The Woodwork, Organ, etc.
THE Screen dividing the choir from the ante-chapel is one of the earliest and purest examples of renaissance woodwork in this country and is no doubt the work of foreign artists (probably Italian), several having been brought over and employed by Henry VIII. Carved upon it are the badge of Anne Boleyn, a crowned falcon holding a sceptre; the initials H. R., R. A., H. A., with true lovers' knots entwining these two letters; the arms of Henry VIII and Anne impaled; while below in the same compartment is a bull's head caboched. This last is not a rebus[9] in the true sense of the term (for at least one would expect the letter N or something similar to appear), yet I venture to say it refers to Anne, and, with the rest, shows the date of the work to be 1533-1536, during which period her influence was at its height. At the back of the Provost's stall is carved an admirable representation of St. George and the dragon. Over the door on this side are the arms of King's and Eton emblazoned. The definition of the arms of King's is as follows: Sable, three roses argent, a chief per pale, azure a fleur-de-lis of France, and gules a lion of England.[10] That of Eton is the same, with the exception of three lilies in the place of the roses.[11]
The organ was put up in 1688 by René Harris,[12] taking the place of one erected in 1606 by an organ-builder named Dalham; some portions of the case date back to the time of Henry VIII. On the outer towers of the organ facing west are two angels holding trumpets. These were put up in 1859, taking the place of two pinnacles, which in their turn were substituted for two figures about the size of David on this same side. In 1859 the organ was much enlarged by Messrs. Hill, of London.
The Coats of Arms at the back of the stalls on the north and south sides were put up at the expense of Thomas Weaver, a former Fellow of the College, in 1633. Amongst them are the arms of England as they were at the time; those of Henry V, VI, VII, VIII, Eton and King's College—for Henry VI (no doubt following out the scheme adopted by William of Wykeham, who founded Winchester School and New College, Oxford) founded Eton also—also the arms of Cambridge University, and, to show a friendly feeling to the sister University, those of Oxford placed on the opposite side. The canopies of the stalls and the panel work east of them were executed in 1675-1679.
The Altar Table, from a design by Mr. Garner, was first used on Advent Sunday, 1902; and the woodwork round the chancel was finished in 1911. The architects were Messrs. Blow and Billary, the work being executed by Messrs. Rattee and Kett, the celebrated ecclesiastical builders, of Cambridge.