A guide to Radley College Chapel

The stained glass windows by Burlison & Grylls in Radley College Chapel.

All the windows in the body of the chapel were made and installed from 1894-1919 and form one continuous sequence of Old and New Testament characters, apart from the two windows which commemorate the fallen of WW1.

East window. Christ in majesty. 

In memory of George Brooke (D 1889) who died whilst a boy at the school in 1894, aged 17. 

Given by his parents in 1895

North wall (anti-clockwise from East window)

1. Old Testament Prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel.

Lower panels scenes of lives of the prophets – Isaiah on the mountain, Jeremiah’s potter, Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones, Daniel and friends in the fiery furnace. 

Apex family armorial.

In memory of Leonard Frederick Smith (E 1899) attended Christ Church, Oxford, died 1909. 

Given by his family 1909/10

2. Old Testament Kings – Saul, David, Solomon, Hezekiah. 

Lower panels stylised flowers in same design as South 1 & 2. 

Apex family armorial and regimental badges.

In memory of General Edward Woodgate (Radley 1855), killed at Spion Kop, 1902. 

Given by subscription by his friends, as a personal memorial in addition to the group Boer War Memorial designed by Jackson and Frampton which is immediately below it.

3. General Gordon, St Louis of France, St Martin of Tours, General Roberts of Kandehar. 

Lower panels scenes of WW1 including artillery units and aircraft, with a portrait of Henderson in military uniform.

In memory of Charles Henderson, MC, (E 1909) killed on the Somme in 1916. 

Given by his family 1916/17.

The depiction of his grave is taken from a photograph taken in November 1916 which shows the original wooden cross and the grave in the snow, covered in fresh flowers put there by his men.

4. Clear

5. Old Testament Patriarchs. Adam, Eve, Abel, Noah.

Lower panels temptation, expulsion, murder of Cain, the ark. 

In memory of Ernest Bryans, (Don from 1882, Sub-Warden 1914-19).

Given by his friends on retirement in 1919.

Adam and Eve are shown digging and spinning to commemorate the medieval verse ‘When Adam delved and Eva span, who was then the gentleman?’

South wall (clockwise from East window)

1. New Testament Apostles. Peter, Andrew, James the Greater, John. 

Lower panels flowers the same as N2 & S2. 

In memory of Henry Chambres, (A 1892) died of pneumonia/’Russian’ flu at the school in 1895, aged 18. 

Given by his family 1895/6

2. New Testament Apostles. Philip, James the Less, Thomas, Bartholomew.

Lower panels flowers the same as N2 & S1. 

In memory of William Brown, (E 1899) drowned at Sandford whilst at school in 1901, aged 15. 

Given by his family 1901/2

3. New Testament Apostles. Matthew, Simon, Mathias, Jude.

Lower panels scenes from the life of Christ, including the money changers in the temple and the Last Supper. 

In memory of William Sampson Trotter (formerly Brown).  One of the earliest boys at the school, 1850.  Won Sword of Honour at Woolwich, distinguished military career.  Died 1907. 

Given by his family 1907. 

4. New Testament Disciples. Paul, Mary Magdalene, Virgin Mary, Stephen. 

Lower panels scenes from the life of Christ – the teachers in the Temple, Mary and the perfume, Jesus in the carpenter’s workshop, the stoning of Stephen. 

In memory of Henry Louis Thompson, Warden 1889-1896 – who oversaw construction of the Chapel.  Died 1905. 

Given by friends and colleagues 1905/6

5. Fathers of the Church. Ambrose, Gregory, Jerome, Augustine. 

Lower panels stylised flowers in different style to above. 

Apex armorial

In memory of William Sewell, Founder and 3rd Warden.  Died 1874. 

Given by friends and colleagues as his main memorial at the school.  Undated

6. King Alfred, St Michael, St George, King Arthur. 

Lower panels scenes of their lives – Alfred building longships, Michael fighting the devil, George fighting the dragon, Arthur with the ladies of the lake after his death with a quote from Tennyson’s Idylls of the King ‘From the great deep to the great deep he goes.’ Portraits of the two young men kneeling in miliary uniforms.  The faces of the characters may be based on the faces of the two young men.

Apex St Gilbert and St James.

In memory of James Freeman and Gilbert Whittet, both at Radley 1910-1914.  Best friends, both killed in France 1916. 

Given by Whittet’s parents in memory of both, 1916/7

Antechapel

Last Supper by Hugh Easton 1955. In memory of Hugo Money-Coutts, 6th Baron Latymer, Member of Council.

Clare Sargent