TUDOR DAYS

Southland Times, Issue 21285, 5 January 1931, Page 4

TUDOR DAYS

ST. GEORGE’S CHAPEL. THREE CENTURIES OF HISTORY. The King and Queen, with the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, Prince George, and Prince Arthur of Connaught, attended on November 4, the service held to inaugurate the restoration of St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. It is the chapel of the Knights of the Garter, and a number of these were present in their stalls. The function was carried out with dignity and simplicity, says Mr J.' M. N. Jeffries in the Daily Mail, and is likely to remain in the memories of those who were present for the added reason that they had the sentiment of being far back in the days, of Henry VII. One has often envied the people of those times who saw the great churches of England in their freshness, their stained windows first trapping the sun, the arches so white and new that the full achievement of the builders was made manifest, the colour beaming as it did then from every point of the fabric.

The new St. George’s, which is the old St. George’s, dispenses one from that envy now. Visitors will see what was seen on this occasion, a magnificent ancient, chapel, one of the loveliest, perhaps the loveliest, in the country, as it was when it rose over three hundred years ago. Waiting for the arrival of the royal party one looked down and about on a gorgeous scene. The chapel was lit with bright sunlight. It poured through the great west windows, where are seventy-five saints and monarchs emblazoned upon the panes. This flood of coloured light was flung upon the walls and the floor of the chapel, where officials with rods stood in lines in front of the diapered mass of the congregation. Corbels and bosses and spandrils of the roof shone as they did in Tudor days with the most vivid tints, and the multiform subjects of the decoration, portcullises, roses, fleur-de-lys, golden-collared greyhounds, dragons, and the like gave variety to the beauty. These badges are at so many angles and sparkle so with their gold and hues that they seem almost gaily scattered over the roof.

That half of the chapel next, to the altar was not quite in such bright light, but here the canopies over the stalls of the Garter Knights and the effect of the altar, alabaster and gold, with wonderful vessels upon it. made as wonderful a sight.