King's College Chapel, Cambridge, UK
Home of the Renowned Choir, Founded by King Henry VI
The King's College choir has an enviable worldwide reputation, and the historic King's College Chapel is well worth a visit for anyone who has been moved by the music.
The name King's College is justified – the nineteen year old King Henry VI laid the foundation stone on the 25th July 1441, having cleared a number of existing buildings and church to make way for his new foundation. Henry VI also founded Eton college near Windsor, and for four centuries King's College drew its intake exclusively from Eton, which was originally founded as a charity school for the poor. The King's plan was to have the chapel as the north side of a grand square, but this was to be rudely interrupted by his untimely demise, and delayed still further by the Wars of the Roses. Richard III progressed construction, but it was finally completed in the reign of King Henry VIII, nearly a hundred years after it was started.
Architecture of King's College Chapel
The internal design was modified from the simplicity that Henry VI had envisaged - which is most apparent in the Choir area. The glorious fan vaulting of the roof is a modification by John Wastell, the master mason, this was not present in the original design. King's College Chapel boasts the largest fan vault in the world, 24m high. The chapel is 88m in length and 12m between the piers.
The airy Ante-Chapel is where visitors enter first via the north porch. The walls feature detailed carvings from the Tudor period - the portcullis and greyhound are the badge of the Beaufort family, and the roses are indicative of the links the Tudors had with the royal houses.
Across the middle of the chapel is the dark oak screen, which was the gift of Henry VIII. It is bears the King's initials and those of Anne Boleyn, and Henry VIII also commissioned the magnificent stained glass windows on the north, south and east windows of the Chapel. The West window dates from the 19th century. Remarkably, the earlier windows have survived both the tribulations of Cromwell's army using the building as a training ground and the depredations of the Second World War, when the stained glass was removed for safe keeping. The upper parts of the windows depict scenes from the Old testament, the lower parts have scenes from the New Testament.
The famous King's College Organ is above the screen, originally built by Thomas Dallam in 1605-6, though it has been restored and rebuilt on numerous occasions, most recently at the beginning of 2009, when some of the largest pipes needed repair because they were collapsing under their own weight.
Visiting Kings College Chapel
The chapel is open to the public from 10 to 3 except on term time Sundays when it is open just after lunch (the exact opening times are a little longer, but vary between term time and non term-time, contact the King's tourism liaison office on 01223 331212 for details). An entry fee is payable. The public is also welcome to attend the choral services, details of which are posted at the Chapel.
Hearing the King's College Choir
The inspiring sounds of the King's College Choir is available on CDs which are for sale in the King's College Shop, and of course one of the best known services is the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols which is broadcast live by the BBC on Christmas Eve, both on domestic services (usually Radio 4) and the World service.
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The Organ in King's College Cambridge
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King's College Chapel showing Fan Vaulted Ceiling
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Portcullis and Greyhound Tudor Heraldic Carvings
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King's East Window Showing Passion & Crucifixion
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King's College Chapel, Cambridge
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