Behind the Scenes
Welcome to this issue of Behind the Scenes. Inside, you will find news and pictures of the projects that, through your support of the College of St George, you have helped to make possible. As works progress and new projects are begun, we hope to bring you more information. At various times over the centuries, conservation and restoration of the medieval architecture of St George’s have been undertaken. Works planned and overseen by Sir Christopher Wren in the 17th century, Henry Emlyn in the 18th century, Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century, and Sir Harold Brakspear in the 20th century, have been the most signifi cant. The fi rst phase of the 21st century renewal campaign has already reached completion. So far, parts of the Chapel, both internal and external, and some surrounding buildings have been cleaned, conserved and restored. This achievement marks a signifi cant step on the way to securing the long-term future of this wonderful place. There remains, however, much to be done. Your pledged support makes possible not just such special works as these, but also the day-to-day maintenance and running of the Chapel and College. I extend the warmest thanks to you all: the Bray Fellowship, other Major Benefactors, Friends, Companions and Patrons of St George’s. The Right Reverend David Conner KCVO Dean of Windsor
Behind the Scenes 1 North Quire Aisle 2 Canons’ Cloister 4 Marbeck 6 Catherine Room Wall Paintings 8 The Ambulatory 10 Chapel Archives
Development Office College of St George 8a The Cloister Windsor Castle Windsor SL4 1 NJ T 01753 848 885 www.stgeorges-windsor.org
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Conservators worked to clean the stone vaulting and bosses which had become heavily covered in layers of grime caused, in part, by oil lamps and candles over the centuries. The contrast between the cleaned areas and the ever diminishing dirty patches was striking throughout the clean. Soft brushes and de-ionised water were used to coax off the dirt or, in areas where the problem was more deep seated, poultices drew the dirt out. A large number of masons marks were found, some of which match marks found in the cleaning of the South Quire Aisle two years ago. A boss displaying the coat of arms of King Edward IV is adjacent to his tomb. To the west there are six other
large bosses and carved angels holding coats of arms. The work of cleaning and conserving the North Quire Aisle was paid for by the Friends of St George’s and Descendants of the Knights of the Garter. A large part of the grant came from the American Friends.
Photographs: Charlotte Manley
The North Quire Aisle of St George’s fi lled with scaffolding from the middle of June until October.
North Quire Aisle College of St George
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Canons’ Cloister The Bray Fellowship, a group of no more than ten major contributors known as Bray Fellows, has made possible the refurbishment of the Canons’ Cloister. This project started in 2009 and it is hoped that external works will be completed by August 2012. Originally some twenty six sets of chambers built for clergy, who fi rst occupied them in 1355, the Canons’ Cloister was fi rst restored in 1670. It has since been redesigned to house clergy and lay employees of the College and provide choir vestries and offi ce accommodation, but much of the original fabric remains. Detail from Hollar’s birds-eye view of Windsor Castle, c.1660 – Canons’ Cloister in the centre
Behind the Scenes |
Photographs: Martin Ashley Architects, Charlotte Manley, David Clare
3 Some interesting discoveries made during the current refurbishment works: • The sloping rafters that survive in numbers around the Canons’ Cloister roofs are remarkable for their extraordinary length, being some seven metres long..... Roof trusses over the Adams Room in St George’s House
Oak framed wall structure
• The deep overhanging eaves and moulded oak cornice, a possible oak balustrade and exposed oak wall framing suggests that the original appearance of the Canons’ chambers could have been very different to how they look now. • Recent dendrochronology has shown that the extensive improvements to No 6, including its added top floor and extension into the cloister garth date from the late 15th Century, rather than the 16th century as previously thought. • A complete medieval first floor with its original 14th century boarding almost intact carries evidence suggesting that the floorboards were overlaid with tiles bedded in mortar.
Detailed inspection of underground services in Canons’ Cloister
Also, a new innovation that has been made possible by the refurbishment works is the installation of a water mist fire suppression system and cabling for the automatic fire detection systems in the houses of Canons’ Cloister. College of St George
Marbeck Located at the bottom of Denton’s Commons and adjacent to the Vicars’ Hall, the building we know as Marbeck House has through its various incarnations overlooked St George’s Chapel since the Chapel’s construction started in 1475. It has been home to Chantry Priests, a Chapter Clerk, a Canon’s house, Organist and Chorister lodgings, Directors of Music and Song School for the Choir. The restoration of Marbeck House was undertaken in 2008/9 thanks to funding being secured from a single benefactor. Much of the restoration was reliant upon the same hand skills that had shaped these buildings over the previous fi ve hundred years: repairs to the chimneys and careful re-pointing, hand brushing away of carbon deposits from carved details on the upperstring course of the Curtain Wall, the formed lead, shaped stone, structural timber, and so much more.
Behind the Scenes |
Photographs: David Clare
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College of St George
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m o o R ine r e h t a C gs n e i t h T n i a wall p
Figure of St Anthony on east wall, with associated pig and shield
Figure of St Catherine on east wall
Behind the Scenes |
Photographs: David Clare
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During reconstruction work on the College’s domestic buildings, the remains of a painted frieze appeared under the limewash on three walls of the fourteenth century first floor chamber at number 2 The Cloisters. These once hidden treasures, believed to date from the late fi fteenth and early sixteenth centuries, may now be enjoyed by all who visit the Catherine Room. The best preserved part of the frieze is on the eastern wall. Dominated by imagery relating to Katherine of Aragon, including her pomegranate emblem on the foliage background and the image of her patron saint, St Catherine of Alexandria. The image of St Anthony of Egypt can be seen on the left side of the wall. He is identifi ed by a long staff surmounted by a tau (the Greek letter T), with his usual associate, a pig with a bell round its neck.
College of St George
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Only when the conservators, on their raised scaffolding, began the careful preservation of the fifteenth century stone work in the ambulatory, were these beautiful sculptures re-discovered. - Where the vaulting meets the wall there is a carved string course of leaves.
The Ambulatory Behind the Scenes |
Photographs: David Clare
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Hiding in the fi nials there are two tiny monkeys, one forest-wild, one chained, perhaps a royal pet. Unsurprisingly, between the rib-work there is a George and dragon, no bigger than a coffee saucer and, unexpectedly, a miniscule representation of the Holy Trinity, each person emerging from a separate Yorkist rose.
College of St George
Chapel Archives The Chapel Archives team have been closely involved in all the work mentioned in this booklet. Together with
the consultant Archaeologist, they have noted the discoveries and referenced items back to records held in the Chapel Archives. All in all, it has been an exciting time for them.
© The Dean & Canons of Windsor
The team also produced the display in the Chapel on 400 years of the King James Bible. This included several very rare documents and examples of early printed books, all of which came from the Chapel Archives. The Companions and Patrons continue to support the work of the Archives by adopting a book as part of their membership. This allows the Archives team to restore, re-bind and preserve some very precious books and manuscripts which can be viewed by appointment.
The Foundation of the College of St George, Windsor Castle is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales. The Foundation of the College of St George, Windsor Castle is a company limited by guarantee. Registered offi ce 2 The Cloisters, Windsor Castle, Windsor, SL4 1NJ, Company No 5937511. Registered Charity No 1118295. ©2012 The Dean & Canons of Windsor • Design by Exposed Design Consultants