Buckingham Chantry Chapel facts for kids
The Buckingham Chantry Chapel is a very old and special building in Buckingham, England. It is also known as the Old Latin School. This chapel was built in the 15th century and is now looked after by the National Trust. It is the oldest building in Buckingham and is famous for its amazing doorway, which was built even earlier, during the Norman times. A big fire in 1725 destroyed many buildings in Buckingham, but the chapel survived! It is a very important historical building.
Contents
History of the Chapel
Early Beginnings
The building first started as a hospital in the 12th century. This was a place where people could get care. Later, in 1268, it became a chantry chapel. A chantry chapel was a special place where priests would pray for the souls of certain people. Matthew de Stratton, who was an important church leader called the Archdeacon of Buckingham, helped set it up.
Building and School Use
The chapel you see today was mostly built in the 15th century. A person named John Ruding, who was an Archdeacon of Lincoln, helped rebuild parts of it in 1471 and 1481.
Later, the building was used by the Royal Latin School. The priests from the chapel probably taught the first students there. A house for the schoolmaster was added next to it. The school stayed in this building for a very long time, until 1907. It moved to new buildings because it needed more space for all its students.
Later Care and Today
In 1875, a famous architect named Sir George Gilbert Scott helped to fix up the chapel.
The chapel was given to the National Trust in 1912. The National Trust is an organization that protects important historical places and natural beauty spots. They still own the chapel today. You can visit it, and it is now used as a second-hand bookshop!
External links
- Buckingham Chantry Chapel information at the National Trust
