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Top 10 Interesting Facts about Kings College Chapel

Kings’ college chapel is the chapel of king’s college at the University of Cambridge. It is an example of gothic architecture and has the world’s largest vault.

Henry VI laid the first foundation stone in 1446, and the chapel was built in phases by a succession of kings of England from 1446 to 1515.

The chapel is an active house of worship and home of the kings’ college choir. It is often used as a landmark and symbol of the city of Cambridge.

The king’s college chapel is a fantastic place to visit. Get to learn more about the chapel through these top 10 interesting facts.

1. The chapel plays a significant role in the kings’ college life

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The chapel is central to the college and is Cambridge’s most iconic and recognized building.

At king’s college chapel, new students are enrolled, comrades are admitted, and the college choir record their music for their record label.

The king’s college regularly uses the chapel for concerts, and during the university terms, it welcomes hundreds of people in their daily services.

The college holds its annual music society week concert on the Monday of May. The event is well known to students, alumni and visitors to the city.

2. Kings’ college chapel features the world’s largest fan vault

Kings College Chapel Vault-

A fan vault is a form of vault used in the gothic style. The vault ribs were all of the same curves and spaced equidistantly, looking like a fan.

The vault was constructed by master mason john Westell between 1512 and 1515.

 The vault has remained the largest in the world, attracting thousands of visitors worldwide who want to explore its stunning beauty.

3. The chapel was used as ground training for troops

During the civil war, Oliver Cromwell used the chapel as a training ground for his troops.

The chapel escaped significant damages, possibly because Cromwell had been a Cambridge student and ordered it to be spared.

The graffiti left by the training soldiers is still visible on the north and south near the alter. Also, during World War II, most of the stained glass was removed, and again the chapel escaped damage.

4. The Adoration of the Magi by Rubens

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The Adoration of the Magi by Rubens was painted in 1634 for the convent of the white nuns at Louvain in Belgium.

The painting was installed above the altar at king’s college chapel in 1968, which lowered the sanctuary flow to create a high altar.

During the removal of the Tudor step to building an altar, human remains in the intact coffin with brass plaques were discovered dating from the 15th to 18th centuries.

The installation of Rubens brought a conflict between the picture’s swirling colours and those of the stained glass.

The Rubens also had the same shape as the windows, and plain shutters were proposed to give it a triptych shape.

The triptych shape gave it independence of form, which people see today. The installation was designed by architect Sir Martyn Beckett.

5. It took five kings to finish the construction of three chapel

The first stone was laid by henry on the feast of St. James, the apostle, on 25th July 1446. As the construction progressed during the reign of Henry VI, workers laid down their tools after they received news that the king had been taken at the beginning of the war of roses.

Both Edward IV and Edward V contributed money to the chapel’s construction, but the progress was halted due to the was.

By the end of the reign of Richard 111 in 1485, five bays had been completed and timber roofs erected despite the wars.

In 1506 Henry VI visited, paid for the work to resume, and left money so that the construction could continue after his death.

In 1515 the building was complete, but the most significant windows had yet to be made. The completion was under Henry VIII.

6. The chapel is the world’s finest perpendicular gothic architecture

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Perpendicular Gothic architecture was the final style of English gothic architecture developed in the kingdom of England during the late middle age.

The chapel displays its gothic architecture through its large windows, the fan vault and rood screen.

7. The chapels have great windows

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The chapel windows are some of the finest in the world from their era. The chapel has 12 large windows on each side and larger windows at the east and west end.

The west windows are by Flemish hands and date from 1515 to 1531. Benard flower was the first non- Englishman appointed as the king’s Glazierand he completed four windows.

The east windows were completed by Galyon Hone and his three partners, two English and one Flemish, between 1526 and 1531.

Francis Wiliam and Symon Symodes made the final four windows. The modern window on the west was donated by king’s alumnus Francis Stacy and is by the Clayton and Bell company.

8. The chapel has a rood screen

This large wooden screen separates the anti-chapel from the choir and supports the organ. The rood screen was erected from 1532 to 1536 by Henry VII in celebration of his marriage to Anne Boleyne.

The screen represents early Renaissance architecture, contrasting with the perpendicular gothic chapel. Sir Nikolaus Persner said it’s the most exquisite piece of Italian surviving in England.

9. Henry VI designed the chapel

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Henry VI founded the chapel in 1441 with a grand plan of making it a university counterpart to Eton college.

The chapel was intended to form one side of a great court for the other three sides of the court, which were never completed.

Henry VI forced landowners to sell him plots, and he pulled down residences, shops and a parish church to make room for his creation.

He had his royal architect Reginald of Ely, who devised the church’s plan. On 25th July 1446, Henry laid the foundation stone of the new chapel and construction began.

10. The king’s college chapel is a historic site

The chapel remains to be one of the iconic buildings in Cambridge, and it attracts visitors from all over the world.

Most visits are self-guided and allow a few hours to take all the information about it and explore its grounds.

The chapel is open from Tuesday until Saturday from 10.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m., and entrance charges are 9 Euros for adults and 6 Euros for children.