Despite not being the oldest college in Cambridge, Jesus College has the oldest chapel in the city. The chapel was formerly the monastic church of St Mary & St Radegund, which was a convent of nuns founded in 1157. However, in 1496, the convent was dissolved, and the present Jesus College was founded on the same site by Bishop John Alcock. The former convent church was adapted to serve as the present college chapel after undergoing some structural modifications, including the demolition of the greater part of the nave. The present chapel is, therefore, a reduced version of the original church, but it still retains the distinct features that distinguish it from other college chapels and emphasize its former monastic use.
To access the chapel, one has to go through the cloister, which has undergone considerable changes since its original construction. The college buildings have replaced most of the nave, bringing it to the same size as the transepts. The central tower is square and somewhat squat, which is a result of its late medieval rebuild after the foundation of Jesus College.
Once inside the chapel, one can’t help but notice the starkness of the plain white walls. However, the splashes of color from the windows and the richly decorated ceiling give the chapel an astonishing beauty. Famous pre-Raphaelite artist William Morris and his circle designed the beautiful stained-glass windows, with the chapel windows mostly featuring a series of figures from cartoons by Burne Jones. The choir beyond is partially concealed by woodwork, including the chancel screen and elaborately carved stalls that retain some notable examples of late medieval carving. The choir itself is an excellent representation of Early English architecture with slender lancet windows. Interestingly, the Hardman glass adorns the only windows that don’t feature the Morris & Co designs.
Jesus College Chapel is an enchanting building with some beautiful glass. Additionally, it is one of the more visitor-friendly colleges in Cambridge, allowing visitors to wander freely around the area without attracting crowds of tourists that other Cambridge colleges tend to attract. For more information about Jesus College, you can check out its Wikipedia page.
Posted by Aidan McRae Thomson on 2021-08-08 07:26:28