Old Eastbournian
150 years
of the College chapel
2024 marked the 150th anniversary of the opening of the College chapel. Here archivist Paul Jordan provides a brief history
D esigned by the Duke of Devon- shire’s architect, Henry Currey, and costing £1,343 to build, the chapel opened on 20 June 1874 and could accom - modate 150 pupils. Internally the building was simply decorated with plain glass in the windows and red brick walls. Initially there was no heating but the Eastbourne Gazette reported: ‘…along the aisle runs a cast iron grating, so arranged that the building may be warmed by hot water apparatus at any future time without doing injury to the building’. The transepts and chancel were added in 1889 and the existing east window was removed and reset into the new chancel. The chapel was considerably enlarged in 1929 when the side aisles were added. The brick walls were painted white which made the interior much lighter. A porch dedi- cated to Edgar Seymour Hunt (Chaplain 1924–32) was added in 1935 and the last major change took place when the vestry was built in 1954. The chapel is very fortunate to have six stained glass windows designed by Victorian artist Mary Lowndes. Her first commission for the College was the west window which commemorated the lives of former pupils killed in the South African War. Mary was a suffragette and designed banners, posters and postcards to support the cause. The suffragette colours, purple, white and green, feature in the windows she created. There are other stained glass windows but these tend to show a more traditional approach in their design. The interior of the chapel was plain until 1893 when two frescos were added either side of the altar: ‘The Holy Child among the doctors in the temple’ and ‘The Saviour blessing the little children’. The work was executed by the firm of church decorators, Clayton & Bell. Mr Bell personally copied the pictures onto the walls from the ‘car- toons’. Unfortunately, these early frescos have not survived. The scheme was com- pleted in 1904–05 when further frescos were added on either side of, and above, the east window. The work was carried out by Harry Windsor Fry, a member of the Royal Society of British Artists. The chapel contains many plaques com- memorating the lives of former pupils and members of staff. The memorial listing
The chapel in the 1890s showing the new transepts and chancel. The early frescos can be seen either side of the altar
former pupils killed in the First World War, installed in 1924, contains an error. Cyril Wickens-Smith, whose name appears on the plaque, was on board the SS Lusitania when it was sunk by a German U-Boat in 1915. He was believed to have drowned. In fact, it was his brother, Basil (not an OE), also on board, who died. When the Memo - rial Tower was opened a year later, Cyril’s name was not listed. The impressive wooden plaque sculp- tured by Nigerian artist, Ben Enwonwu MBE, commemorates the life of Bishop Walter Carey, College Chaplain, and was unveiled in 1956. Singing was accompanied by the playing of an ‘American Organ’ when the chapel first opened. In 1888 a new organ was installed, a gift from Headmaster Revd Dr Crowden who brought it with him from Cranbrook School. It was rebuilt and enlarged in 1896, and again in 1950 by J W Walkers. Confirmations have taken place at the
chapel since its earliest days and in 1901, Alethea Matheson, daughter of teacher H F Matheson, was the first person to be baptised. Weddings too, feature in the life of the chapel. In September 1927, the neighbour - ing All Saints’ Church burnt down and, for a number of years, couples were allowed to marry at the College chapel. The first wedding to be held in the chapel following the fire took place on 15 October 1927. Joseph Woodgate (brickmaker) married Freda Cole. In more recent years, a number of weddings of OEs have also taken place. The chapel has seen some distinguished visitors over the years. The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) came to the College in 1931. While in the chapel he examined the TOC H lamp and admired the two stained glass windows commemorating OEs Henry Pennell VC and Theodore Pennell. In the summer of 1938, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visited the chapel and, as he left, was cheered ‘lustily’ by the boys.
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