Annotated plan of the fittings of the Morning Prayer Chapel

WRE/4/3/1

c.1693–94

Sir Christopher (1632–1723) Wren, Nicholas (c.1662–1736) Hawksmoor

Pen and brown ink over pencil under-drawing, with yellow-ochre, light grey and dark grey washes, and additions in pencil. Thick smooth laid paper, with two repaired tears on left side. 37.2 x 52.7 cm. Watermark: Strasbourg lily WR.

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang2057{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Microsoft Sans Serif;}{\f1\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 System;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue128;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\cf1\f0\fs20 A near-final study for the layout of the Morning Prayer Chapel, drawn and annotated by Hawksmoor. Datable c.1693-94. Drawn scale, just under 3 ft to 1 inch (10 ft = 87 mm).\par \par Hawksmoor\rquote s highly decorative title, \lquote\i Mornig \i0 [sic]\i prayr Chappell\i0 .\rquote , indicates a drawing for presentation. The shading and line conventions describe the architectural shell and fittings: yellow-ochre and grey wash for the stalls and floor platforms, darker grey shading for the paired columns of the aisle arcade, unshaded lines for the wall panelling, thick brown lines for the partitions between the two tiers of stalls, dotted lines for the steps and reading lecterns, and diagonal pen shading for the wrought-iron entrance screen. Incomplete pencilled squares added to the ends of the screen may indicate wrought-iron gate piers; they are treated as broad panels in the design for a wrought-iron entrance screen to the chapel, WRE/4/3/2.\par \par The pencilled note, \lquote\i Pave with Sweeds, arras ways\i0\rquote , indicates Swedish limestone paving stones (greyish in colour, extremely hard-wearing) set diagonally. The chapel was paved in white marble in 1698 (see Wren Society 15, p.43, and Dickinson\rquote s complete paving of c.1709, WRE/7/2/7). Pencilled letters on the plan, repeated in a table at bottom left, explain the levels and junctions of the fittings:\par \par \i 'A\tab Stop ye Wainscot here \par BBBB No step up. \par CCCC a step up. \par DDDD 2 steps up. \par E 3 steps up reading Pew. \par GG The screen stops here\rquote . \i0\par \par The seating against the north wall, either side of the enclosed reading desk, is two steps up (\lquote\i D\i0\rquote ), and the reading desk platform is a step higher (\lquote\i E\i0\rquote ). Hawksmoor sketched the stalls on the north side in a section on WRE/4/3/2. The levels of the platforms and positions of the steps conform closely with those in a survey plan of the chapel by Penrose in 1871, shortly before he reordered the space to create an altar sanctuary in the east apse (SPCAA/D/1/5/5). He removed the stalls and panelling around this apse, lowered the timber platforms on the north side to bring them level with the marble floor, but kept the arrangement in the western apse, where the rear stalls are a single step up from floor level (marked \lquote\i C\i0\rquote by Hawksmoor). \par \par The plan was developed from a preliminary ink sketch at All Souls (Geraghty 2007, no.89). It is probably contemporary with the designs for the choir fittings in 1693-94, as the reverse of one of these (for the Bishop\rquote s Throne, WRE/4/2/3) has a pencil sketch for the entrance screen in timber, as executed, whereas this design and its companion, WRE/4/3/2, incorporate a wrought-iron screen. \par \par When finished in 1698, the chapel could accommodate the entire cathedral establishment, including the dean, archdeacons and principal officers - about 70 people in all. The blocks of benches may have been for the singing men. A joiner\rquote s bill in 1698 for 99 cloak pins in the chapel corresponds to the seating available in this plan (\lquote 8 doz. & 3 Pinns for ye Chappell\rquote ; Wren Society 15, p.45). \cf0\b\f1\par }

Access to the Wren office drawings held at London Metropolitan Archives is available only with advance notice and at the discretion of the Heritage Services Director, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London, EC1R 0HB.

WRE/4/2/3, WRE/4/2/5, WRE/7/2/7