I shared the absolutely beautiful King’s College Chapel at Cambridge with you a few weeks ago. As far as Cambridge college chapels go, I think it probably is the creme de la creme. When you have several consecutive kings funding your chapel and continually paying for it’s growth and changes, you would be the best. And while the fan vault in the chapel is what most people flock to see, there is something else hidden in plain sight that is far more important to most historians. So, what is a rood screen, and why do we care about the rood screen at King’s College Chapel?
A rood screen is defined as: “a screen, typically of richly carved wood or stone, separating the nave from the chancel of a church. Rood screens are found throughout western Europe and date chiefly from the 14th–16th centuries.” Basically, it is an elaborately carved partial wall in a church that separates the nave (the main aisle/body of the church) from the chancel (the area around the altar). The late medieval period was fantastic for highly decorated churches, and this one is no exception.
Why Does THIS Rood Screen Matter?
And why exactly do we care about this particular rood screen? Well, everyone’s favourite medieval king, Henry VIII was the one to commission it. Built and erected in 1532-36, this rood screen was built in honour of his marriage to Anne Boleyn. Although it may seem odd to us, it very much was a sign of love and respect for Anne. I am curious if it was awkward that she died in 1536, as it was only finished that year. However, I am going to guess that isn’t a question people were going to ask Henry. In any case, it is one of the finest surviving examples of Italian carving from the period in England. The organ is also housed in the screen, which makes for quite an interesting experience during Evensong.
Have you seen the rood screen at King’s College Chapel? And do you think it’s a gift you would want to receive?
Cheers,
The Historian
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