Chapel
The school's traditional faith is Christianity (Church of England) although it accepts pupils from all religious and non-religious backgrounds. All students attend compulsory Chapel services within the School twice a week.
The Chapel was built in 1857 with an extension in 1875. Prior to this, pupils and masters would attend services at St Peter's-in-the-Forest (across Woodford New Road from the school). The Chapel contains numerous stained glass windows including more recent installations designed by the pupils. The stained glass at the altar end depicts a boy at either side of Jesus, one dressed in cricket whites and one dressed in the old school uniform. The reredos in Chapel depicts the Last Supper as envisaged by Leonardo da Vinci. This was dedicated to a pupil who died during an operation at the nearby Whipps Cross Hospital, aged 17.
A memorial cross was erected outside the Chapel in 1920 in memory of those from Forest School who perished in the Great War. Memorial tablets were installed inside the Chapel in memory of those who have laid down their lives in battle then and since. In 1944, a flying-bomb scored a direct hit on the Junior School and impacted upon the east end of the Chapel, destroying stained glass windows by William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones.
Read more about this topic: Forest School (Walthamstow)
Famous quotes containing the word chapel:
“The religion of England is part of good-breeding. When you see on the continent the well-dressed Englishman come into his ambassador’s chapel and put his face for silent prayer into his smooth-brushed hat, you cannot help feeling how much national pride prays with him, and the religion of a gentleman.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“One thing’s certain. With a name like Abrahams, he won’t be in the chapel choir, now will he?”
—Colin Welland (b. 1934)
“whan he rood, men myghte his brydel heere
Gynglen in a whistlynge wynd als cleere
And eek as loude as dooth the chapel belle.”
—Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400)