Cambridge - Pembroke College Chapel.
Pembroke College Chapel.
Detail: Old embroidered kneeler.
The Chapel is the most beautiful building in the College. Built after the Civil War by Christopher Wren it was a breath of fresh air in the tired late Gothic of C17th England. The striking marble floor, the intricate plaster roof, and the glowing ancient woodwork make it a jewel-like and truly lovely space.
The Wren Chapel - Consecrated 1665
Pembroke College was the first in Cambridge to have a Chapel of its own: earlier Colleges worshipped in the nearest parish church. To secure this privilege the foundress, the Countess of Pembroke, obtained special licences from the Pope. Her Chapel was at the north-west corner of the front court, the room now called the Old Library.
To Matthew Wren is due the building of the present Chapel. Admitted Watts Scholar 1601, Fellow of the College 1605 and later President, Master of Peterhouse 1625-1634 (where he had a chief part in building their Chapel, still Gothic, in 1632), Bishop of Hereford, then of Norwich, then of Ely, he was a strong supporter of Archbishop Laud and was kept a prisoner in the Tower under Cromwell 1642 to 1659. While there he vowed to devote, if ever he should be released, a certain sum of money to âsome holy and pious employmentâ, and for this he chose the building of a new Chapel for the College.
The Chapel is the first building of Christopher Wren, consecrated in 1665. Its new classical style set the fashion for other College chapels and continues to afford a fine setting for Christian worship and music.
The Chapel is not only Christopher Wren's first work, but almost the first English church or chapel in the Classical style, preceded only by Inigo Jonesâs church of St Paul, Covent Garden, now rebuilt after a fire in 1795.
As designed for a community of fewer than eighty Fellows and students, this ornamented but restrained, panelled building must have been very spacious, enhanced by its high proportions and a splendid plaster ceiling flooded with light from the great windows including, what Wren afterwards ceased to favour, an east window (the stained glass featuring benefactors of the College is a late addition of 1906 in honour of the mathematician George Stokes).
The view west to the organ gallery is also handsome. The organ is not the original one, having been installed in 1708; it was restored in its fine double cases to baroque configuration by Manders in 1980.
www.pem.cam.ac.uk/the-college/pembroke-past-and-present/c...
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PEMBROKE COLLEGE, THE CHAPEL WITH HITCHAM'S CLOISTER
Heritage Category: Listed Building
Grade: I
List Entry Number: 1125509
Details
PEMBROKE COLLEGE 1. 942 The Chapel, with Hitcham's Cloister. tl 4458 SE 6/277 26.4.50 I 2. The Chapel 1663-5. By Sir Christopher Wren, extended one bay Eastwards in 1880 by George Gilbert Scott, the existing East end being re-erected. It is the earliest completed work by Wren. Built of Portland stone with a Corinthian order, inspired possibly by Serlio. There is an hexagonal cupola on the roof. Original lead rainwater heads with the initial W the original interior features include an elaborate plaster ceiling, oak communion rails, panelling and stalls, marble pavements and oak reredos, the organ is 1707 by Bernard Smith, restored 1863. Hitcham's Cloister, 1664-6. Six bay arcade, each end one being of the late C19. Ashlared ground floor, range of brick chambers above. All restored in late C19. (RCHM).
Listing NGR: TL4489258042
historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/112550...
Cambridge - Pembroke College Chapel.
Pembroke College Chapel.
Detail: Old embroidered kneeler.
The Chapel is the most beautiful building in the College. Built after the Civil War by Christopher Wren it was a breath of fresh air in the tired late Gothic of C17th England. The striking marble floor, the intricate plaster roof, and the glowing ancient woodwork make it a jewel-like and truly lovely space.
The Wren Chapel - Consecrated 1665
Pembroke College was the first in Cambridge to have a Chapel of its own: earlier Colleges worshipped in the nearest parish church. To secure this privilege the foundress, the Countess of Pembroke, obtained special licences from the Pope. Her Chapel was at the north-west corner of the front court, the room now called the Old Library.
To Matthew Wren is due the building of the present Chapel. Admitted Watts Scholar 1601, Fellow of the College 1605 and later President, Master of Peterhouse 1625-1634 (where he had a chief part in building their Chapel, still Gothic, in 1632), Bishop of Hereford, then of Norwich, then of Ely, he was a strong supporter of Archbishop Laud and was kept a prisoner in the Tower under Cromwell 1642 to 1659. While there he vowed to devote, if ever he should be released, a certain sum of money to âsome holy and pious employmentâ, and for this he chose the building of a new Chapel for the College.
The Chapel is the first building of Christopher Wren, consecrated in 1665. Its new classical style set the fashion for other College chapels and continues to afford a fine setting for Christian worship and music.
The Chapel is not only Christopher Wren's first work, but almost the first English church or chapel in the Classical style, preceded only by Inigo Jonesâs church of St Paul, Covent Garden, now rebuilt after a fire in 1795.
As designed for a community of fewer than eighty Fellows and students, this ornamented but restrained, panelled building must have been very spacious, enhanced by its high proportions and a splendid plaster ceiling flooded with light from the great windows including, what Wren afterwards ceased to favour, an east window (the stained glass featuring benefactors of the College is a late addition of 1906 in honour of the mathematician George Stokes).
The view west to the organ gallery is also handsome. The organ is not the original one, having been installed in 1708; it was restored in its fine double cases to baroque configuration by Manders in 1980.
www.pem.cam.ac.uk/the-college/pembroke-past-and-present/c...
————————————————————————
PEMBROKE COLLEGE, THE CHAPEL WITH HITCHAM'S CLOISTER
Heritage Category: Listed Building
Grade: I
List Entry Number: 1125509
Details
PEMBROKE COLLEGE 1. 942 The Chapel, with Hitcham's Cloister. tl 4458 SE 6/277 26.4.50 I 2. The Chapel 1663-5. By Sir Christopher Wren, extended one bay Eastwards in 1880 by George Gilbert Scott, the existing East end being re-erected. It is the earliest completed work by Wren. Built of Portland stone with a Corinthian order, inspired possibly by Serlio. There is an hexagonal cupola on the roof. Original lead rainwater heads with the initial W the original interior features include an elaborate plaster ceiling, oak communion rails, panelling and stalls, marble pavements and oak reredos, the organ is 1707 by Bernard Smith, restored 1863. Hitcham's Cloister, 1664-6. Six bay arcade, each end one being of the late C19. Ashlared ground floor, range of brick chambers above. All restored in late C19. (RCHM).
Listing NGR: TL4489258042
historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/112550...