The Trust On…
Ruby Anniversary Celebration at St George’s Chapel, Windsor
For the final event of the Trust’s Ruby Anniversary celebrations, we invited friends and supporters of the Trust to an evening event at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, the ‘spiritual home’ of the Yorkist dynasty. Here, Dr Joshua Ravenhill recounts this very special event that celebrated the past forty years of Trust activity.
As the crowning jewel of its Ruby Anniversary celebrations, the Yorkist History Trust ran a celebration event on Friday 3 October in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Battling both a combination of wind and rain that defeated even the sturdiest of umbrellas, the attendees entered the castle through the Henry VIII gate and proceeded towards the chapel. Whilst walking through the courtyard, I mused to myself that this might be the only medievalist gathering hosted in a venue guarded by armed police. Thankfully, no medievalist was arrested, and the guests successfully gained access to the Dean’s Cloister and waited to be admitted into the Chapel.
Gathered here, the full range of attendees who had come to celebrate the Trust became clear: 80 guests with various specialisms and connections with the Trust had all come together to share an evening of late medieval splendour.
They would not be disappointed: they were soon let into the Chapel and walked down an aisle with the tomb of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville on the left-hand side and the memorial to Anne, duchess of Exeter and sister to Edward IV, and her husband Sir Thomas St Leger, on the right. The guests sat in the nave and were able to admire the chapel’s fan vaulted ceiling, which people with much more knowledge about architecture than myself have called the best example of English Perpendicular Gothic design. The whole chapel is certainly a herald’s dream, boasting various arms and symbols of royal and aristocratic families that could be (and potentially have been!) the topic of multiple doctoral theses themselves.
After feasting with their eyes, guests were treated to the prayers of Evensong sung by the choir of choristers and lay clerks. The acoustics of the nave and the quality of the choir made this an incredible experience and reminded us of the continued spirituality of the site. After guests had lined up at the back of the nave for the obligatory all-attendee photo, the lead volunteer gave us a short introduction to the chapel, explaining that it was commissioned by Edward IV in 1475 and was intended as a mausoleum for the House of York but was only completed in 1528 in the reign of Henry VIII. Realising that this was not an audience that needed reminding why the Yorkist mausoleum plan failed, the volunteer skimmed over that, instead pointing out the notable parts of the nave and choir and inviting the guests to explore.
We then had an hour to walk around the chapel at leisure. Guests caught up with old friends and made new ones: this was the beginning of the sociability and conviviality that defined the rest of the evening. Most of us were drawn to a series of medieval manuscripts that had been displayed by the Castle’s archivists. Having reviewed these, I made my way to the South Quire Aisle and was particularly drawn to the two-handed sword of Edward III and the early seventeenth-century portrait of him positioned next to the sword. As the founder of the Order of the Garter, Edward III’s portrait was a clear statement of the role the chapel has played as the home of the Order. The backs of the chapel choir stalls were another such reminder, depicting the arms of Order members on small brass plates.
After an hour walking around this late medievalists’ paradise, guests were invited to the Dean’s Cloister for canapes and some celebratory fizz. By happy coincidence, 3 October was also the birthday of Christian Steer – the Trust’s Chairman – meaning we all enjoyed plenty of cake and Christian had an appropriately scholarly birthday party. He gave a wonderful speech about the forty years of the Trust and, most poignantly, about absent friends. He gave special mention to the late Anne F. Sutton who had done so much for the Trust, and the crowd was audibly appreciative when Christian announced that the editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography had agreed to publish an entry for Anne in a future edition.
This set the tone for a lovely drinks reception where people talked about their research, the Trust’s achievements over the past forty years, and what the Trust will be doing in the next four decades. It was a wonderful evening, and I am sure I speak for all guests when I say that we are extremely thankful to the trustees and officers of the Trust, the choir of St George’s Chapel, and the staff of Windsor Castle for making it happen. The only problem I can see is how the Trust can ever find a better venue for its next event!
The Trust would like to thank the Dean and Canons of St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and especially Patricia Birdseye for helping to organise the event.