Eton College Chapel facts for kids
Eton College Chapel is the main chapel of Eton College, a famous public school in England. It was planned to be much longer than it is now, but the original builder, King Henry VI, faced problems, so the chapel was never fully finished. You can still see a marker showing how far it was supposed to reach! The chapel is built in a beautiful old style called Gothic, specifically the Perpendicular style, which means it has tall, straight lines and big windows.
In the 1950s, the wooden roof of the chapel had problems with tiny bugs called deathwatch beetles. To fix this, a new ceiling was put in. It's called fan vaulting and is made of concrete covered with stone, supported by strong steel beams. It looks very grand and detailed, like a giant fan spreading out across the ceiling.
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Chapel Services
Eton College Chapel is used very often. During school terms, there's at least one service every day. Many other services are also popular, from quiet Taizé prayers to Roman Catholic Communion and evening prayers called Compline.
Almost every morning, students have to attend a short service. Different school years attend on different days. These services are usually quite short, lasting no more than twenty minutes.
The Founder's Vision
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King Henry VI, who founded Eton College, thought the religious side of his new school was very important. He wanted the chapel services to be grand and special. He planned for many priests, chaplains, clerks, and choristers (singers) to work there. There were supposed to be 14 services every day, plus special prayers for his parents and, after his death, for himself. This was a common practice in the Catholic Church to pray for a person's soul.
For a while, the chapel was a very popular place for pilgrims (religious travelers) to visit. People came from all over Europe, especially in August for a big fair. However, after about ten years, fewer pilgrims came, and the number of clergy working at the chapel was reduced.
Even today, chapel services are a very important part of life at Eton College. Students attend chapel on Sundays and three or four other days each week. There are also many extra services they can choose to go to.
Because the school grew, a second chapel, called Lower Chapel, was built in 1890 to make space for more students.
The Chapel Choir
The chapel choir is made up of boys who attend Eton College. Many of these boys have sung in other famous choirs, like those in cathedrals. Some even receive special music scholarships to attend the school. After Eton, many continue their singing at universities like Oxford or Cambridge.
The choir sings at several compulsory services each week, usually on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. They also perform at other optional services.
Wall Paintings
The wall paintings inside the chapel are considered some of the most amazing artworks at Eton College. They were created by at least four skilled painters, including William Baker, and took eight years to finish (from 1479 to 1487). These paintings are in a style from Flanders (a region in Europe) and cover the sides of the chapel.
On the north side, the paintings show scenes about the Virgin Mary, to whom the chapel is dedicated. On the south side, they tell a popular medieval story about a mythical empress. In 1560, these paintings were covered with whitewash because new Protestant church leaders banned pictures of mythical miracles. They were hidden and forgotten for about 300 years until they were found again in 1847. In 1923, they were carefully cleaned and restored so everyone could see them once more.
Chapel Windows
During World War II, a bomb fell near the school and shattered almost all the glass in the chapel windows. Only one window, above the organ, survived.
The new East Window was designed by Evie Hone. The designs for the windows on either side were created by John Piper and made into glass by Patrick Reyntiens. These windows show different stories from the Bible. On the north side, there are four miracles: the Miraculous Draft of Fishes, the Feeding of the Five Thousand, the Stilling of the Waters, and the Raising of Lazarus. On the south side, there are four parables (stories that teach a lesson): the Light under a Bushel, the House built on the Rock, the Lost Sheep, and the Sower.
Burials
The Conduct
The Conduct is the main chaplain (priest) of Eton College. This person is in charge of the College Chapel and leads the daily services, as well as special events like weddings or baptisms.
- The Revd Stephen Gray (From 2016)
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