St. Peter ad Vincula (London)
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St. Peter ad Vincula ( Saint Peter in Chains ) is the Anglican parish church on the grounds of the Tower of London for the residents of the Tower. Presumably it goes back to a church from before the Norman conquest .
The current building essentially dates from the 16th century. At this point there was once a church outside the tower, which has been gradually integrated into the fortress since 1240. St. Peter ad Vincula is best known as the resting place of numerous people who were executed on Tower Hill or Tower Green - among them Thomas More , Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard .
history
The church probably goes back to previous buildings from the 9th century. The first documentary mention is in the year 1130. At that time the building stood alone outside the tower area. The builders of the tower expanded the fortifications in the 1230s to such an extent that the church has been within the fortress ever since.
The church was completely rebuilt several times: 1240, 1286–1287 and finally 1519–1520. In the years 1670–1671 the church tower was added. Extensive renovations took place in the 19th century. A porch from the 16th century was demolished in 1862. John Taylor had the church tower rebuilt true to the original in 1876–1877. He created a new sacristy in the northeast, as well as an eight-port window in the west, which represents a style break with the rest of the building. Taylor had the floor covered with marble.
The church has owned a Chapel Royal since 1966 . In 1970–1971, some of Taylor's facade work were removed, as well as his neo-Gothic altarpiece and the pulpit made by him.
architecture
In its current form, the church was built in the 16th century by Walter Forster and William Forster , who probably followed the plan by William Vertue . The shape consists of a simple rectangular nave to the south and a north aisle that is a little shorter but just as wide. Both aisles are separated from each other by an archway with four arches. The windows are three-winged under flat arches with the exception of the east window in the main nave, which is five-winged. On the narrow brick church tower is a small lantern with a single bell inside.
In the east of the aisle are a piscina and a hagioscope, which is now closed .
organ
The organ is a modern instrument from the 20th century in a historical case. The instrument was built in 1999 by the organ builder Létourneau (Canada). The organ prospectus was made in 1699 by the organ builder (Father) Bernhardt Schmidt for the Banqueting House in the Palace of Whitehall when it was converted into a Chapel Royal. The case was restored and partially reconstructed in 1999, and installed on a new lower case, designed in the style of Schmidt. The instrument has 30 stops on two manuals and a pedal . The Spieltrakturen are mechanically (tracker action), the Registertrakturen are mechanically and electrically.
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use
Since the late 19th century, the graves are Anne Boleyn († 1536), Catherine Howard († 1542), Jane Boleyn († 1542), Allen Apsley († 1630), Margaret Pole († 1541), Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset († 1551), John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland († 1553) secured in the Tower. The altar in St. Peter ad Vinculam was provided with the coat of arms of the people lying there. The chapel also contains the graves of Thomas More († 1535), John Fisher († 1535) and William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford († 1680). Since 1970 a tomb has been commemorating More, at which believers can pray.
Gravestones and memorials commemorate the dead. The historical graves are mainly reminiscent of former officers of the tower itself. A tomb with alabaster images of the duke and his two wives commemorates John Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter († 1447), who was reburied in the church in 1951 . Above it is a canopy with four arches and rich decoration. On it figures of animals and grotesques. There is an alabaster tomb with Gothic portraits for Richard Cholmondeley († 1544) and his wife.
Today services are held in the church on Sundays. It is accessible to tourists as part of a guided tour with one of the Yeomen Warders .
literature
- Simon Bradley, Nikolaus Pevsner: London 1, The city of London, 1997, London: Penguin. ISBN 0140710922 , pp. 369-370
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f Pevsner
- ↑ For more information on organ (English)
- ^ John Wittich: Catholic London Gracewing Publishing, 1988 ISBN 0852441436 , p. 25
Web links
Coordinates: 51 ° 30 ′ 30.6 " N , 0 ° 4 ′ 36.8" W.