Renovations

The appearance of the chapel has changed many times in its long history, principally the extensive restoration required after a devasting fire which gutted the chapel in 1864, leaving only the four walls still standing. Significant developments and additions have occurred since it became the chapel of the Royal Victorian Order in 1937. In 1938-39 the internal east, west and south walls were panelled with oak and a detached robing room was constructed and connected to the chapel by a short covered passage. The works were designed by Malcolm Matts (1874-1960). The display case at the entrance to the Lancaster Hall was given by him in memory of his wife Ada (1877-1950). More substantial development was undertaken in 1957-58 to designs by Arthur Knapp-Fisher (1888-1965). The robing room and the passage were demolished and replaced by a larger robing room, an office for the chaplain, an ‘ante-chapel’ and a more convenient main entrance and vestibule on Savoy Hill. In honour of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee the Chapel garden was re-landscaped in 2002. In 2011-12 a major building project to mark the Diamond Jubilee, created a new sunken courtyard, offices for the Chaplain and the Steward, a kitchen and a major extension to the 1957-58 royal robing room. In recognition of the generosity of the Duchy of Lancaster, in funding the work, the ante-chapel was renamed the Lancaster Hall. A new stained glass window, designed and made by the Scottish artist Douglas Hogg, was inserted in the west wall in 2012 to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of The Queen’s reign. A new floor was laid in the nave of the chapel in 2013, the chancel and sanctuary floors were restored and cleaned during the summer of 2014 and the altar dais was given a new stone surround. The perimeter railings were restored in 2015-16 and more work will be done in the next few years.