NHER 26087 (Building record) - Octagon Chapel, Colegate

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Summary

The Octagonal Chapel was built around 1754 to 1756 by Thomas Ivory, as the result of a competition. It was initially built for Presbyterians who had a chapel on this site since 1687, however it became a Unitarian chapel after 1820. The chapel itself is a single storey red brick building with a gallery and a pantile roof, built on an octagonal plan. The roof is an octagonal pyrammid, and the interior has eight giant Corinthian columns with wooden galleries between them. It is thought that the red bricks used here came from kilns on Mousehold Heath.

Protected Status/Designation

Listed Building (II*) 1280186: OCTAGON CHAPEL

Location

Map sheet	TG20NW
Civil Parish	NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK

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Full Description

Octagon Chapel, Colegate.

Former Presbyterian Chapel, now Unitarian Chapel. 1756 by Thomas Ivory. Red brick. Pantile roof. Octagonal plan. Single storey with gallery. Two bays to each side, except for the entry face - three bays. Central two-leaf door with semi-circular arch and moulded surround. Single storeyed pediment portico with four unfluted Ionic columns and two pilasters. Five steps up. The door is flanked by sash windows with glazing bars and semi-circular rubbed brick arch and top sash. Bracket cornice. Pyramical roof with small dorner in each bay with semi-circular head and round window. Wrought iron pinnacle on top of roof. Very good interior detail with giant Corinthian columns and wooden
galleries between.
Information from (S1).

The bricks came from the kilns on Mousehold Heath.
E. Rose (NLA), 3 August 2004.

Associated Sources (6)

--- SNF54170 *Verbal Communication: Cox, A.. 2004. [unknown].
--- SNF58263 Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. pp 254-255; Pl 81, Pl 82.
--- SNF82959 Photograph: The Octagon Chapel, Norwich. Print.
--- SNF57204 Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 20 NW 197.
--- SNF74738 Unpublished Document: Heywood, S. 1997. Descriptions of historic buildings in Norwich. Building Report. 13. Octagon Chapel.
<S1> SNF48662 Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (3)

Object Types (0)

Related NHER Records (0)

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Record last edited

Feb 11 2026 12:00PM