The War Cloister, Winchester College

The War Cloister is a war memorial erected between 1922 and 1924 to the design of the architect Sir Herbert Baker. The memorial cross was created by the sculptor Alfred Turner, with carvings by Charles Wheeler and the main inscription designed by the Art Master of the college, R M Y Gleadowe. The emblems were designed by George K Gray and painted by Lawrence Turner. The master foreman was A E Clarke and the builders were Messrs. Holloway Brothers.

Materials and Construction

The cloister is built of knapped flint and Portland stone ashlar with an oak roof covered by Purbeck stone slate. The name tablets are of Derbyshire Hopton Wood stone, and the floor contains slabs of South African granite, Australian syenite, Canadian marble and Indian black marble.

Layout

The memorial takes the form of a quadrangular cloister with a main entrance on the east side and additional entrances at the south and south-west. A memorial cross stands within a garden at the centre of the cloister garth.

The Main Entrance

The main entrance to the War Cloister is on the east side via Meads Gate. It comprises a round-headed arch containing wrought-iron gates decorated with angels sounding trumpets, set under a gable with projecting kneelers and a stone coping. A niche above the arch contains a carving of St Mary, the Patron Saint of the college, by Charles Wheeler. She stands beneath a crown and holds the Child Jesus upright in her hands. Immediately above the niche is decorative flushwork featuring a crowned monogram and cross.

Embedded in the wall on either side of the arch are Latin inscriptions commemorating the laying of the foundation stone and the opening of the War Cloister. On the left side: LAPIDEM IN CLAUSTRO AD FULCIENDAM CRUCEM/ POSITUM CUM SUPPLICATIONE ET CONCENTO MULI:/ :TORUM CONTIONATO EDWARDO VICECOMITE/ GREY DE FALLODON: ID: QUINCT: A.D. MCMXXII/ DEDICAVIT GULIELMUS ANDREWES FEARON:/ S:T:P: COLLEGII HUIUSCE OLIM INFORMATOR. On the right side: VIAM SACRAM PRID:KAL:IUN: MCMXXIV PATE-/ -FECIT PRINCEPS HONORATISSIMUS PATRUUS REGIS/ ARTURUS DUX DE CONNAUGHT: DEDICAVIT/ EDWARDUS TALBOT S:T:P: EPISCOPUS WINTON: EMERITUS: COLLAUDAVIT EDWARDUS VICECOMES/ GREY DE FALLODON: A CELEBERRIMO WICCAMICORUM/ CONVENT REDDITAE SUNT DEO GRATES.

External Walls

The walls that enclose the cloister are built of knapped flint and limestone blocks with a chamfered plinth, corner buttresses, and a chamfered string course set just below eaves level. In the north wall, close to the north-east angle, is a Craftsmen's Stone inscribed with the craftsmen's names in Latin: IN HOC AEDIFICIO COMMUNITER LABORA-/ VERUNT ARCHITECTUS, HERBERTUS BAKER:/ SCULPTORES, ALFREDUS TURNER, CAROLUS/ WHEELER: SIGNORUM INVENTOR, KRUGER/ GRAY: ARTIFEX AC PICTOR, LAURENTIUS/ TURNER: AEDIFICATOR, HENRICUS HOLLO-/ WAY: MAGISTER OPERUM, ALBERTUS CLARKE./ NON SIBI SED DEO ET MORTUIS (Not for thee, but for God and the Dead). The cloister walk has a pitched roof covered by Purbeck stone slates.

The Cloister Walk

Internally there is a cloister arcade formed of Portland stone round-headed arches supported on pairs of Tuscan columns and several pilasters with gabled buttresses facing the garth. A low chamfered stone wall or bench runs between the columns. The cloister walkway is covered by an open crown-post roof constructed of oak with tie beams supported by arched braces resting on corbels.

A round-headed arched doorway at the south end of the west wall leads out to the South Africa (Boer War memorial) Gateway and Kingsgate Street. A blocked round-headed archway is positioned in the south wall next to it. A further arched doorway at the centre of the south wall leads to the college buildings on this side of the cloister.

The Four Corners

At each end of the east and the west cloister walks are shallow apses beneath finely-jointed ashlar hemi-domes. These four corners are dedicated to three Dominions of the British Empire, and to India. Under each hemi-dome is a circular slab: granite from Table Mountain in South Africa; syenite from New South Wales, Australia; Canadian Marble from Texada Isle in British Columbia, Canada; and black marble from Gudh-Gaya, India. Each slab is inlaid with a national emblem in brass. In addition there are four small gift-stones from Ypres set into the stone floor of the walkway next to Meads Gate.

Regimental Badges and Emblems

The badges of 120 regiments in which Old Wykehamists served are emblazed on the corbels and tie beams of the roof and the walls of the cloister walk. These were designed by George K Gray and painted by Lawrence Turner. On the oak timbers of the roof, over the arches, are wooden angels carrying gilded symbols: a Jerusalem Cross, the double cross of Ypres, the Wooden Cross, the cross of the War Graves, as well as four badges of regiments closely associated with Winchester: The Rifle Brigade, King's Royal Rifles, Hampshire Regiment, and the Royal Artillery.

The spandrels of the arches surrounding the cloister garth are carved in low relief with: the arms and badges of the four home nations; of the see and town of Winchester; the county of Hampshire; Oxford and Cambridge; the military colleges; the Royal Navy, Merchant Navy and Royal Air Force; and notable Wykehamists who held high service during the war. The Royal Arms are positioned in front of the entrance arch to unite them all.

The Main Inscription

The cloister walk is encircled by a flushwork inscription designed in Lombardic-style lettering by the Art Master of the college, R M Y Gleadowe. It runs in a continuous band around the inside wall of the cloister, as follows: THANKS BE TO GOD FOR THE SERVICE OF THESE FIVE HUNDRED WYKEHAMISTS, WHO WERE FOUND FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH AMID THE MANIFOLD CHANCES OF THE GREAT WAR. IN THE DAY OF BATTLE THEY FORGAT NOT GOD, WHO CREATED THEM TO DO HIS WILL, NOR THEIR COUNTRY, THE STRONGHOLD OF FREEDOM, NOR THEIR SCHOOL, THE MOTHER OF GODLINESS AND DISCIPLINE. STRONG IN THIS THREEFOLD FAITH THEY WENT FORTH FROM HOME AND KINDRED TO THE BATTLEFIELDS OF THE WORLD AND, TREADING THE PATH OF DUTY AND SACRIFICE, LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES FOR MANKIND. THOU, THEREFORE, FOR WHOM THEY DIED, SEEK NOT THINE OWN, BUT SERVE AS THEY SERVED, AND IN PEACE OR IN WAR BEAR THYSELF EVER AS CHRIST'S SOLDIER, GENTLE IN ALL THINGS, VALIANT IN ACTION, STEADFAST IN ADVERSITY.

First World War Name Tablets

On each side of the cloister are groups of name tablets of Derbyshire Hopton Wood stone attached to the walls, which contain the names of the fallen of the First World War. The tablets are set in moulded surrounds with the names of the relevant battles or campaigns at the centre, beneath carved bas-reliefs. These are headed: ON THE SEAS; FRANCE FLANDERS (four panels); GALLIPOLI/ MACEDONIA/ ITALY/ MURMAN/ ARCHANGEL (one panel); EGYPT/ PALESTINE/ MESOPOTAMIA (one panel); TSING-TAU/ SIBERIA/ N.W.FRONTIER INDIA/ BALUCHISTAN/ PERSIA/ ADEN/ E.AFRICA/ S.W.AFRICA/ CAMEROONS (one panel). The name tablets are headed CAME TO WINCHESTER, followed by the year and names, commencing in 1868. The penultimate panel, ending in 1913, continues with DIED SINCE THE WAR in italics, followed by five names. The last tablet is headed ASSISTANT MASTER, followed by one name, and then QUIRISTERS, followed by six names.

Second World War Commemoration

The fallen of the Second World War are commemorated by 12 name tablets attached to the inside pilasters of the cloister arcade. The precursory panel has a Celtic cross beneath which is inscribed: HERE/ IN EQUAL HONOUR/ FACING THE NAMES OF THE FALLEN IN THE/ FIRST WORLD WAR/ ARE INSCRIBED/ THOSE OF THE TWO/ HUNDRED & SEVENTY/ WYKEHAMISTS/ WHO DIED SERVING/ IN THE SAME FAITH/ 1939 - 1945/ If our time be come/ let us die/ manfully for our brethren/ and let us/ not stain our honour. The name tablets are headed with years only, starting with 1913, and followed by names. On the last tablet, the last year, 1938, is followed by ASSISTANT MASTER (one name), QUIRISTERS (three names) and REPORTED SINCE THE WAR (six names).

The Second World War re-dedication stone is inscribed in Latin: VIA HAEC/ IAMPRIDEM MEMORIAE/ WICCAMICORUM SACRA/ QUI PRO PATRIA/ DIMICANTES OCCUBERUNT/ ITERUM SACRATA EST/ AD XVIII KAL DEC MCMXLVIII/ EORUM ADIECTIS NOMINIBUS/ QUI EADEM SEQUENTES SIGNA/ BELLO PERIERUNT ALTERO/ SUPPLICAVIT/ MERVYN EPISCOPUS WINTON/ CONTIONATUS EST/ ARCHIBALD COMES WAVELL.

Set on a corbel in a round-headed alcove at the centre of the west wall, opposite Meads Gate, is a bronze bust of Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, head of Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain.

The Garden and Memorial Cross

A garden is located within the cloister garth. It is fringed by a narrow border of shrubs and divided into four square lawns by stone-paved pathways. These converge at the centre where there is a war memorial cross by Alfred Turner. It comprises a Celtic cross, which surmounts the capital of an octagonal stone column with a moulded base, resting on a two-tier octagonal plinth and two-tier stepped base. The cross is inscribed in Greek: 'Christ is Risen'. It is flanked by sentinel figures; two crusaders, one facing east, one facing west, each clasping a broadsword pointed downwards. On the top-tier of the plinth is the Latin inscription: ESTO FIDELIS USQUE AD MORTEM ET DABO TIBI CORONAM VITAE (be faithful until death and I will give thee a crown of life).