Reginald Ely facts for kids
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Reginald Ely (also known as Reynold of Ely) was a very important English architect and master builder. He lived in the 1400s, a time when Gothic architecture was popular in England. Many people think he was one of the best English architects of his time. This is mainly because of his work on King's College Chapel in Cambridge. This chapel is a famous example of the "Perpendicular" style. This style was common in English Gothic buildings from the 1300s to the 1600s.
Early Career and Other Works
Reginald Ely started his known work around 1438. He worked at Peterhouse in Cambridge. There, he built a staircase for the college library. He might have also built part of the kitchen area for the main hall.
He may have also designed other buildings. These include the local church in Burwell, Cambridgeshire. He worked on this church between 1454 and 1464. After 1446, he might have also worked on Queens' College, Cambridge.
Building King's College Chapel
Reginald Ely was most likely the main architect for the chapel at King's College, Cambridge. This college is part of the University of Cambridge. He started working there when King Henry VI of England laid the first stone in 1446.
Two years earlier, Reginald was asked to find skilled workers for the chapel. He kept working on the site until building stopped in 1461. He probably designed the main look of the building's walls.
The first plans for the chapel included a type of ceiling called "lierne vaulting." The large pillars in the choir (the part of the church where singers sit) were built for this design. However, a more complex "fan vault" ceiling was built instead.
Reginald also likely designed a special window. This window is on the far east side of the church's north wall. It is the east window of the chapel next to the main one. Unlike the other windows, which are in the "Perpendicular" style, this one is in a "curvilinear" Gothic style. This means it has more flowing, curved shapes.
