Staff at Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust have launched a public search to find the long-lost architectural plans for the historic Bath Road gates.
The gates were designed in the 19th century by architect Charles Underwood as the ceremonial entrance to the cemetery, one of Britain’s earliest Victorian garden cemeteries. Nearly two centuries later, the original drawings that guided their construction have never been found.
Now, as restoration work continues, the Trust is appealing to the public to help locate the missing Victorian drawings and uncover more of the story behind these iconic gates.
Underwood designed Arnos Vale in 1837 as part of a new movement that transformed burial grounds into landscaped places of beauty and civic pride. Inspired by cemeteries such as Père Lachaise and Kensal Green, his design included terraces, chapels, and a grand entrance through the Bath Road gates.
Ann Fiddler, CEO of Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust, said:
“Although we know roughly when the gates were built and the names of some of the trades involved, the detailed architectural drawings showing exactly how Underwood designed them have never surfaced.
In the 19th century, architectural plans were often kept by the craftsmen who carried out the work rather than formally archived. As a result, the drawings may have been passed down through families or stored in business records when workshops closed.
We are particularly interested in hearing from anyone who may have historic papers connected to Bristol ironworks such as Room, Grazebrook and Company, or masons including Godwin & Higgs, who helped manufacture the gates.”
The search is part of a wider fundraising campaign to restore the historic gates. So far, £11,500 has been raised towards a £40,000 target, but further support is needed to complete the conservation work. The Bath Road iron gates are Grade II* listed and have recently been added to Historic England’s ‘At Risk Register’.
Ann added:
“The Bath Road gates are an iconic entrance to Arnos Vale. As we restore them, we’d love to uncover the original plans and better understand how Charles Underwood intended them to be built. They could still exist in a family archive, among old workshop papers, or within a local collection. Even the smallest clue could help us piece together this missing part of Bristol’s history”.
Anyone with information, documents, or leads that could help locate the missing plans is encouraged to contact the team at info@arnosvale.org.uk. Donations to the gate appeal can be made online at arnosvale.org.uk/gates
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