theCompanionmagazine for the College of St George

ISSUE 19 : SUMMER/AUTUMN 2014

Worship, Service

& Hospitality

DIARY OF EVENTS

JULY

2 FeastofTitle-TheVisitationoftheBlessedVirginMary

6 StGeorge’sSchoolspeechday

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

12 SculptureexhibitionabouttheGrotesquesopens intheDean’sCloister

23 WindsorFestivalorchestraleveningconcert

25 WindsorFestivallunchtimerecital givenbytheChapelchoir

28 SeptemberObitat10.45am.

OCTOBER

13 FeastofTitle–EdwardtheConfessor.

22 BondMemorialLecturebyDrStevenBrindleon ‘TheFirstStGeorge’sChapel’

NOVEMBER

1 AllSaints

3 AllSouls(transferredfrom2November)

9 RemembranceSunday

30 AdventSunday

REGULAR SERVICES AT ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL, to which all ARE welcome, are AS FOLLOWS:

SUNDAY

8.30am HolyCommunion10.45am *Mattinswithsermon11.45am *SungEucharist(12noonfromSeptember)5.15pm *Evensong

MONDAY TO SATURDAY

7.30am Mattins

8.00am HolyCommunion

5.15pm *Evensong(except Wednesdayswhenthe serviceissaid)

FRIDAY Additional12noonHolyCommunionService

*sung by the choir of St George’s Chapel during term time

TheCollegeofStGeorgeis,atitsheart,acommunityofpeoplewholiveandworktogethertoofferworshiptoGod,prayersfortheSovereignandtheOrderoftheGarter,servicetosocietyandhospitalitytovisitors.

TheCollegewasfoundedin1348atthesametimeastheOrderoftheGarterandnowconsistsofStGeorge’sSchool,StGeorge’sHouse,theMilitaryKnightsofWindsor,theChapterLibrary&ArchivesandtheChoiraswellas,atthecentre,StGeorge’sChapelitself.Thebuildings,ownedandoccupiedbytheCollege,takeupaquarterofWindsorCastletogetherwiththeschoolbuildingsoutsidethenorthwall.

what is the

College of St George?

StGeorge’sSchoolChapterArchives&Library

&Vicars’Hall

StGeorge’sChapel

HomesoftheMilitaryKnightsofWindsor

HorseshoeCloister

CurfewTower

Canons’Cloister

Dean’sCloister

StGeorge’sHouse

SongSchool

DECEMBER

2 QuarterlyObitatEvensong

6 ‘Come&Sing’withJohnRutter

16 ‘Festivo’Concert

18 School&ChoristersCarolservice

20 LunchtimeOrganRecital

22 LayClerksCarolService

23 NineLessons&Carolsat5.15pm

24 NineLessons&Carolsat5.15pmand MidnightMassat11.15pm

25 ChristmasDay–servicesincludeSungMattinsat10.45am andEvensongat3.30pm

AttheheartoftheCollegestandsthebeautifulStGeorge’sChapel.Downthroughthe

years,wehavealwaysunderstoodourcentralpurposetobetoworshipGod,andto

prayfortheSovereignandtheCompanionsoftheOrderoftheGarter.Wehaveseen

ittobeourvocationtoensurethat,whateverelsemighthappen,theChristianspiritual

pulse,(andasenseofouraccountabilitytoGod)shouldbekeptthrobbingattheheart

ofournationalinstitutions.

Inthisenterprise,ourchoir,fromtheverystart,hassoughttoaspiretoandmaintain

astandardofexcellencethatitselfsignifiestheseriousnessandcarewithwhichwe

embracetheresponsibilitythathasbeenentrustedtous.Aspecialingredientin

thisaspirationisadesiretocherishtheEnglishtraditionofbeautifulchurchmusic,

withoutwhichwebelievethatourreligiousandculturalheritagewouldbeseriously

impoverished.

Ourorganists,layclerksandchoristersaremembersoftheancientfoundationofthe

CollegeofStGeorge.TheadultmusiciansandtheirfamilieslivewithintheCastlewalls,

andthechoristersareeducatedatourschool,StGeorge’sSchool,WindsorCastle.

Ourdailyworshipiswonderfullyenhancedbytheirdedicationandtalent.Contd...

TheCollegeofStGeorge,areligiousfellowshipliving

andworkingwithinthewallsofWindsorCastle,was

established660yearsago.

contents

1 TheDean’sWelcome

4 TheHistoryoftheFuture

6 TheCollegeofStGeorge

8 GodTalkand TheUncertaintyPrinciple

10 ‘ThatwasAwesome‘

12 GrantedArms

13 TheConstable&GovernorRecalls

14 PeopleofStGeorge’s

16 ClergyConsultations-2014

17 TheOfferingofPrayer

17 CommunityNews

18 TheMilitaryKnightsofWindsor

WELCOME

The Companion • ThemagazinefortheCollegeofStGeorge 1

Front cover photograph: Peter Goltra

Companion Committee: CarolGriffiths, CharlotteManleyLVOOBE,DrClareRider,JennaTyer,CanonDrJamesWoodward(Editor),TheReverendAndrewZihni.©2014TheDeanandCanonsofWindsor.AllrightsreservedandreproductionofanypartisnotallowedwithoutwrittenpermissionoftheDeanandCanonsofWindsor.Contact-Editor,TheCompanion,CollegeofStGeorge,WindsorCastle,WindsorSL41NJ,Telephone01753848700,editor@stgeorges-windsor.org,www.stgeorges-windsor.org

DesignedbyExposedDesignConsultants

HomesoftheMilitaryKnightsofWindsor

CurfewTower

Phot

ogra

ph: P

eter

Gol

tra

see,thatourofferingof

thisexperiencetomany

peopleinthecourseof

eachyearhasitsroots

inourdesiretoserve

Godandtoloveour

neighbour.

Servicetothesociety

withinwhichweliveisof

coursealsogiventhrough

theworkofStGeorge’s

School.Itwasoriginally

aplaceoflearningonly

forthechoristers.Now

itwelcomesthebetter

partof400pupilsat

anyonetime–pupils

forwhomweaimto

providetheverybest

startinlife.Additionally,

educationalserviceis

providedthroughthe

workoftheCollegeArchivistandherteam,

increasinglyengagingtheinterestofawide

rangeofscholarsaswellasthegeneral

public.And,perhapslessvisible,theDean

andCanons’patronageofmorethan50

beneficeswithintheChurchofEngland

providesaspecificopportunityforustobe

ofservicetothewiderchurch.

peopleofinfluencetodiscussissues

ofimportanceinthematterofhuman

flourishing,withaviewtomakingthe

worldabetterplace.Itisavibrantcentreof

studyandencounterwithinwhichwisdom

isnurtured.Thoughitismostcertainly

notaproselytisingagency,thefactthatit

standsintheshadowofStGeorge’sChapel

mightsymbolise,forthosewitheyesto

WORSHIP, SERVICE & HOSPITALITY

2

WorshipandprayerfortheSovereignand

theGarterCompanionsprovideafocus

forourlives,butsuchactivityhaswider

implications.Weunderstandthatwe

cannotloveGodwithoutalsolovingour

neighbour.Weknowtoothat,toprayfor

themembersoftheOrderoftheGarteris

toseekthewell-beingofthevariousworlds

thattheyinhabitandrepresent.Weseeit

asourresponsibilityto

beofservicetothewider

society.

Downthroughtheyears,

thatservicehasbeen

renderedfaithfullyina

numberofdifferentways.

Today,itisexpressed

particularlythroughthe

workofStGeorge’s

House,ourconsultation

centreintheLowerWard

oftheCastle.TheHouse

wasfoundedin1966.Its

aimwastobringtogether

Phot

ogra

ph: C

harlo

tte

Man

ley

TheChoirprocessinginforSundayMattins

AStGeorge’sHouseconsulationintheVicars’Hall

Phot

ogra

ph: D

avid

Cla

re

remunerated,andbursariesmustbefound

forourchoristers.Butallissetwithin

thecontextofadeeperpurpose.That,I

believe,iswhatmakesthisplacesospecial.

The Right Reverend David Conner, KCVO

Dean of Windsor

Ifpartofourservicetosocietyisour

offeringofatinyandimperfectvision

ofabetterwayoflivingtogetherthan

mostpeopleexperience,itmighthave

somethingtodowithwhatliesatthe

heartofthecommunity.Everydayin

Chapel,atthemorningEucharist,one

ormoreofthepeoplewholiveorwork

herewillbeprayedforbyname.Ittakes

agoodfewweekstogetthroughthelist

butnobodyisleftout.Ithinkthis

makesadifference,andIthink

thatthepeoplewhoconstitutethis

communityhaveasenseofthat

difference.

Sure,wecannotaffordtobecome

tooromantic.Wehaveourbasic

housekeepingtoattendto.

Ourancientbuildingsmustbe

maintained,thestaffmustbe

The Companion • ThemagazineforTheCollegeofStGeorge 33

Inourextendingawelcome

toaboutonemillionvisitors

totheChapeleveryyear,

wehopethatlivesmight

betouchedandenriched.

Perhapsherepeoplemight

haveawakenedwithinthem

somethingofthatprofound

intuitionwhichweknowas

faith.Maybetherewillbe

somethinginthewarmthof

greetingandintheloveliness

ofthesurroundingsthatwill

lifttheheartabovesuperficial

materialism.

Thisministryofhospitality

forusisnottheexploitation

ofthecurioustouristbutthe

expressionofagenuinedesire

toawakenaspiritualimpulse

inourvisitorsand,through

them,tobringtotheworlda

touchofkindness.Thistoowe

seeasbeingpartofourservice

tosociety.

Perhapsthemostsubtleof

ourcontributionstomakingtheworlda

betterplaceistodowithwhatweattempt

tomodel;toexemplify.Itisquitesimply

communitylife.Thoseofuswholive

herearemorethancolleagues;weare

neighboursandfriends.Andthosewho

journeytoworkhereeverydaysoonsee

themselvestobepartofakindoffamily.

Certainly,wegrumblefromtimetotime

abouttheplaceandabouteachother.But

itisinterestingtonotethatonceherefew

leave,andthatthosewhodoleaverarely

departlightly.Thoughwetendtotakeit

allforgranted,Isuspectthatpeoplewho

comeasguestsandvisitorstoStGeorge’s

oftencatchaglimpseofarichwayof

lifethatissimplynotexperiencedinthe

isolatedandindividualisticatmosphere

thatenvelopsmostofourfellowcitizens.

TouristswalkingthroughtheNavewhilstvisitingtheCastle

TheDeanandCanonsmeetinginChapterwiththeChapterClerk

Phot

ogra

ph: D

avid

Cla

rePh

otog

raph

: Pet

er G

oltr

a

4

WhilesittingintheChapel

listeningto160localschool

childrensinging‘Captain

NoahandhisFloatingZoo’I

wasmindedtothinkabout

theimportanceofmusic

anditspartinthehistoryof

StGeorge’sChapel.

theperformanceofsomeofthemost

complexandrichlytexturedpolyphonic

musiceverwritten.

Withtheexceptionofthe

Commonwealthperiod(1649-1660)

therehasbeenaChoiratStGeorge’s

sincethefoundingoftheCollegein

1348.TodaytheChoirismadeupof23

boychoristers(agedbetweensevenand

thirteen)andtwelveLayClerksproviding

theadultvoicesofalto,tenorandbass.

OurLayClerksareprofessionalsingers

who,aswellassingingatEvensongand

MattinsinStGeorge’sChapelandliving,

withtheirfamilies,withintheCollege

groundsintheHorseshoeCloister,each

haveacareeroutsidetheCollege.

TosaythattheLayClerksarea

multi-talentedgroupwouldbean

understatement:manyundertake

musicalcompositionandediting,

teaching,preparingandpresenting

lectures–andevenworkinginthe

MusicandLiturgyDepartmentatSt

George’s:organisingvisitingChoirsto

singchoralservicesoutsideofCollege

DEVELOPMENT

The History of the Future...

manyofourvisitorsregardlessoftheir

spiritualbackgroundorbeliefs.

WhenEdwardIVbegantheconstruction

ofthepresentChapelin1475he

recognisedtheimportanceofmusicas

anintrinsicpartinworshipandprayer.

Expandingthemusicalestablishmentto

somethingclosetoitspresentsizeand

status,heallowedStGeorge’stomatch

orsurpasscomparableinstitutionsthat

hadcomeintobeingsincetheCollege’s

foundationin1348aswellasenabling

Musicplaysanimportantpartinallour

lives.Ithastheabilitytoputyouin

touchwithyourinnermostfeelingsand

canbringaplacetolife.Formecertain

piecesofmusicalwaysbringtomind

theplaceIfirstheardthemandthe

feelingsthattheyevoked.Infact,oneof

myfavouritethingsistohearaservice

sungjustbytheLayClerksasitnotonly

makesthefabricofthebuilding‘sing’

buttransportsmebackintimetothe

earlydaysoftheChapel.Iamsurethat

musicinStGeorge’sChapeldoesthisforPh

otog

raph

: Cha

rlott

e M

anle

y

“Sacred music has been an integral part of this College and

Communitysinceitsinceptionnearly700yearsago.Traditionsand

statutes aside, music, and in particular, singing, is a fundamental

partofmylife.ThesingingatStGeorge’sistheretohelpleadand

lift worship. Music transcends temporal and material concerns in

a way that no other art form can, and that is why it is so useful

(nayessential) inworship.This iswhyI trytotakesuchanactive

roleinthemusicallifeoftheCollege,beitsingingintheChoiror

organisingvisitingChoirs tosingserviceswhile themainChoir is

onholiday.”SimonWhiteley,LayClerkandLiturgicalAssistant

term,preparingservicebookletsand

dealingwithchoiradministration.To

quoteJohnHeighway,aLayClerkwho

willthisyearbecelebratinghis40th

anniversaryinthatpost:“Today’s Lay

Clerks continue to fulfil the intentions

of the College’s founder. St George’s

is singular, if not unique, in that the

structure and life of the medieval

College remain largely intact. The Lay

Clerks, with their families, are members

of a resident community (a ‘college’ in

the strict sense meaning a group of

individuals bound together by a common

set of rules). Thus their contribution to

the life and work of the College extends

beyond their participation in the choral

services of the Chapel. They bring to St

George’s their shared love of music, and

a particular commitment to its role in the

offering of worship. But they also take

this ethos to their work outside, through

their teaching, performance, and other

professional activities.”

Thepassionandenthusiasmofthe

LayClerksgoesbeyondtheirown

involvementinthelifeofStGeorge’s

andCanonsassomethingthatshouldbe

retainedinperpetuity.AstheCollege

isnotthefinancialresponsibilityofthe

State,theChurchortheCrown,and

reliesondonationsforsupport,The

Queen’sChoralFoundationwassetup

forjustthispurpose.Itishopedthat

throughdonationstothisFoundation,

musicwillbeabletobeenjoyedatSt

George’snotjustbytoday’svisitorsbut

byfuturegenerationstoo.Afterall,we

areallwritingthehistoryofthefuture.

Carol Griffiths Fundraising Manager

andhasalsobeenembracedbytheir

wivesandpartners.Thisgroupof

peoplereallyformasmallvillageinthe

groundsoftheCollege.Inthesummer

youoftenseetheLayClerks’children

playingonthegrassinfrontofthe

HorseshoeCloisteror,ifyousneakback

onasummerevening,youcancatchthe

communityenjoyingabarbecue.Avery

welcominggroup,awarethattheyare

morethanjust‘thementhatsinginthe

Choir’,theLayClerksandtheirfamilies

interactwithothersinthecommunity

andpreventtheCollegefrombeing

inwardlylooking.

Theimportanceofthechoraltraditionat

StGeorge’sisrecognisedbytheDean

THE GARTER KNIGHTS

5The Companion•ThemagazinefortheCollegeofStGeorge

Phot

ogra

ph: C

harlo

tte

Man

ley

“I love tradition; Iadmiremedievalarchitecture;mostofall Iam

captivated by the sense of continuity which culminates in the

singing of the Choir of St George’s every day in the Chapel. I

consider myself truly fortunate to be able in my small way to

maintainandenhancethetradition.“Alan Rind, Bray Fellow and

Trustee of the Foundation of the College of St George

When,in1348,EdwardIII

foundedtheCollegeofStGeorge,

WindsorCastle,anditssister

establishment,theCollegeofSt

Stephen,Westminster,hismilitary

reputationwasatitsheight.

HisrecentvictoryovertheFrench

attheBattleofCrecyandtherising

prosperityathomebroughtbypost-war

peacepromptedhimtoestablishthese

twocollegesofsecularcanonsfora

commonpurpose:tothankGodforhis

pastsuccessesandtoprayforthefuture

well-beingofthe‘king,hisprogenitors

andsuccessors’.ThecollegeatWindsor

Castle,whereEdwardIIIhadbeenborn

in1312,hadanadditionalanddistinctive

role,toactasthespiritualarmofthe

newlyfoundedCompanyoftheGarter,

prayingfortheKingandfellowKnights

oftheGarterdailyintheroyalchapel

constructedbyHenryIIIintheLower

Ward,whichwastoberededicated“to

thehonourofGodAlmighty,andofhis

mother,thegloriousVirginMary,and

oftheSaintsGeorgetheMartyrand

EdwardtheConfessor”.Asthesoldier

saintbecameacceptedasthepatronof

theorder,theGarterchapelincreasingly

becameknownsimplyasStGeorge’s

Chapel.EdwardIIIgrantedlandand

buildingsonthenorthsideoftheLower

Wardtothenewlyfoundedcollegeand

financedtheconstructionofresidential

accommodationthere.Healsodonated

6

CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT

The College of St George, Windsor Castle

17th century crowned portrait of Edward III, holding the orb of state and carrying a 6 foot sword which pierces the crowns of Scotland and France.

ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL ARCHIVES

andavirgermadeuptheecclesiastical

establishment,whilsttwenty-sixalms

knights(orpoorknights),representing

thetwenty-sixKnightsoftheGarter,

weretocompletethecollege,although

onlytwoorthreepoorknightswerein

postsimultaneouslyuntilHenryVIII’swill

providedforthirteentobehousedand

properlymaintainedwithintheCastle.

Overthecenturiesthecompositionofthe

collegeandthenatureofreligiousworship

havechanged,affectedbynational

events,suchastheReformationandthe

EnglishCivilWar,andbygovernment

legislation.Nevertheless,evenwhenthe

DeanandCanonswereejectedfromthe

CastlebytheParliamentariansin1643,the

Collegesurvived,representedbythePoor

Knightswhowerepermittedtoremain

andtocontinuereligiousworship.Inthe

nineteenthcentury,significantalterations

weremadetotheestablishment,as

thenumberofCanonswasreduced

fromtwelvetofourbyanActof1840,

andtheCollegeforfeiteditslandsand

otherpropertiestotheEcclesiastical

CommissionunderanOrderinCouncil

of1867.YetEdwardIII’soriginalpurpose

infoundingthecollegeremainsand

willcontinuetobehonouredbythe

communitywhichmakesupthepresent

CollegeofStGeorge.

Dr Clare Rider Archivist and Chapter Librarian

1 J.Harper,The Forms and Orders of the Western Liturgy from the Tenth to the Eighteenth Century(Oxford,1991)p.2

57

Fragment of 14th century antiphoner held in the Chapter Library [SCG LIB MS.9]

Seal of William Mugge, 2nd Warden of Windsor, attached to a document of 1356 [SGC X.1.3]

Poor Knights in a Garter procession in the time of Elizabeth I: illustration from Elias Ashmole, The institution, laws & ceremonies of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (1672)

propertyoutsidethe

Castletoproduce

aregularincome

tomaintainthe

establishment.

Fromitsinception,the

CollegeofStGeorgehad

atitsheartaresident

communityandchoral

foundationdedicated

toworshippingGodand

petitioningtheintercession

ofthesaintsonbehalfofthe

SovereignandCompanions

oftheGarter.Itmustbe

rememberedthatinmedieval

times,praisingGodwas

notviewedasamere

Christiandutybutseen

as‘thehighestandmost

importantofhuman

activities,deservingthebestoftheir

energy,artisticendeavourandwealth’1,

whilsttheprayersofthefaithfulwere

believedtobethemosteffectivemeans

tospeedthepassageofthesoulthrough

purgatory,aninterimstagewhichmust

beenduredbeforethedeadcouldbe

acceptedintoheaven.Byfoundinga

collegiateestablishmentonbehalfof

theCompanyoftheGarter,EdwardIII

wasensuringthespiritualwell-beingof

itsmembers’soulsafterdeathaswellas

promotingmilitarysuccessduringlife.

EdwardIII’soriginalintention,as

expressedinthefoundationdeedof

1348,wastoappointawarden(ordean)

andtwentythreecanonsasasecular

collegetoserveandmaintaintheChapel,

asecularcollegebeingdistinctfrom

areligioushouseinbeingmadeupof

priestsratherthanmonksinholyorders.

However,bythetimetheCollegestatutes

wereissuedin1352,thenumberof

canonshadbeenreducedtotwelveand

thirteenminorclergycalledpriestvicars

hadbeenaddedtoassistthewarden

andcanons.Fourclerks,sixchoristers

8

thatitwassimplyimpossibletomeasure

bothmomentumandpositionofa

particleatthesametime.Byobserving

thethingyouwantedtodescribeyou

somehowdisturbeditinsuchawaythat

itbegantobehaveuncertainly.While

previousgenerationsmayhaveimagined

observationasanecessaryprerequisite

fordescription,Heisenbergtaughtthat

therewasadeeplytroublingrelationship

betweendescriptionandobservation.

Indeedtherelationshipwassotroubling

astomakeour‘physicstalk’uncertain.

Morethanahundredyearsbefore

HeisenbergpublishedhisworkFriedrich

Schleiermacher,aPrussiantheologian

andphilosopher,publishedhishighly

regardedtheologicalmasterpieceThe

ChristianFaith.AReformedtheologian,

Schleiermacherendeavouredto

modernisetheteachingsofCalvin.

Hence,likeCalvin–althoughmore

so–hesuggestedthatallhumanbeings

haveaninnateabilitytoexperience

God.Therewasnothingfluffyabout

Schleiermacher;hewasextraordinarily

particularaboutwhatanexperience

ofGodmightmean:anexperienceof

feelingabsolutelydependent.Inthis

teachingthereweretwokeyaspects

ofCalvin’stheology.First,thereisthe

notionthattheexperienceisgiven

bythegraceofGod(itisagift,not

somethingthatonecanworktowards)

andsecond,thatwearealldependent

uponGodforeverybreaththatwetake

andeverymovethatwemake.

ThelinkbetweenHeisenbergand

Schleiermachercomesatthepointof

description.Heisenbergteachesthat

theactofexperiencing(observing)

aparticlemakesitimpossibleto

describeaccuratelythatwhichhasbeen

LOOSE CANON

In1905AlbertEinstein

publishedthree

papersthatwould

changethefaceof

physicsforever.Fouryearsearlier,in

WürzburgGermany,a

certainWernerHeisenberg

wasborn.Hetoowould

growuptobeaphysicist

andalthoughhardlyas

famousasEinstein,his

UncertaintyPrinciplemust

surelybeapieceofscientific

theoryasmuchwrittenaboutas

anyother,notonlyinphysicsbuteven

acrossthehumanities.

Heisenbergworkeddeepinthepitsof

quantummechanics,bringingtolight

themysteriesoftheinnerworkingsof

theatom.ItwastheancientGreekswho

firstusedtheword‘atom’todescribea

unitthatcouldnotbefurthersubdivided.

BythetimeHeisenberggottowork

theatomwasalreadyknowntohave

electrons,protons,andneutrons.He

wasnotthereforesomuchinterested

inwhatmadeuptheatomashewas

abouthowyoucoulddescribewhatwas

reallygoingonatanygivenmoment.For

example,hewondered,isitpossible

tomeasureinstantaneouslyboththe

velocityandpositionofanelectron?

WilliamCropper,himselfaprofessorof

modernscience,sumsuptheanswerin

thesewords:‘ifyoumeasureprecisely

thepositionofaparticle,sayanelectron

inanatom,youinevitablydisturbthe

electronsomuchthatitssubsequent

behaviourisalmostcompletely

uncertain’.Heisenberghadconcluded

God Talk and The Uncertainty Principle

ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL SHOP, WINDSOR CASTLE, WINDSOR SL4 1NJ • WWW.STGEORGESSHOP.COM

Opening Hours - Monday to Saturday 10.00am to 4.00pm (Located in The Dean’s Cloister). Remember Advantage Card holders have free access to Windsor Castle when it is open to the public.

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Medium Jigsaws - Garter Banners or St George’s Chapel & the Round Tower

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To see these and so much more, visit us at St George’s Chapel

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EXCLUSIVE WOODEN JIGSAWS

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Large JigsawGarter ProcessionApprox 250 pieces - 360 x 250mm

£40 each

A collection of premium wooden jigsaw

puzzles exclusive to St George’s Chapel,

Windsor Castle. Each jigsaw has a selection

of specially shaped ‘whimsy’ pieces.experienced.Schleiermacherteaches

thatwhileallhumanbeingshavethe

innatepossibilityofexperiencingGod,

shouldtheyactuallyhavesuchan

experienceitwillbecomeuncertain

oncetheyattempttogiveadescription

oftheirexperience.Perhapswemight

say,analogouslywithHeisenberg,that

theactofexperiencingGodmakes

itimpossibletodescribeaccurately

thatwhichhasbeenexperienced.

Humanlanguageistoolimitedtospeak

accuratelyabouttheinfinitebeingthat

isGod.Ofcoursetheanalogy,such

asitis,breaksdowninatleastone

importantrespect.Heisenbergstudied

things:theinnerparticlesofthe‘atom’.

SchleiermacherstudiedGodwhois,

bydefinition,onebutwhoisalso,by

definition,notathingbutratherthe

creatorofallthings.

Theanalogythereforewillnotbearthe

weightofacademicscrutinybutitwill

servewellenoughtomakeaseasonal

point.HavingcelebratedEaster,the

feastoftheResurrection,weapproach

adeepmysteryoftheChristianfaith,

thepossibilityoflifeafterdeath.About

thisfactwehavenothingtosay.Unlike

HeisenbergandSchleiermacherhere

thereisnoeventtoexperience.Yetlike

HeisenbergandSchleiermacherwe

recognisethatourattempttodefine

ourhopeisbeyondthepowerofour

language.Weareleftspeechless

forultimatelyEasterspeaksofan

unspeakablegrace,theultimategift

fromGod.

The Revd Canon Dr Hueston Finlay Canon Treasurer

The Companion•ThemagazinefortheCollegeofStGeorge

10

ST GEORGE’S SCHOOL

Iregularlywonderifmusic

magazineshavemissedatrickby

nottappingthecriticalservices

ofchoristerswhenwriting

reviewsofchoralmusic.

Whenatenyearoldopines‘perhapsthis

isn’tStanford’sbest’orinnocentlyasksif

Parry’sfamousI Was Glad wasmerelya

‘onehitwonder’itdoesratherdrawone

toreflectonwhytheyshouldthinkthis

way;theansweris,ofcourse,experience

coupledwitheducation.

Theboysarenaturallymusicalbuttheir

agesprecludethedepthofexperience

thatenablesthemtogobeyondtheir

impressions.Stanfordwroteagreatdeal

ofmusicandinevitablysomepieceswillbe

moreenjoyablethanothers.Thequestion

ofParry’soutputisajudgementbased

onapiecetheytendtosingmaybemore

oftenthanothers;it’scertainlythemost

readilyrecognisable.Aschoristersthe

boyssingsomeofthemostsublimemusic

inthesacredrepertoire,inoneofthemost

sublimesettings.Theyallrecognisethat

thisisaspecialplacetobebuttheydon’t

necessarilyrecognisethattheythemselves

arespecial,andnorshouldtheyperhaps.

Whatisrecognisedisasenseofawe

aboutthesoundproducedinthissacred

space.Theyrecognisetheimportanceof

enhancingtheworshippingexperience

ofothers.Forcenturiestheologianshave

grappledwiththemysterious,spiritual

conceptoftheineffable;ironicallytomes

havebeenwrittenaboutsomethingthat

nowordscanexpress.Manyarguethat

thisgapisonethatmusiccanbridge.

Smallboysseeminglyhavenotrouble

articulatingtheineffable:’thatwas

awesome’issooftentheresponseto,for

example,theachingbeautyofAllergri’s

Miserere orthecontagiousjoyofVaughn

Williams’Five Mystical Songs.The

foundationsofspiritualexperiencearelaid

throughthemusicthatmarkstheirdays,a

senseofawe,wonderandanexperience

ofsomethingbeyondthemselves.

It’sduringservicestoothattheycome

toseethepointofwhattheyaredoing.

“Did King Edward III’s choristers make paper arrows instead of paper aeroplanes out of their service sheets?”

Thoughts from our Choristers

‘That was awesome’Photograph: Charlotte Manley

The Companion•ThemagazinefortheCollegeofStGeorge

Lentenmusicfortreblescanoftensoundsomewhatsparseduringrehearsal,beingoften

unaccompaniedandfrequentlyunfairlylabelledas‘boring’EarlyMusic.APalestrina

Masssettingisnotacommonhunting-groundforthrill-seekingsmallboys,yet,insitu,

singingwiththefullintensityofthemen’svoicesaroundthem,thehomeboundchatter

willreflectthesenseofwholenessandcompletionofwhattheyhavebeenworking

towards...’thatwaswellsik’(sic)...anaccoladeperhapsincomprehensibletoanyonewho

hasn’thadexplainedtothemthemagnitudeofthepraiseitconveys!

Theboysknowtheyareluckytobewheretheyare,doingwhattheydo,butonly

hindsightwillhighlighttheimportanceoftheparttheyhaveeachplayedinthelongand

glorioushistoryoftheChapel.Icannothelpbutthinkthatitistheadultteamwhoteach,

trainandcareforthemwhoareluckytoo,seeingandhearingtheworldafreshevery

daythroughtheeyesandearsofboysasyoungasseven.Atthistimeofyearwebegin

toprepareforthenewboyswhowillbejoiningusnextterm.LastsummerIaskedour

youngestboystosendapostcardtoeachofthenewintake.Onethatparticularlycaught

myeyesumsup,forme,theearlyyearsofchoristership:

“I’m looking forward to seeing you in September.

I hope you will enjoy being a chorister.

I reckon you’ll like Magnificat in B flat by C.V.Stanford –

I do, it’s a pretty cool piece.”

ClearlyStanfordredeemedhimselfintheend,asforParry...

Anna Leon

Chorister Chaperone

“We sometimes rehearse after a men’s voices service

and, if we’re early, silently sneaking into the nave

when it’s pitch black when the men are singing is

kinda cool. Not spooky at all.”

“There is a difference between

rehearsals and services. I can’t

really say what it is but I know

I’ve got to get it right, it can be

pretty special when we do.”

“I guess stuff like Tallis

has been sung in Chapel

for hundreds of years,

it’s amazing to think we

still do that.”

11

ArtworkbyHarry,LaylaandOlivia,aged11

The Choir of St George’s Chapel has been in existence since 1348 and, with the exception of the Commonwealth period (1649-1669), has sung services in the Chapel continuously since then. The choir is made up of 12 Lay Clerks who provide the adult voices of alto, tenor and bass and up to 23 boy choristers aged 7-13 who, with about 350 other boys and girls, attend St George’s School. The School is situated immediately outside the north wall of the Castle and, together with St George’s House forms part of the College of St George which has St George’s Chapel at its heart.

THE FRIENDS OF ST GEORGE’S

& DESCENDANTS OF THE

KNIGHTS OF THE GAR TER

By becoming a Friend of

St George’s you will be helping

to preserve this glorious place of

worship and its cultural heritage

for future generations and

receive some unique benefits

of membership.

Please become a Friend now

by completing the form online at

www.stgeorges-windsor.org/friends

More information can be found at the

website address above or by contacting:

Administrator to the Friends & Companions

8a The Cloisters, Windsor Castle, SL4 1NJ

Telephone 01753 848723

...be part of our future

Help us to maintainthis unique placeJoin the Friends

12

GRANTED ARMS

MarshaloftheRAFTheLordStirrupKGGCBAFC

ThecoatofarmsofMarshaloftheRoyalAirForceTheLordStirrupencapsulateshisnameandhisachievementsinthedefenceoftheRealm.

ThestirrupsareaplayonLord

Stirrup’sname.Thewings

attachedtothestirrupsand

theremainingelementsinthe

designsymbolisehiscareerin

theRAF,whereheservedasa

flyinginstructorandfightersquadroncommander.Bothappearon

bothhisbannerandhiscrest.

Onhisbanner,thegold

diagonalstripeona

bluebackgroundsuggestsa

searchlightbeamingthroughthe

skyandtheperegrinefalconcrest

representsreconnaissance,

particularlyasafighter

reconnaissancepilot

servingwiththeSultanof

Oman’sAirForceduring

theWar.

Colonel David Axson

Phot

ogra

ph: C

harlo

tte

Man

ley

THE FRIENDS OF ST GEORGE’S

& DESCENDANTS OF THE

KNIGHTS OF THE GAR TER

By becoming a Friend of

St George’s you will be helping

to preserve this glorious place of

worship and its cultural heritage

for future generations and

receive some unique benefits

of membership.

Please become a Friend now

by completing the form online at

www.stgeorges-windsor.org/friends

More information can be found at the

website address above or by contacting:

Administrator to the Friends & Companions

8a The Cloisters, Windsor Castle, SL4 1NJ

Telephone 01753 848723

...be part of our future

Help us to maintainthis unique placeJoin the Friends

13The Companion•ThemagazinefortheCollegeofStGeorge

AirMarshalIanMacfadyenandhiswifeSallyleaveWindsorCastlethissummerafterfiveyearslivinginNormanTower.

DuringhistimeasConstable&Governor

IanMacfadyenhaswitnessedandbeen

partofsomememorableeventsandhas

beenthehardworkingencouragerbehind

anewschemeinvolvinglocalsixthformers.

TheArmedForcesMusterinDiamond

Jubileeyear,inwhichoneofhisold

FighterSquadrons(29Squadron)took

partintheflypastand606(Chilterns)

SquadronRAuxAFofwhichheis

HonoraryAirCommodoresentmarching

representatives,wasaneventthatwill

stayfirmlylodgedintheMacfadyens’

memories.GarterDay2013broughtother

recollectionsfloodingback;asinother

yearsIanMacfadyenleadtheprocession

fromtheQuadrangletoStGeorge’s

Chapelbutthatparticularoccasion

waswitnessedby60fellowattendees

celebrating25yearssincethe1988Royal

CollegeofDefenceStudiescourse.A

driveina1933Bentleyduringthe2012

ConcorseofElegance(adisplayof

extraordinarycarsintheQuadrangle)was

atripnottobemissed!

TheConstable&Governorrecallsmany

WindsorFestivalmomentswithinthe

Castlerangingfromthegrandinscaleto

thesmallerbutparticularlymemorable

concertssuchasasmallgroupof

musiciansgatheredintheQuireofSt

George’sChapelmarkingthe500th

anniversaryofKingHenryVIII’saccession.

Othermemoriesthatwillstayfirminclude

thenumerouslinkswithorganisationsin

thelocalareabutparticularlythestart-

upofanewscheme,WindsorCastle

Ambassadors,whichbroughtsmallgroups

ofpupilsfromWindsorBoysandWindsor

GirlsSchoolstolearn,experienceand

helpwithlifeandworkinsidetheCastle

wallsandthengoingouttoengagewith

youngerchildreninotherlocalschools.

SallyMacfadyenhasenjoyedtimeinthe

MoatGardenanditsseemsthatmany

visitorstotheCastleenjoyseeingthe

vegetablepatchnearNormanToweras

theydothebeautifullykeptgrounds

aroundandbeyondtheRoundTower.In

onecorneroftheMoatGardenis‘Poets

Corner’.Thislittlearbourwassetupby

GeneralSirDightonProbynasamemorial

bothtohisfriendLordTennysonand

toMajorGeneralGordon.Itneeded

conservationandrefurbishment.By

chanceIanMacfadyenisaFoundation

memberofGordon’sschoolwhichwas

alsosetupasamemorialtoGeneral

Gordon.Anotherlinkisthatoneofthe

poetswhosewordsinthearbourwere

refurbishedbytheLondonSchoolof

CalligraphywastheRevT.E.Brown,the

IsleofMan’smostfamouspoet,where

between2000and2005IanMacfadyen

wasLieutenantGovernor.

AlthoughbornlocallyinMaidenheadand

spendinghisyouthintheareathe74th

Governorandhiswifewillberetiringto

SouthGloucestershirewheretheyhave

hadahouseforsome20years.The

Constable&Governorhassaidthathe

andSallywillgreatlymisstheservicesinSt

George’sandthewonderfulcomradeship

withintheCastle.Wewishthemevery

happinessintheirfuture.

Charlotte Manley, LVO, OBE Chapter Clerk

The Constable & Governor recalls...

VIEW FROM THE MIDDLE WARD

Phot

ogra

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Cha

rlott

e M

anle

y

PEOPLE OF ST GEORGE’S

Deborah Rooney

When I joined 12 years ago, having spent 18years with a local IT company, I had no ideahowquicklyIwouldfindmyselfimmersedinthehistoryanddiversityoftheCollegeofStGeorge.MyworkintheChapterOfficecoversavarietyofresponsibilities,fromHRtoticketproductionformajorevents,fromdealingwithmembersofthepublicandqueriesabouttimesofservicestoarrangingweddings.Itisalwaysajugglingactbutareallyenjoyableone and, together with my colleagues, our team of three proudlysupport St George’s Chapel and the wider work of the College ofStGeorge.

Sarah Steele

The Sunday school, which has grown

and developed is loved by the children

and has proved to be a huge success.

For me, the children are the life of

the College and it is important for

the future that this is encouraged.

Children playing and having fun and the sound of

innocent laughter echoing across the parade ground

in harmony with the choir is so beautiful. It is

the lifeblood of the College bringing humanity and

spirit to the rituals of daily life.

David Manners

I am constantly struck by the capacity of the

CollegeofStGeorge toaffectagreatnumber

ofpeople,situatedwithinthewallsofWindsor

Castle with its many daily visitors and a

communityallof itsown,thetownofWindsor

arounditanditsplaceonthenationalstage.Itis

agreatthrilltosingaspartofthefantasticteam

ofmusiciansthatistheChoirofStGeorge’sChapel,aspiringtothehighest

standards whether the music is ancient or modern, simple or complex.

WithdailychoralservicestakingplaceinthehistoricQuire,thereisagreat

senseofprivilege inproviding theclergyandcongregationwith the time

andspaceinwhichtocontemplateandcomprehend.Byalsoreachingout

intoWindsorFirstSchoolsonaprimarilymusicallevel,ithasbeenfantastic

towitnesshowchildren,parentsandteachersarebeingmadeawareofthe

CollegeofStGeorgeandbeinginvolvedinitslifeandwork.Sharingthe

bestofwhatthepasthasgivenusandusingittoguidethefutureishugely

relevantandthereisnobetterplacetostartthanonourdoorstep.

Patricia Birdseye

WhenIwalkthroughtheHenryVIIIGateeachmorningtothesightoftheChapelitishardnottofeeloverawedbythegrandeur,especiallyonanextremelyclearblueskydaybutwhatIfeelmostisthegreatprivilegeofbeingpartofthiscommunity.

Iloveworkinginsuchauniqueenvironmentsurroundedbyhistory,faithandofcoursethenumerousidiosyncrasiesofsuchanestablishment.

Iamblessedinmycolleagues,especiallywithinStGeorge’sHouse,butalsofromthewiderCollegeofStGeorgeandtheCastleitself.MyworkasaConsultationCo-ordinatorallowsmetomeetpeoplefromallwalksoflifewhocomethroughthedoorsoftheHouseandInowfeelabletotalktoanyonewhovisitsus.IhaveevenbeenknowntodoaformalconsultationwelcomeintheVicars’Hall!SometimesIfeelabitlikeajuggler–keepinglotsofballsintheairatthesametime,makingsurenoneofthemdropandfallthroughthecracks!!

14

Ian Poole

WhenIjoinedStGeorge’sasAssistanttoFredWilsonbackin1994IfeltawareofwhataspecialplaceofworkandprayertheChapelandCommunityis.Ihaveneverlostthatfeelingofaweandprivilege.PlayingmypartinthedaytodaybusinessofmaintainingtheChapelandCommunitybuildingsattheirbestinthesemodern,technicaltimesfromsoundsystems,lighting,mediainfrastructure,healthandsafetyissues,allhavetheirplacewithintheCollege.Iamasmalllinkinachaingoingbacktothe14thCentury.TheChapel,Collegeandcommunitywillgoonandonasaplaceofprayerandpurposeandlongmaythatbe.

Reflections on what the College means to some of those who work here.

PatsyKnight

LifeinStGeorge’sHousehasn’t

beenaboutjustconsultations

andlectures;itisaboutpeople,

theirwarmthandfriendship;

aboutmutuallikingandrespect–

and,ofcourse,aboutpageantry

ofGarterDay,celebrations,superbmusic,andthe

opportunitytomeetandlistentosomeofthegreatleaders

andthinkersoftheage.

Nick Grogan

Irecalltwodistinctmemoriesofthevery

firstAuditReceptionIattended.Thefirst

wasarealisationthatithadverylittleto

dowithfinancialaccountsandthesecond

wasanexplanationbytheDeanofourrole

astemporarycustodians.Perhapsobvious

now,butasanewcomertheconceptthat

mychosenprofessionisonlymarginally

relevantandthattimeismeasuredona

muchlongerbasisthanafinancialyear

wasslightlyunsettling.Ihavereachedtheconclusionthatallofus

hereimplicitlyacknowledgethattheCollegehasmanyelementsthat

mergetogethertocreateitsidentity.Sometasksinevitablyappear

moreimportantthanothersfromyeartoyear.Inmyshorttimehere

themainconcentrationofresourceshasshiftedfromStGeorges

SchooltoStGeorgesHouse,thentotheChapel’sbuildingsand

morerecentlytotheChoir.Butthroughouttheseseemingly

seismicchanges,routinessuchasthedailyservicesandtheannual

magnificenceoftheGarterceremonymanagetoprovideanunderlying

andcalmingcontinuitythathasenduredforcenturies.Itisaunique

environmentandIamprivilegedtobepartofit.

Sarah Steele

The Sunday school, which has grown

and developed is loved by the children

and has proved to be a huge success.

For me, the children are the life of

the College and it is important for

the future that this is encouraged.

Children playing and having fun and the sound of

innocent laughter echoing across the parade ground

in harmony with the choir is so beautiful. It is

the lifeblood of the College bringing humanity and

spirit to the rituals of daily life.

HelenCotterill

AsaChapelSteward,Ienjoy

welcomingvisitorsandIalsohelp

theCollegeincreasethevalueof

donationsthroughGiftAid.

What it means for me to work

here:Toworkvoluntarilyinafaith-

basedbuildingofsuchnational

significance—withitsimpressiveartandarchitectureandnolimit

toitshistoricalconnections—is,forme,bothawe-inspiringand

humbling.

What I think is important about the College:TheCollegeasa

wholedemonstratesthatthebestancientandmodernelements

oflifecanco-exist,ifcombinedcarefullyandmanageddiligently.

TheChapel,Iwouldaddinallhumility,hasbecomemyspiritual

hometoo.”

Colonel Finlay Maclean

AsanewCastleresidentIhavebeenaskedformyinitialimpressions.ThesplendourofWindsorCastleandtheStateApartmentsneednoelaboration,northeupliftingbeautyoftheQuireofStGeorge’sChapelbut,forme,itistheNavethatdeservesgreaterplauditswiththesoaringgraceandeleganceofitsarchitecture.SplendouragaincomestomindwhenlisteningtothevoicesoftheLayClerksandtheChoristersandtotheOrganmusic.Toattendaservicehereisuplifting.TocontributetothesplendourofStateCeremonialhasbeenmemorable.ButhavingtheopportunitytolivehereamongstsuchpleasantandtalentedpeopleandatthesametimeserveGod,HerMajestyandthepastandpresentKnightsoftheGarterhasbeenanhonourandprivilege.

15

Jeremy Sims

I have long had an interest in the history of the Chapel and its administration, and working in the

archives over the past few years I have made a particular study of the former estates of the Chapel.

These lands were spread throughout England and

Wales and were the principal source of the Chapel’s

income until the properties were transferred to the

Ecclesiastical Commissioners — the predecessors

of the Church Commissioners — in 1867. From the

muniments in the archives I am helping to build up a

database of deeds and documents relating to these

properties and have started to compile short histories of the administration of some of the estates. I enjoy working as part of the archives team to open up the rich collections in the College archives to a wider audience.

Aileen De Vally King

AsRegistrarIhavedirectresponsibilityforNursery,Pre-PrepandPrep

Schooladmissions,ensuringthattargetsforregistrations,confirmations

andfinalacceptancesareachieved.IamalsoPAtotheHeadMaster.In

bothrolesitisimportanttomaintainapositiverapportwithallchildren,

staffandprospectiveandcurrentparents.

Igenuinelyfeelitisaprivilegetoworkinsuchauniqueenvironment,

andveryfortunatethatmyrolesinvolvecontactwithothermembersof

thewiderStGeorge’scommunity.Ilovemyjob!

16

ST GEORGE’S HOUSE

Phot

ogra

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harlo

tte

Man

ley

Clergy Consultations - 2014TheChapterhavearrangedtwo

moreClergyConsultationsfor

theyear2014.Thefirstofthesewill

beheldinJulyunderthedirectionof

CanonsFinlayandPoll,whiletheDean

andCanonWoodwardwillleadthe

ConsultationinOctober.This,thesecond

Consultation,isentitledNourishingthe

PastoralHeartandwillinvolvethestudy

ofthreekeyvarietiesofnourishment,

namelythatwhichwereceivefromthe

world,fromourspirituallivesandfrom

thoseweserve.Thispromisestobean

innovativepieceofwork.

TheJulyConsultationfollowsapattern

thathasnowbecomesomewhat

established.Eachdaytacklesagiven

themethroughBiblestudy,literary

analysis,andlecturesgivenbyexperts.

Givenallthisworkparticipantsarethen

requiredtothinkabouthowthismight

changethewaytheyspeakaboutGod;

theyareasked,inotherwords,todo

sometheologicalreflection.Thisyear

thethemesincludetoday’schurch;

churchandsocialmedia;population

issues;education;theologyandthe

arts;economics;democracy;familyand

relationships.Weareverypleasedtohave

attractedadistinguishedlistofspeakers;

theyincludetheDean,AlanWilson,Sara

Parkin,MelissaBenn,MarkPryce,Evan

Davis,GerryStokerandRuthSutherland.

Weareverygratefulandalwayshumbled

bythewillingnessofbusypeopletogive

oftheirtimetotheHouseinthisway.

Ourparticipantscomefromdioceses

acrosstheUK,Ireland,andCanada.

Theyrepresentawiderangeof

churchmanshipandopinion.They

will,therefore,bringwiththema

greatdealofexperiencefromwhichwe

allhavemuchtolearn.Weverymuch

lookforwardtoworkingwiththemand

hopethatfollowingtheConsultation

theywilltotheirministryinvigoratedand

refreshed,readytospeakconfidently

aboutGod.

The Revd Canon Dr Hueston Finlay House Warden

ParticipantsinourOctober2013ClergyConsultation

ThefollowingmorningItakemyturnto

presideatthedailyEucharist.Onthe

altartheChapelteamhavecollected

prayerswrittenbyyesterday’s

visitors.Thesheervarietyoflanguage,

handwriting,needs,hopes,joysand

fearsaregivenexpression.Toread

thembeforetheEucharististostand

insolidaritywiththosewhohave

askedforprayers.Toofferthemin

intercessionisoneofthegreatest

privilegesofChristiandiscipleship.

Here,indeed,asTSEliotputsit,

‘prayerhasbeenvalid’andthatevening

andmorningoneisofferedareminder

andaglimpseof‘theintersectionof

thetimelessmoment’ofofferingand

prayer.

The Revd Canon Dr James Woodward

Canon Steward

COMMUNITY News 26January2014-SurplicingofMaxBroad,FelixGibbonsandZacharyRobertsas

Choristers•28February-IntermentofashesofGwenWest•11March-MemorialEvensongforEdnaConibear•23April–

FuneralofMollyVerona•4May–PresentationoftheGarterBannerofLordKingsdown•18May–ConfirmationofDaniel

Hamilton-Foster•1June–BaptismofNoahCharlesCarter

17

THE OFFERING OF PRAYER

ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL

Phot

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Man

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Phot

ogra

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avid

Cla

re

Itisjustbefore5o’clockandI

arriveinChapelforEvensong.

Ourvisitorshavegoneanditis,

bynow,adarkandcoldevening.

Iwanderdowntheambulatorytowards

thesouthquireaisleandIamstruck

bythesilenceofthespace.Itisa

reassuringstillnessandhelpsina

fewminutestoputsomeoftheday’s

activitiesandconversationsintoa

widerperspective.

Hereatthispointinthevisitorroute

thereisanopportunityforpeople

tostopandpray.AsImovetowards

thisareatheflamesofcandlesstill

flicker.ForamomentIamtakenoutof

myselfishpreoccupationtowonder

whatcausedthesecandlestobe

lit.Iimaginethesheerdiversityof

concerns.

For a safe journey home.

For a loved one.

In thanksgiving.

In memory.

Hereandinthisplaceprayerisoffered.

AsIstandandsharethisspacewiththe

manywhohavepausedtoreflectand

offerprayerthereemergesdeepwithin

measenseofthecontinuityofprayer.

Ifeelandknowthatinthisoffering

weareneveralonebutheldwithin

theloveofGod.Thisspiritualfocus

issharedwiththecloudofwitnesses

whohavekeptfaith,andindeed,all

thosewhowillcontinueinprayerlong

afterwehavegone.

The Companion•ThemagazinefortheCollegeofStGeorge

EdwardIIIfoundedtheOrderof

theGarterin1348,comprising26

KnightsCompaniontogetherwith

theCollegeofStGeorge,itsspiritual

elementandtheAlmsorPoorKnights,

asmembersoftheCollege,torepresent

theCompanionsinChapelandto

offerprayersfortheSovereignand

theOrder.TheoriginalAlmsKnights

wereofficerscapturedbytheFrench

beforetheBattleofCrecyin1346and

hadforfeitedtheirwealthasaransom

andwerethusinpenury.ElizabethI

revisedtheGarterstatutesreducing

thenumbersofknightstothirteenbut

awardingeachknight‘TreasuryMoney’

ofoneshillingperday.

Until1559,accommodationforthe

thirteenAlmsKnightshadbeenfarfrom

satisfactorywhensixhousesbuiltinto

thecurtainwalloftheCastleinabout

1350betweenMaryTudorTowerand

theeasternendofLowerWardwere

renovated.Tothewestsixnewhouses

werebuilttogetherwithacommonhall

andkitchen(nowGarterHouse).The

newhouseswerebuiltinstonefromthe

LadyChapelofthesuppressedReading

Abbey,whichwastransporteddown

theThames.

In1833WilliamIVcommandedthat

theCompanyshouldbere-titledthe

The Military Knights of Windsor

ST GEORGE’S CHAPEL

Military

Knightsof

Windsorand

thatthey

shouldwear

thefulldress

uniformofan

officerofthe

Unattached

List,which

iswornto

thisday,with

minormodifications.Thejacketconsists

ofascarletswallowtailedcoateethat

has44brassbuttons.Thegoldbullion

epaulettescarrythemilitaryknight’s

badgeofrankandaStGeorge’sCross

andthecrossbeltisemblazoned

withtheGarterstarsurmountedbya

Crown.Abicornhat,completewith

aredandwhiteplumeisworn.The

MilitaryKnightsalsowearanundress

uniformofabluefrockcoatbetween

RemembranceSundayandEaster

exceptforChristmasDayorwhena

ceremonysuchasthepresentationof

aGarterbannerortheInstallationofa

MilitaryKnighttakesplace,whenfull

dressisworn.

MilitaryKnightsattendsome50services

inuniformannually,includingGarter

Day,Obitsandotherspecialservices

suchasthepresentationofthebanner

ofadeceasedmemberoftheOrder.

TheyalsoattendaserviceonDaysof

Obligation.Theytakeafullpartinthe

lifeoftheCollegeandCastle,serving

asChapelStewards,Secretaryofthe

FriendsofStGeorge’sandDescendants

oftheKnightsoftheGarter,attending

StateVisitsatWindsorandorganizing

theopeningoftheMoatGardenfor

localcharitiesinAugust.Thisyearthey

areofferingapresentationtovisiting

partiesentitled‘TheMilitaryKnights

Tale’.

TheMilitaryKnightshaveservedthe

Collegecontinuallysince1348,offering

dailyprayers,inparticulartheprayerfor

theOrderoftheGarter:God save our Gracious Sovereign, and all the companions, living and departed, of the Most Honourable and Noble Order of the Garter. Amen.

Colonel David Axson

Military Knight of

Windsor

Phot

ogra

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Pet

er G

oltr

a

Phot

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Cha

rlott

e M

anle

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AfullhistoryoftheMilitary

Knightsisavailablefromthe

CloisterShopprice£15

MilitaryKnightsfulldressuniformfrom1832.

AlmsKnight’sMantel1348-1832

UndressUniform

OUR COMMUNITY

© T

he T

rust

ees

of th

e Br

itish

Mus

eum