| The Guards' Chapel | |
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 Interactive map of The Guards' Chapel | |
| Alternative names | The Royal Military Chapel |
| General information | |
| Type | Chapel |
| Architectural style | Modernist |
| Location | Westminster,London, United Kingdom |
| Completed | 1963 |
Historic site | |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Designated | 9 January 1970 Amended 26 April 2012 |
| Part of | Royal Military chapel and cloister, south of Birdcage Walk, Wellington Barracks |
| Reference no. | 1066441[1] |
The Royal Military Chapel, commonly known as theGuards' Chapel, is a British Army place of worship that serves as the religious home of theHousehold Division at theWellington Barracks inWestminster,Greater London. Completed in 1838 in the style of a Greek temple and re-designed during the 1870s,[2] the first chapel on the site was damaged by German bombing duringthe Blitz in 1940 and 1941.
On Sunday, 18 June 1944, the chapel was hit again, this time by aV-1 flying bomb, during the morning service. The explosion of the bomb collapsed the concrete roof onto the congregation, which left 121 people killed and 141 injured (both military and civilian).
Using the memorials from the old chapel as foundations,[2] a new chapel was built in aModernist style in 1963. In 1970 the building was made aGrade II* listed building.[1]
TheOrder of the Garter banner ofField marshalHarold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis was transferred fromSt George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, to the Guards' Chapel following his death in 1969.[3]
TheFlanders Fields Memorial Garden, dedicated to the memory of Guardsmen lost in theFirst World War, was opened by QueenElizabeth II in 2014 and occupies land next to the chapel.[4]
In the 1970s an organ was installed by the firm ofHill, Norman and Beard using material from an instrument at Glyndebourne as well as new pipework.[5] In addition to leading congregational singing, the organ accompanies the Chapel’s professional choir and works alongside military bands/ensembles. With the passing of time, it was decided that the organ was struggling to meet the demands placed on it, and in the 21st century the chapel commissioned a new organ fromHarrison and Harrison.[6]
On the last Tuesday of each month, except in August, the chapel hosts a free 45-minute lunchtime concert featuring a wide variety of music.
Media related toGuards Chapel at Wikimedia CommonsAuthority control databases: Geographic |
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51°30′01″N0°08′08″W / 51.5003°N 0.1356°W /51.5003; -0.1356