The Last Supper painting at Windsor Parish Church
We were in the historic, beautiful Windsor town in England and had decided to explore the almost 1000 years old Windsor Parish Church of Saint John the Baptist. In the year 1110 AD when King Henry I moved court into the newly built Windsor castle, then people started settling down around the Castle for trade and work. Subsequently the Church of Saint John the Baptist was built for the Windsor residents which maintained good connexion with the King and Castle and continues to do so! I must add that I was visiting the ‘new Church” dated early 19th century, recreated when the ‘Old Church’ was beyond repair. Admiring the Glass doors in the Porch, spotting Plaques & Hatchments from the ‘Old Church era’, Wall memorials, past the stone carved Font, we were moving towards the Altar on the Nave of the Windsor Parish Church.
Antique Music Organ
The impressive Music Organ down the centuries
While on the main Aisle we identified a tall beautiful Music organ, on the left. As I admired the intricate woodwork of the Pulpit and the rest of the parts supporting the Music Organ we read about the repair of this 122 years old Organ recently with donations from local Windsor residents and the new Music Organ can create millions of sounds! Stepping back in the time machine one could witness the arrival of the first Organ in 1530 to be replaced in 1633 that got damaged in the Britain’s Civil War so the Church had no Music Organ for 100 years till King George –III gifted the Music Organ of the Saint George’s Chapel inside the Windsor Castle to the Windsor Parish Church! We were surprised to know that the till the early 20th century, the Church had an only male choir but is now mixed with women and men!
Writer in the Aisle with the large Music Organ on behind her and the Stained glass windows with Mosaics Altar in the backdrop
As I turned back towards the Aisle, my thoughts turned to the other Church related music- the ringing of the Church Bells that we all find mesmerising since our childhood!! Hundreds of years later, the set of 8 Church Bells rung at intervals seem to be a connection between the past and present of the Windsor Parish Church! The ones we saw outside were restored in 1930 courtesy donations by King George III & Prince of Whales another donation by the Royal family.
Ethereal Altar & Royal Pews
The beautiful Altar with a backdrop of Stained glass windows and Mosaics
Finally we reached the ethereal Altar- the main worship area of the Church surrounded by the Chancel & Apse– the semi-circular space around the Altar. The magnificent backdrop of the Stained-glass windows and Mosaics are an addition to the Windsor Parish Church between 1816 to 1890 that illustrate Jesus and angel-musicians with religious symbols.
One cannot miss the attractive Royal Pews on the right which consist of two exceptionally intricately carved wooden chairs gifted to the Parish Church by King George 3rd’s daughter Sophia in 1822, who regularly worshipped here! Furthermore, exquisite carving by Britain’s celebrated wood carver Grinling-Gibbons was on display here which the Parish Church received from the Royals of Windsor Castle in the early 17th century, once a part of the Altar rail in Saint George’s Chapel inside the castle!
While stepping down the Altar we spotted the 16th century Hatchment- memorial of Richard Gallys connected to the main character of Shakespeare’s comedy play ‘Merry Wives of Windsor’!!
The Last Supper Magic
Jesus Christ in the The Last Supper painting of great importance in Christian art
Finally we turned around to view the splendid painting – a unique piece of art- The Last Supper! We had been eagerly waiting to do this throughout our visit to the Church but had recalled reading that the best view of painting is from the Altar as it was placed on the inside of the, top of the Entrance wall of the Church!!
The Last Supper painting is of great importance in Christian art as it depicts Jesus Christ’s last meal when he declares that one of the Apostles will betray him before he is arrested. So it is interesting to notice each of their expressions for which we walked back on the Aisle and tilted our neck backwards to have a closer view, trying to spot Judas, the betrayer.
In the Time machine, I stepped into the start of the 17th century when King James and King Charles patronised the work of German artist Francis Cleyn who painted the Last Supper for Saint George’s Chapel inside Windsor Palace, initially. A beautiful handwritten note from the 1782-1792 Chapel Treasures book read that this Grecian style painting was presented to the Windsor Parish ‘Old Church’ when a new Last Supper painting was done for the Chapel that matched it. We recalled reading that it was shifted here from the Altar when the ‘New Church’ was made. We were impressed with such detailed information!
I recalled viewing the famous work of celebrated Italian artist Leonardo di Vinci’s 15th century Last Supper painting in a Milan monastery, years back.
Church Charity work from Then to Now
Since the time of the foundation of the Windsor Parish Church was laid; it has been involved in philanthropic activities like hospitals, Alm-houses for the homeless and schools for the really poor & deprived.
The 14th century grave of Sister Idonea de Audele- from the sacred Abbey of Burnham- originally inside the ‘Old Church’
We stepped out in the sunshine after completing the tour of the medieval church and looked out for the grave of Sister Idonea de Audele– from the sacred Abbey of Burnham. Her early 14th century grave was inside the ‘Old Church’ but was reassigned here when the ‘New Church’ was built. We noticed the design of the Lion & Floral Cross on the grave had been replicated on the Glass entrance doors of the ‘New Church’.
We walked past several important graves towards the War memorial on the left which was a commemoration of hundreds who lost their lives in the wretched World War I. It was unveiled by Princess Alice and Lady Mary Cambridge in 1920. I stepped into the time machine to be in the year 1972 and witnessed the Queen Mother planting a tree in this Churchyard when it was altered into a Garden of Peace!
The 1920 World-War1 memorial on the left which was a commemoration of those who lost their lives. wretched World War I
Au Revoir
As we walked back to the car park my mind recreated the 11th century summer-scene with the majestic Windsor castle on the hilltop in the vast openness and the impressive Windsor Parish Church below it; so different from the urban hustle now!
Writer outside the medieval Windsor Parish Church
Photographs Courtesy: Mr. Arvind Chopra