Imagine standing before Highgate School Chapel its red brick Gothic facade narrating tales of centuries past. This chapel is not just a place of worship. It is a repository of history, art and music.
Highgate School Chapel’s story begins with Sir Roger Cholmeley. In 1565 Queen Elizabeth I authorized him to found a grammar school. The chapel became central to the school’s identity.
We owe the chapel’s current form to Dr. Dyne. He was Highgate’s headmaster from 1838 to 1874. In 1866, he commissioned Frederick Pepys Cockerell to design the chapel and school building. Cockerell was a successful architect. He designed grand country houses. He was a distant descendant of Samuel Pepys.
Notice the Gothic style. Cockerell’s design showcases intricate internal brickwork. Some say it resembles North African patterns. The apse above the altar is richly decorated. Sparkling stars shoot between planets. Below angels and saints glow with gilded halos.
Look around at the stained glass windows. Almost all are original. Only one was lost during the war. A bomb blew it out.
Music fills the chapel. Two organs stand ready. The one currently in use serves both services and teaching. The wooden organ holds special significance. Composer John Rutter played it as a Highgate pupil. He even participated in the first recording of Britten’s War Requiem. He played under the composer’s baton. Fellow pupils included John Taverner and Howard Shelley.
The chapel faces a shared churchyard. It is a small space. It is tucked away behind the chapel. The graveyard contains lopsided gravestones. The school has a moral responsibility for it.
Highgate School Chapel stands as a testament to time. It has evolved through wars, artistic movements and musical innovations. It remains a vibrant part of Highgate School and its community. The chapel is still used today for school purposes. It is also used for the wider Highgate community.