Cambridge PapersBall, W. W. Rouse (Walter William Rouse)
History
Cambridge Papers
Ball, W. W. Rouse (Walter William Rouse)
Trinity College (University of Cambridge); University of Cambridge -- History
In 1831 the fabric was again thoroughly repaired, the roof
redecorated, certain stalls elevated, desks at the east end
constructed, and a new scheme of lighting by candelabra introduced. A
few years later, in 1838, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Undergraduates concerned themselves with marking the attendance of
fellows in chapel. That incident I have described elsewhere.
In 1867-75 the building was again thoroughly overhauled, the south
side faced with stone, a porch, a new vestry, and a choir-room built,
the organ screen moved a few feet westward, the walls and roof
painted, gilding used freely on the panelling, the windows filled with
stained glass, backed benches and kneeling stools introduced for
undergraduates, and the building lighted with gas. During part of the
time occupied by this restoration, the College used St Michael's
church as its chapel.
According to the scheme of decoration, adopted on the advice of
Lightfoot and Westcott, if we proceed eastwards up the chapel we are
supposed to note, in order, the frescoes on the walls (which
represent old testament heroes and teachers) and paintings on the roof
(which illustrate the Benedicite), leading up through Jewish history
to the birth of Christ, and then, returning westward, to have
suggested to us, by the successive windows, the historical development
of Christianity and the growth of learning particularly in the
University and College. A man might worship many years in the chapel
before he discovered this design.
The panels in the sacrarium are replaced by intarsia work in which all
the woods used are of their natural colours. The sixteenth-century
silver cross on the communion table came from Spain. The wrought-iron
gas standards here and through the chapel are also worthy of note;
fortunately they were allowed to remain when the electric light was
introduced. All this, as well as the scheme of decoration of the
antechapel, is described in guide-books with more or less accuracy.
Probably the services were never rendered more effectively than in the
years following this restoration. Attendance on Sunday evening was
required unless absentees could urge conscientious or other good
reasons for exemption, but a large proportion of those who might have
obtained exemption did, in fact, take part in the Sunday services.
More benches were placed in the chapel than are there now, and the
building, with every seat occupied and everyone (save a few
privileged visitors) in a surplice, presented a most impressive scene.
Electric light was introduced in 1893, and has added much to the
comfort of congregations in winter evenings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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