Cambridge St John's College chapel marks 150 years
- Published
A university chapel once described as a "white elephant" is marking 150 years since its consecration.
The chapel replaced a "relatively modest" Tudor building in 1869 to "better reflect the size and wealth" of St John's College, Cambridge.
The 175ft (53m)-long building was designed by George Gilbert Scott.
College president Frank Salmon said the chapel was "integral to college life" and had been "the perfect space" to develop its "world-famous" choir.
"There has always been an issue about whether the chapel was a white elephant," said Dr Salmon.
"But the chapel is more integral to our academic activities than other big college chapels, with a welcome and farewell service for students every year."
Dr Salmon added: "It was the perfect space to develop the choir from one of elderly men to one of boy choristers and choral scholars - transforming it into the world-famous one we have today.
"And while Victorian architecture was mostly despised in the 20th Century, it's a really high-quality building."
Two services were organised to be held in the chapel on Sunday to mark the anniversary, external.
A chapel with 'fantastic' music acoustics
The college, which was founded by Henry VII's mother Margaret Beaufort, first raised the idea of replacing its Tudor chapel in 1687
The chapel has a wooden ceiling, which is "a poor acoustic for the spoken word but fantastic for music", Dr Salmon said
The choir of 15 choral scholars and 20 boy choristers sing daily services, and its concerts and services are regularly broadcast on radio
By the 19th Century the college had more students, and a larger chapel was considered essential
It took more than two years to build the Gothic Revival-style church which cost £78,319 - the equivalent of £9m today, external
The college laid on a special train to bring St John's graduates from London for its consecration on 12 May, 1869
- Published27 January 2016
- Published3 April 2012