Trinity College Chapel

Trinity College Chapel stands in the heart of Cambridge, part of the Grade I listed buildings of Trinity College. Built in the mid 16th century, it began under Queen Mary in 1554–55 and was completed by Elizabeth I in 1567. The chapel follows the Tudor-Gothic style, with Perpendicular tracery and pinnacles. Its roof may have been reused from King’s Hall, the college that once occupied the site. The walls were re-faced in ashlar during the 19th century, and the roof was later restored and modernised. The chapel is worth visiting for its stained glass windows, designed by Pre-Raphaelite artist Henry Holiday. Installed between 1871 and 1875, they depict figures in historical sequence, arranged in upper and lower rows. The cost of £20,000 was largely raised by subscriptions from Trinity alumni. The chapel also holds a fine organ, originally built in 1694 and rebuilt in 1913 and 1976. The current instrument, made by Metzler Söhne, is played in regular Sunday recitals during term time. Inside, visitors find a space shaped by centuries of history. The walls hold memorials to former fellows, including statues, brasses and war memorials. The Choir of Trinity College, made up of student Choral and Organ Scholars, performs regularly in the chapel. Outside, the Ascension Parish Burial Ground contains graves of twenty-seven fellows, including three Vice-Masters. The Dean of Chapel oversees the chapel’s life, with a list of deans dating back to the 19th century.