The College of St George was founded by Edward III in 1348. The College statutes of 1352 established a chapter of thirteen Canons, one of whom was to be Dean. These men were to be responsible for the government of the College, making decisions over expenditure, appointments of staff, management of the estates and all other affairs relative to the business of the College. The Chapter Acts form a record of the issues discussed and the decisions reached, and as such shed light on the weird and wonderful goings on in the College.

On the 7 April 1674, one of the Canons, Dr Hascard, informed the Chapter that all the glass windows on one side of his house were all broken. He enquired what he should do about it, and requested that Chapter seek out the person responsible. Two other Canons, Dr Butler and Dr Scott, duly set about investigating the problem, and confirmed that his windows were indeed largely broken. It was their opinion that whoever had done this had done something “which was very scandalous”.

Hascard’s neighbour, Dr Brideoake, Canon of Windsor from 1660 to 1678 and Dean of Salisbury from 1667, was accused of having broken the windows in a dispute regarding privacy, since the windows in question overlooked Brideoake’s yard. Gregory Hascard had recently spent a large sum of money improving his accommodation, and it seems that many of his changes were very unpopular with his neighbour who had written to the Lord Keeper to complain “that his lodgings at Windsor were offended with a light newly enlarged and which over-looked all the privacies of his house”. He was given permission by the Lord Keeper to erect blinds to preserve his privacy.

Rather than resolving the issue, these blinds had “occasioned much discontent and trouble”. The problems between the two families escalated until eventually Hascard’s windows were deliberately broken, with Brideoake the key suspect.

However, during the year 1674, Brideoake had permission from the King to be absent from the College on business in Salisbury, and had been away from the College for some time so how could he have been the one responsible? It was noted in the Acts that the Canons believed that “Dr Brideoake was no way privy to this action” and that “the Act of Chapter ought to be to reconcile and pacify the parties to prevent further scandal”.

A few weeks later, Chapter ordered that the blinds were not to be re-erected without permission, and significantly a copy of this Act was to be delivered to Mrs Brideoake.

It would therefore seem that it was Brideoake’s wife Mary who had engaged in the act of vandalism! Hascard was given permission to mend his windows, with the money to be repaid to him by the one responsible.

The Chapter Acts do not record whether the dispute was resolved, but no more breakages were reported. On 5 October 1678 Ralph Brideoake passed away, bringing an end to any remaining hostility. His impressive monument can be seen in the Bray Chantry.

Eleanor Cracknell (Assistant Archivist)

When the fox preaches...

The misericords of St George’s Chapel form one of the finest collections of 15th century carvings in the country. The carvers could choose what they wanted to depict, leading to scenes taken from bestiaries, literature and proverbs, and all aspects of human life. 

Depicted on the south side in stall 8 is a fox in priest’s garb, preaching to a flock of geese [SGC PH CCA.248]. The fox represents cunning and falsehood, and the geese the gullible and foolish congregation. The sly fox would lull the geese into a false sense of security with his soothing words, enabling him to make them his dinner. The moral of this story was that foolish people are seduced by false doctrines.

In the church, these representations were often used as warnings against the preaching of the Lollards, followers of a religious movement which began in the mid-14th century and continued to the Reformation. Continuing the story, the fox is suitably punished for his treachery. In the Windsor misericords this is depicted as three friars and a fox with a stolen goose being trundled in a wheelbarrow into the mouth of hell. 

The story of the preaching fox appears in the 12^th century tales of Reynard the Fox, and gave rise to the proverb “When the fox preaches, look to your geese”. The stories of Reynard the Fox had become popular in English folklore by the 14th century and would have been well-known to the carvers. The stories featured in many contemporary works of literature, including Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and in 1481, one of the earliest books printed by William Caxton was The Historie of Reynart the Foxe, a translation of a Dutch text. 

Many of the Reynard stories reflect in biting satire the peasant’s criticism and contempt for the upper classes and the clergy so, despite its use by the Roman Catholic Church as a propaganda weapon against reformers, this image could equally be seen as a message to the established church, that congregations were not prepared to put up with those corrupt members of the clergy who promoted their own concerns above the good of the people.

Eleanor Cracknell (Assistant Archivist)

Marriages of the Prince of Wales have been rare events in English history. The current Prince Charles is only the sixth to marry whilst Prince of Wales since 1501. The last one was his great, great grandfather, Albert Edward, the future King Edward VII, in 1863. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert had begun the search for a bride in 1858 since an early marriage would mean he would be able to have a son earlier to secure his reign. The bride was not allowed to be a Roman Catholic under the Act of Succession. Although the Queen and the Prince Albert were keen on finding a German match, they agreed to a marriage with Princess Alexandra Caroline, daughter of Prince Christian of Denmark, who was known to be very beautiful, charming and intelligent.

The signing of the Attestation Deed

The marriage took place in ‘The King’s free chapel of St George’, Windsor Castle, on 10th March 1863. The marriage attestation deed was signed in the State Apartments of the Castle, rather than in the Chapel, as you can see in this print held in the St George’s Chapel Archives. The Chapel Archives also contain the official marriage register signed by numerous witnesses and other letters and documents connected with the wedding. These reveal the names of the important people from around the world who were invited to attend and even indicate where they were seated in the Chapel. The wedding was not open to members of the public but they were allowed to gather outside to greet the Royal couple.

Navid Khanzadeh (The Langley Academy)

King Henry VI was born at Windsor on 6 December 1421 and succeeded to the throne at the age of nine months as King of England.   Henry was crowned 6 November 1429 at Westminster Abbey a month before his eighth birthday.  He was imprisoned and died in the Tower of London on 21 May 1471.   His body was taken to Chertsey Abbey for burial.

In the Treasurers’ accounts of the College of St George for 1483-84 an entry refers to the payment of £5 10s 2d ‘for expenses about the removal of King Henry VI from Chertsey’.   According to the contemporary account of John Rous, ‘the King’s body was taken out of his grave in the abbey church of Chertsey in August 1484, and honourably received in the new collegiate church of the Castle at Windsor where it was again buried with the greatest solemnity to the south of the high alter’.

The tomb of Henry VI became the object of veneration and the scene of miracles of healing attracted many pilgrims.  Miracles attributed to the King included those connected with one of his treasured relics – an old hat – the King’s Medicine against Headache.   Relics were kept at Windsor until the Reformation.  The metal collecting box for alms still stands beside the tomb.

On 4th November 1910 a formal investigation was made to establish exactly where King Henry’s body had been placed.   Within the second arch on the south side of the Quire, the marble step was removed and space opened.  The shrine appears to have been in the same area as the present slab which had been placed in the centre of the South Quire Aisle in 1790 and was moved to its present position in 1927.

Henry VI was not considered a successful king but rather a good and holy man widely regarded as a saint.   His one lasting achievement was in education, founding Eton College and King’s College, Cambridge.  At Windsor we commemorate his birthday with the ceremony of the Lilies and Roses.  Boys from Eton College attend an obit service together with representatives from Eton and King’s to lay lilies and roses on the tomb of Henry VI while special prayers are said.

“Let Thy blessing O Lord, be upon the Colleges of Thy servant King Henry VI and as Thou has appointed unto them diversities of gifts, grant then also the same spirit, so that they may together serve Thee to the welfare of Thy realm, the benefit of all men, and Thy Honour and Glory; through Jesus Christ Our Lord”.

Enid Davies (Assistant Archivist)

Monument to Field Marshall William Harcourt

Field Marshall William Harcourt (1743-1830) was a soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Serving with the 16th Light Dragoons, Harcourt was scouting in enemy territory on the 13th December 1776, when he came across a messenger bearing a letter from General Lee to General Washington. This subsequently led to the capture of General Charles Lee, regarded as one of the most talented American military leaders, and Harcourt’s recognition as a national hero.

William Harcourt’s monument can now be seen in the North Quire Aisle of St George’s Chapel. It stands 76 inches high on a stone base, representing the Field Marshall in his Coronation robes. However, the figure, sculpted by Sievier in 1832, was originally intended for Stanton Harcourt Church in Oxfordshire, but was moved to its current location on the orders of the King after he took a liking to the ‘splendid statue’. Where the original statue was to be placed in the south transept of Stanton Harcourt, now stands a plaster model, identical to the white marble figure at Windsor.

Despite Britain’s defeat in the American War of Independence, William Harcourt continued to be viewed as a hero, the monument commemorating the honour and bravery demonstrated by him. It was therefore appropriate that his statue would be placed in the Chapel, flanking Deans and Canons, Military Knights, and members of the English Royal Family.

Stefanos Koutroumanidis (Archives volunteer)

Hanging in the Ambulatory is a tapestry depicting Christ and 2 disciples at Emmaus.

According to an article in The Times, 20 August 1888, this tapestry had been recently found in the Chapter Library, cleaned and hung in the choir opposite Katherine of Aragon’s oriel window. It was repaired and framed in 1933 and hung in the nave, before being moved to the Ambulatory where it is now displayed. But where had it originally come from?

The tapestry shows Christ and his disciples at supper and was woven at Mortlake during the reign of Charles I. The Mortlake Tapestry Works were establised on the Thames in west London in 1619 by Sir Francis Crane, making use of the skills of immigrant Flemish workers. The Mortlake Tapestry Works were one of the most famous of their day, celebrated across Europe for the quality of their work. Their mark was the shield of St George, and it is partly from the success of the tapestry works that Sir Francis Crane was able to establish the Crane Foundation, set up to support the Military Knights of Windsor.

The tapestry was presented to the Dean and Canons by Lady Mordaunt, wife of John Mordaunt, Constable of the Castle and Royalist rebel, shortly after the Restoration of the monarchy and the return of Chapter to St George’s Chapel. It was intended to hang before the Altar, described as being after an original by Titian and was given at the instance of Dr Brown. [Inventory made 20 July 1667]. An entry in the Chapter Acts shows that Lady Mordaunt was given leave to lodge in Dr Brown’s house for the time of her lying in [SGC VI.B.3; 2 October 1665] and perhaps the tapestry was given in gratitude for this. It hung in the south quire aisle until the reign of George III when it appears to have disappeared until its rediscovery in 1887.

According to tradition the original painting depicts Emperor Charles V, Katherine’s uncle, as Christ, and the faces of the disciples being those of Philip II of Spain and Cardinal Ximenes, Prime Minister of Charles V.

Eleanor (Assistant Archivist)

Dean Christopher Wren, father of the architect

In 1682 the Dean and Canons of Windsor called in Sir Christopher Wren to undertake an architectural survey of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and to provide an estimate for the restoration work required. Sir Christopher Wren was no stranger to St George’s: his uncle, Matthew, and father, Christopher, had successively served as Dean of Windsor, from 1628 to 1635 and 1635 to 1659 respectively. The younger Christopher Wren (born in 1632) had spent much of his childhood in the Windsor Deanery. However, it was as a skilled surveyor and architect rather than as a former resident that he was invited back in 1682.  His five page report to the Dean and Canons “concerning the defects and reparations of this Chapel” was considered by Chapter at a meeting on 4 April 1682. It made depressing reading.    

Wren’s main concern lay in the condition of the external stonework, particularly the battlements, pinnacles and the “beasts” mounted on them. He wrote:
The Battlements in some places are loose enough and want pointinge, in some places fallen and alsoe the Pinnacles want pointing. The beasts which stand upon them broken and fallen in the gutters. The coapings of the Buttresses in many places take water and nourish weeds and want cleaning and pointinge, the north side most especially…

Indeed, he went so far as to recommend that the beasts on the west front be removed and replaced with forty-eight pineapples at a cost of £50 each:
I could wish the beasts on the west body of the Church which are all decayed & by falling break the lead might be taken of & in leiue of them Pineapples… added to coap the Pinnacles from weather, it would be a decent ornament & the charge not soe considerable as the advantage it would give the fabricke.

Wren’s total estimate for the restoration work was £1,012 which he suggested should be spread over seven years. The Dean and Canons were guided by the majority of Wren’s recommendations, undertaking a major programme of building works including the removal of the “beasts”. However, whether for financial or for aesthetic reasons, Chapter did not take up his suggestion of replacing them with pineapples.

Clare (Archivist and Chapter Librarian)

Monument to Gerald Wellesley, Dean of Windsor, 1854-1882

Gerald Wellesley, born on October 31st 1809, was Dean of Windsor and Register of the Most Noble Order of the Garter from 1854 to 1882. He was the third son of Henry, 1st Baron Cowley, and nephew to Arthur, 1st Duke of Wellington. Wellesley was a highly respected man; Archbishop Davidson (one of Wellesley’s successors as Dean of Windsor) saw him as “one of the most trusted of Queen Victoria’s friends.”

His monument lies in the North Quire Aisle in St George’s Chapel. It is made out of white carrara marble on which is the recumbent figure of Gerald Wellesley. The monument was unveiled by Queen Victoria on 1st December 1884.

However, for many years there has been confusion as to whether Dean Wellesley is actually buried in the Chapel or not. The Dictionary of National Biography and the St George’s Chapel Historical Monograph, The Deans and Canons of Windsor (1950) state that he is buried here, but there is no entry for this in either the Burial Fees Register [SGC XIX.89] or in the Burials Register [SGC R.2] itself. Contemporary articles in The Times newspaper indicate that his funeral took place at Stratfield Saye, the home of the Dukes of Wellington. Does that mean he was buried there too?

The answer is provided by Queen Victoria herself. In her journal for the 23 September 1882, she notes ”The dear Dean, by his own desire, was to be laid to rest in the churchyard at Strathfieldsaye, where he had spent his early years as a Clergyman.  We grieve much that he should not rest at Windsor.”
[Royal Archives VIC/MAIN/QVJ/1882: 23 September]

Matthew Alexander & Matthew Bush, Windsor Boys’ School

Detail from the monument to Princess Charlotte

The monument built in the memory of Princess Charlotte (1796-1817) that presides in the Urswick Chapel in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, was constructed by M.C. Wyatt. The money required to cover its cost was raised through private subscription as early as 1817, the same year as the Princess’s death. A list of subscribers who donated money was published in The Times newspaper in 1818. Subscribers were urged to write their names legibly on their subscription papers as mistakes were sometimes unavoidable when the newspapers were written and subsequently printed (The Times, 13th January 1818).

There were certain members of the public, however, who felt the money being raised could be used towards greater causes. One reader of The Times brought forward this suggestion in a letter to the editor: ‘The season is now approaching when the opera is to open: in support of its ballets, female children, from the age of 6 to 16, are brought forward: their remuneration for a season of 60 nights, is not more than 41.4s for each child: here is gain at the expense of eternal happiness, interdependent of the vice which is disseminated by their intercourse with those of their own age.’ (The Times, 25th December 1817). Another writer earnestly pleaded that the monument (whatever it turned out to be) should at least ‘…record in some measure the virtues of the distinguished personate to whose memory it is raised. It is not to be the mere mausoleum of her exalted rank, nor the funeral urn of her personal grace and accomplishments; – it is to express the esteem entertained for qualities of another order.’ (The Times, 13th February 1818).

According to an entry in the register of Chapter Acts, services in St George’s were disrupted and even cancelled in consequence of the work being undertaken in the Chapel for the erection of the Monument (SGC VI.B.9). It was finally unveiled in 1824, seven years after the Princess’s death. Over the years it has needed various restoration work – it was cleaned in 1844 by request of the Office of Works (SGC XVII.61.29 (b)) and in 1849 a pinnacle was restored over the tomb by local stone mason and builder, Thomas Bedborough, for the price of £25 (SGC VI.B.10)

Frances O’Donnell (Archives volunteer)

In October 1642, Colonel John Venn and twelve companies of foot soldiers took possession of Windsor Castle on behalf of Parliament. With Parliamentary troops occupying the Castle, it was merely a question of time before Governor Venn would seek to have the Royalist Dean and Canons ejected from the Lower Ward.  The House of Lords attempted to preserve the College of St George from harm, ordering the Speaker to write to Colonel Venn “to take care that there be no disorders and disturbances made in the Chapel at Windsor; and that the evidences, registers, monuments there and all things that belong to the Order of the Garter, may be preserved without any defacings; and that he permit the Prebends to live in their own houses”. However, it was not to be and on 23 May 1643 the Dean and Canons, accepting the inevitable, petitioned the Lords that “they may have liberty to carry forth all their goods, utensils, household stuffs and books to their several abodes, and that an order might be made for their safe conveying and quiet enjoying of the same”.

With the Dean and Canons departed, Colonel Venn set about plundering the Chapel, from a combination of religious and financial motives. The coat of mail belonging to Edward IV, with its surcoat of crimson velvet decorated with pearls and rubies, was seized from above his tomb and much of the woodwork and metalwork removed, including the brass statues designed for Henry VIII’s unfinished tomb. In September 1643 the organs and stained glass in the Chapel were defaced and many of the furnishings were destroyed or sold. The Chapel plate was melted down and coined to finance Fairfax’s northern campaign. But all was not lost. The Dean, Dr Christopher Wren, father of the famous architect, managed to recover and preserve the three registers of the Order of the Garter (the Black, Blue and Red Books), and these are now held in the Chapel Archives.  Meanwhile the Poor Knights of Windsor, an integral part of the College of St George since its foundation in 1348, were allowed to remain in residence in the Castle. Although depleted in number and in financial distress, they kept the spirit of the College alive throughout the Commonwealth and were there to greet the new Dean, Bruno Ryves, and his fellow Canons at the Restoration in 1660.

Clare (Archivist and Chapter Librarian)