cemetery, with the War Stone in a central position and the Cross of Sacrifice at the end.

There is no shelter or entrance building, but instead there is an open construction at the entrance with a bench in an alcove on one side, and a gate on the other side offering a view of the church tower of Kemmel. The design is similar to that of shelters used by Lutyens and Goldsmith in many cemeteries, for the most part in the combination of brick and white natural stone. A similar gate element is found in Monchy British Cemetery east of Arras. The whole looks very much like a roofless building, because the two elements have been placed on a plateau of natural stone.

The front part of the cemetery is level and the ground falls away a little beyond the War Stone. Because of this, the Cross of Sacrifice is a little lower than the War Stone, which is clearly visible from the entrance. The War Stone is on the northeast side of the cemetery but faces southeast. The graves face southwest. A row of graves was added to the left of the entrance after World War ii.

The avenue is lined with tulip trees. There is a so- called ‘backborder’ with higher plants in the middle. A great many hostas have been planted in all borders next to the roses. A hedge surrounds the cemetery. (Geurst, 2010, pp.335-6)

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