Floreat Etona: Anecdotes and Memories of Eton CollegeNevill, Ralph
History
Floreat Etona: Anecdotes and Memories of Eton College
Nevill, Ralph
Eton College
The fine tapestry behind the altar, executed by the firm of William
Morris from the designs of the late Sir Edward Burne-Jones, was
presented by an art-loving Eton Master, Mr. H. E. Luxmoore, in 1895,
whilst the picture of Sir Galahad, hanging on the western wall, was
presented by its painter, Watts.
The great stained-glass east window--a source of grumbling and
discontent to several generations of Etonians, who were obliged to
contribute what was known as “window-money”--was executed by Willement
between 1844 and 1849, being set up in bits as the contributions wrung
from the boys increased. Within recent years the crude and violent
tints of this costly example of the work of a bad period have been
softened. The irregular curve of the external arch-mould over this
window is said to be due to the circumstance that when the College
Chapel was built the stones of the Parish Church (which stood in the
present graveyard and was built in 1441) were used over again.
[SN: A TRANSPARENT FAILURE]
If the great east window is now somewhat less of a “transparent
failure” than of yore, the other windows on the north and south sides
of the Chapel remain specimens of bad design and colour. Those in
the Ante-Chapel, however, are less glaring. The two large windows by
Hardman on the north and south form the memorial to Etonians who fell
in the Crimea; those at the west end are personal memorials. Below
these windows are a number of tablets commemorating Etonians of note.
On the floor of the Ante-Chapel is a fine slab to the memory of the
late Bishop Abraham. There is also a marble statue of the Founder, by
Durham, and another of Provost Goodall, who in all probability would
have been appalled by the changes of 1847.
The Rev. John Wilder, whose munificence served to modernise the College
Chapel he had known all his life, is also here commemorated by a
tablet. Besides giving £5000 to the restoration fund, he presented
fourteen stained-glass windows in the choir, and decorated the reredos
and east end as well as the new organ and case. Though his benefactions
were animated by a generous and unselfish spirit, it is much to be
regretted that he did not devote his money to some better purpose.
[SN: THE LOST FONT]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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