The association of The Buffs with this particular chapel seems to have begun around the middle of the nineteenth century with the erection of stained glass in the east window (left) of St. Michael’s Chapel in 1862. This memorial, subsequently destroyed in 1942, was to the men from the East Kent Regiment who died in the Crimea War and led to the Chapel becoming known as ‘The Buffs Chapel’. PLAN
102. BUFFS CHAPEL TOMBS
The memorial at left is for Admiral Sir George Rooke. The Rooke family once had an estate at St. Lawrence in Canterbury which was once a Hospital for leprous nuns. Its use for this purpose went back to the 12th Century when it housed both monks and nuns. At right is the Buffs Memorial with names of those killed in action between 1895 and 1898 during which period the battalion was actively engaged in the Chitral and Punjab frontier campaigns.
104. CRYPT ALTARS
The Cathedral crypt contains several chapel altars. The altar at right is in the Jesus Chapel. The ceiling of this chapel is decorated with painted letters ‘I’ and ‘M’ standing for ‘Jesus’ and ‘Mary’.
105. THE ANCESTORS
The main display of the old Canterbury glass called ‘The Ancestors’ is in the Chapter House, but these examples were being shown in the Crypt.
106. TRANSPORT
The sculpture ‘Transport’ by the artist Antony Gormley hangs in the crypt. The two metre long work uses hand made antique iron nails from the Cathedral’s repaired South East transept roof to construct a delicate filter-like membrane outlining the space of a floating body. The membrane is pierced with nails passing through it from inside to outside and vice versa. [Cathedral photo]
107. LADY OF UNDERCROFT CHAPEL
The main crypt chapel is the Chapel of our Lady Undercroft. Here there are old carved columns and screens of carved and painted stone dating from the 14th century.
108. LEAVING THE CRYPT
The exit from the crypt is up these stone steps which emerge by the Thomas Beckett Altar.
109. SOUTH QUIRE AISLE
Leaving the Thomas Beckett Altar, we walk back through the tunnel under the Crossing, and turn left up the steps to the South Quire Aisle. Here past the stained glass window shown at right, we find the tomb of Walter Reynolds (Archbishop 1313 to 1327) (centre) and Prior Henry of Eastry (d. 1331) (left). Henry doubtless came from the village of Eastry, between Canterbury and Sandwich, the manor of which belonged to the monks of Christ Church, and which sent a constant supply of recruits to that house.
110. DEAN THOMAS NEVIL
This memorial depicts two brothers, Thomas and Alexander Nevil (variously Neville, Nevile, etc), with Thomas on the left and his brother Alexander on the right. Thomas became Master of Trinity College Cambridge, an appointment which proved to be to their gain and Canterbury’s loss as Thomas gave many priceless manuscripts to the College from the Cathedral library. He served as Dean of Canterbury (1597–1615) and was a generous benefactor to Eastbridge Hospital.
111. SOUTH EAST TRANSEPT
The four bright windows date from the 1950s. By Ervin Bossanyi, a Hungarian refugee, they explore themes of Peace and Salvation. To our right is an artistic array of circles.
112. GRISAILLE WINDOW
On the West wall of the South East transept is this geometric grey (‘grisaille’) window from 1942, in the style of 13th century glass.
113. ST GREGORY’S CHAPEL
There are two chapels on the East of the South West transept. The Southernmost one is St Gregory’s Chapel. This chapel contains a modern icon. A plaque urges visitors to remember Geoffrey Francis Fisher who was Archbishop 1945 – 1961.
114. CHAPEL OF ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST
Next to St Gregory’s Chapel is the Chapel of St John the Evangelist. Here there is a painting of ‘The Adoration’ by Schidone. The 19th century glass is part of the Tree of Jesse series. This series illustrates the genealogy of Christ.
115. AISLE AND BELL
At 11 am each weekday, visitors will hear six rings on the bell of HMS Canterbury, situated in the South East transept. Following prayers for all who have died in conflict, and for peace in the world, an ex-servicemen or sometimes a serving serviceman, will turn the page in the Buff's Book of Remembrance. At left is a view over the South Quire aisle with the South East transept (where we are!) at far right.
116. DISPLAY
Along the South Quire aisle, just East of the transept is this display of knight’s equipment: vest, shield, gloves, blade ... . More information required here ...
117. ST PAUL AND THE VIPER
The 12th century wall painting of ‘St Paul and the Viper’ is found in the South Quire aisle just outside the Chapel of St Anselm. Notice the decorated Norman arches below.
118. CANTERBURY COPE
This Enthronement Cope was commissioned by Canterbury Cathedral in 1980 for the enthronement of the Most Reverend Robert Runcie as Archbishop of Canterbury. It was worn by the Archbishop at the Eucharist Service on the day following enthronement.
Canterbury Cathedral also commissioned a set of canons’ copes at the same time.
119. ST ANSELM CHAPEL WINDOW
We have now come to the St Anselm Chapel with its glorious South East facing window. The stained glass window casts a colourful image across the Chapel. In the floor ‘ANSELM’ is engraved. Anselm was Archbishop of Canterbury 1093 – 1109, and was the most important Christian theologian in the West between Augustine and Thomas Aquinas.
120. HOLY TRINITY PAINTING
We climb the next flight of stone steps of the South Quire aisle leading into the Trinity Chapel. On the wall is a painted recreated image of the Trinity, the original of which is suspended above the tomb of Edward Woodstock, Prince of Wales, better known as the Black Prince. The original painting, on the underside of the wooden canopy, is more defaced but it’s main features are still clear.