A new research guide has been added on the Guide to Holdings pages of our website. The latest in the series is on the Naval Knights of Windsor.

Set up to provide support to retired seamen, the institution was intended to operate along the lines of the already established Military Knights of Windsor. In 1799, land was purchased in Datchet Lane for the construction of living quarters for the Naval Knights, and Travers College was built.

However, by the 1860s it was clear that the ideal of devout men living in common was not being achieved. The records reveal many instances of fighting, drunkenness and profane language among the Naval Knights, along with their complaints about compulsory attendance in chapel and their enforced bachelorhood. In 1892, the institution was formally disbanded and the buildings became St George’s School.

Further information on the Naval Knights, including what records we hold, can be found in the new research guide.

Eleanor Cracknell (Assistant Archivist)

We are publishing a series of research guides on the Guide to Holdings section of this website. The guides contain information on the documents held at the St George’s Chapel Archives, provide introductions to a range of topics relating to the history of St George’s Chapel, and suggest relevant secondary texts for consultation.

Research guides on the Order of the Garter and the Military Knights are now available to view online.

In the following weeks we shall be adding a number of additional research guides, covering a range of topics including the history of the College of St George, the properties administered by the Dean and Canons of Windsor throughout England and Wales, and the art and architecture of the Lower Ward of Windsor Castle.

John (Archives Assistant)

James Salmon was appointed a probationer lay clerk on 18 May 1780 [SGC VI.B.8]. He and his wife Sarah had four children who were baptised in the Chapel; William on 18 March 1787; Elizabeth-Mary on 27 January 1789; Ann on 12 September 1790; and Mary on 21 July 1795 [SGC R.1]. In 1799, they lived at No. 19 Horseshoe Cloister.

Given 10 guineas on account of his circumstances in 1785 [SGC VI.B.8], he was fined 1s for non-attendance in Chapel on 14 December 1795 [SGC VI.B.8]. In January 1819, he was suspended from duty until his daughters be removed from his house, “in consequence of their general bad character” [SGC VI.B.9]. He was suspended again in December 1820 as his daughter Mary had given birth to an illegitimate child in his house [SGC VI.B.9]. He was admonished and one month’s pay withheld from him. In February 1824, he was again suspended due to his “unbecoming behaviour” and numerous complaints against his daughters [SGC VI.B.9]. They were given 2 days to leave. By April 1824, they had still not left, with James stating that he had tried and failed to find accommodation in the town. On account of his age and infirmity, he was permitted to remain in the Cloisters until Midsummer [SGC VI.B.9]. In June, this suspension was repealed on account of his condition and the fact that his daughters had now moved out [SGC VI.B.9]. He died 3 years later on 27 March 1827 [SGC V.B.7] and was buried in the Chapel 4 April 1827 at the age of 86 [SGC R.1]. The cost of his burial was 18s 4d and he was buried in the grass plot on the south side of the Chapel [SGC XIII.A.5]

His son William, however, was appointed probationer lay clerk on 14 April 1806, swore oath and made his declaration a year later [SGC VI.B.8]. He and his wife Nancey Paris lived at 24 Horseshoe Cloister [now part of No. 16] and had a daughter, Charlotte, who was baptised in the Chapel on 3 November 1812 [SGC R.1]. He continued as lay clerk for 52 years, and was buried in the same area as his father on 1st February 1858 [SGC R.1]. In contrast, his burial cost £1 14s 4d [SGC XIII.A.5]

Eleanor (Assistant Archivist)

On 13 April 1598 the Edict of Nantes was issued by Henry IV of France, allowing freedom of religion to the Huguenots, a French Protestant community.

In England, freedom of worship had been granted to Protestants by Edward VI, by Royal Charter of 1550. Following this, many French Protestants flocked to London to escape the religious wars in France. On arrival in England they needed somewhere to worship.

St George’s Chapel had been given the hospital and advowson of St Anthony’s in the City of London by Edward IV in 1475. By 1563 the religious foundation was largely brought to an end, and the church building in Threadneedle Street was leased to the French Protestant community in London during Elizabeth I’s reign. The first such lease held in the College Archives is dated 4 August 1581 and describes the church as ‘the church called St Anthonies Chappell now commonly called the French Church for the use of people to resorte thither to their divine service’ [SGC XVI.2.2].

The original church was destroyed during the Great Fire of London, but a new one was soon built and the site continued to be leased by the College to the French Congregation until 1841, when the church was demolished to make way for the new Royal Exchange. The Dean and Canons demanded £2100 from the Corporation of the City of London in compensation for their interest in the French Protestant Church, Threadneedle Street [Chapter Acts, 22 January 1840: SGC VI.B.10].

Eleanor (Assistant Archivist)

St George’s Chapel has long held documents relating to the early culture and organisation of the Poor Knights of Windsor (renamed the Military Knights of Windsor in 1833), including copies of the early statutes, ordinances and attendance registers and a number of petitions issued collectively by the Knights. We have recently acquired a large collection of twentieth century documents which were previously kept by the Governor of the Military Knights. This extensive collection includes photographs, correspondence, attendance registers, diaries, and a number of histories written about the Knights. The documents in this collection contain biographical details about recent Military Knights, and provide evidence of the various social and religious activities of the Knights.

The documents have been catalogued using international standards for archival description. They have also been treated with conservation techniques, ensuring that they are preserved for use by future researchers. All our documents relating to the Poor or Military Knights of Windsor are readily searchable on our electronic database. If you wish to consult this newly catalogued collection, or to make an enquiry relating to the Poor or Military Knights, then please contact us.

John (Archives Assistant)

Henry VIII and his Garter Knights

The Black Book (Liber Niger) named because of its black velvet binding, is the earliest surviving register of the Order of the Garter. It was commissioned by Henry VIII who took a strong personal interest in the Order. It was begun in 1534 by Robert Aldrydge, Canon of Windsor and Register of the Order but incorporates material from the first known register, the Registrum ordinis Chartaceum, and continues until 1551.

Written in Latin, it contains the statutes, an account of the foundation of the Order and details of Garter elections and ceremonies. It is richly illuminated, with representations, in decorated initials, of the Founder Edward III and successive sovereigns up to Henry VIII and, as its climax, a central double-page depicting the ceremonies of the Order for the year 1534. These illuminations have been identified as the work of Lucas Hornbolte.

Although it is rare for the Black Book to be publicly displayed outside the Chapter Archives and Library, it was one of the outstanding items at the exhibition in Greenwich 1991 to celebrate the quincentenary of the birth of Henry VIII and will form a central part of the display at ‘Henry VIII: A 500th Anniversary Exhibition’ to be held at Windsor Castle for twelve months from April 2009.

Enid (Assistant Archivist)

Arms of Thomas Hollard, 1st Earl of Kent

Thomas Holland, afterwards 1st Earl of Kent, was one of the founder knights of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.

Born around 1314, he fought many times in France during the Hundred Years War, including at the Battle of Sluys and the Siege of Tournai, and was in chief command of the vanguard at the battle of Crécy under the Black Prince. His military achievements meant that he was given important commands including the Captaincy of Calais Castle, guardianship of the Duke of Brittany during his minority, and in September 1360 his most important post yet, that of Edward III’s Captain and Lieutenant in Normandy and France.

In 1340 he had secretly married Edward III’s cousin Joan, the “Fair Maid of Kent”. While he was away fighting, she was forced by her family to marry the better connected William Montagu, Earl of Salisbury. On Thomas’ return, the first marriage was revealed, and the Pope ordered Joan to return to Thomas. This she did, and they had four children together. In 1361, after Thomas’ death, Joan married the Black Prince, and gave birth to a son who would become Richard II.

This image comes from a notebook by Henry Emlyn, architect and supervisor of George III’s restoration of the Chapel [SGC M.172]. Dating from around 1785, this page shows the arms of the Holland family, azure powdered with fleur-de-lis and a lion rampant argent. The crest of the hart lodged, or lying down, and ducally gorged comes from the arms of Joan of Kent.

Eleanor (Assistant Archivist)

Signature and seal of Nell Gwyn

St George’s Chapel Archives holds three leases, all dated 11 December 1684, conveying land and property to Eleanor ‘Nell’ Gwyn ([1651]-1687), the notorious mistress of King Charles II. Through the indenture pictured [SGC XI.N.7], the Dean and Canons of St George’s Chapel leased a garden in New Windsor to ‘Ellenor Gwinn’ at a cost of 12 shillings annual rent. Through the two additional indentures [SGC XI.N.5-6,9] Gwyn leased nearby properties on Priest Street and at a place called ‘the old Hawes’, lying to the south of the King’s garden. The leases are signed E.G. and hold the seal of arms used by Gwyn.

The tenements conveyed in these leases were but a few of the many properties leased and purchased for Nell Gwyn by the royal household. When these leases were signed in 1684, Gwyn already held the freehold for a house at the west end of Pall Mall and a lease for a summer residence at Bagnigge Wells House. The land and properties conveyed in the leases of 11 December 1684 were in fact intended as an enlargement of the property already leased by Gwyn in Windsor at Burford house. Gwyn’s properties at Windsor were situated at the back of the castle, meaning that they were conveniently located for rendezvous with the King.

John (Archives Assistant)

A ship graffito

A royal castle in Berkshire may not seem the most likely place to find images of medieval ships but two such examples exist within the walls of Windsor Castle. The first, perhaps better described as existing on the walls of Windsor Castle, is believed to date from the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century. The image takes the form of a graffito or wall-drawing and may be a rare depiction of a balinger. Similar to a barge and carrying both oars and sails, such vessels were a common feature of medieval coastal shipping.

The second image is a seal in the Archives attached to a document dated 1 April 1352 [SGC XV.55.59]. The double sided seal is made of green wax and is that of Yarmouth Borough. It shows men sailing a ship, two in the rigging and a third at the tiller. Maritime historians have long since found the image of interest due to the clear depiction of a ‘bowline led from the sail to the bow-spirit end’ [The Society of Friends of St George's annual report, 1951].

Men sailing a ship on the seal of the Borough of Yarmouth

The document to which the seal is attached is no less interesting and contains evidence of an unusual payment made by Yarmouth to the College of St George. Persuaded by Edward III, and apparently through a devotion to the Dean and College of St George, the Bailiffs and Commonalty of Great Yarmouth granted a last of red herrings, to be presented dry and cleaned, every St Andrew’s Day. This was a considerable gift when one considers that a ‘last’ contained between 10,000 and 13,200 fish. In the 17th century Canon Evans depicted a rather less pious explanation to the document. It seems likely that the annual payment was a punishment on the town for the murder of a Yarmouth magistrate. The payment continued for an extraordinary period of time. By 1718 the quality of herrings was such that the College began accepting money instead. It was only in 1867 when the Ecclesiastical Commissioners took control of the College’s property that the town quietly stopped the payment.

Richard (Assistant Archivist)

Recently we have been cataloguing and conducting conservation work to the sizable music collection donated to the archives by Sidney Campbell, influential composer of sacred music and organist of St George’s Chapel 1961-1974. This has involved transferring Campbell’s collection to acid-free folders and boxes, removing objects which are likely to cause damage to the collection, and listing the documents on our electronic database, thereby preserving the collection and making it readily accessible to researchers.

The collection consists of over 1300 pieces of printed sacred music, around 100 music manuscripts handwritten by Campbell, and various other exciting documents - the programme for Sidney Campbell’s investiture service at Buckingham Palace, a large collection of traditional English folk music, and lists of the music played in St George’s Chapel in the 1960s and early 1970s, for example.

Many of the pieces of sacred music in Campbell’s collection are still played in chapel services.

In addition to the Sidney Campbell Collection of modern printed and manuscript music, St George’s Chapel archive holds a large collection of printed and manuscript music dating from the fourteenth century onwards. This collection includes Men’s Part books, Organ books, Treble Books, and manuscripts, composed or deposited by previous members of the College. The current Image of the Month on this website is of a fragment of a service book dating from around the fourteenth century, providing a sense of the richness and diversity of our collection.

John (Archives Assistant)