The Beauchamp Chapel, Church of St Mary, Warwick, 

and the Berkeley connection.

Talk to the Friends on Sunday 19th November

Henry Phythian-Adams gave his fellow Friends another fascinating illustrated talk, the subject this time being the Beauchamp Chapel in Warwick Collegiate Church.   

Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, was the husband of Elizabeth Berkeley and he founded the lavishly decorated chapel in 1439 as a Chantry Chapel, where priests would pray for the souls of himself and other members of his family. 

Henry shared his photographs of the family tombs and the incredibly detailed iconography, in both carvings and stained glass.  The clothes on some carvings were copied from medieval Mystery Plays and angels in stained glass hold pages of authentic music.

It is in this richly detailed chapel that the well-known Bear & Ragged Staff symbol of the Beauchamp family was depicted for only the second time:  this can be seen in the stained glass window in the Great Hall at Berkeley Castle.

The Beauchamp Chapel, courtesy of www.stmaryswarwick.org.uk

Henry Phythian Adams with Charles Berkeley, at an earlier talk.