Winchester College Publication Winchester College War Cloisters Architecture | Page 6

century. The spearhead elite divisions cut the way through the German
defences, but the old county regiments ensured the victory of 1918. form of a Field Marshal’s baton, and the ambulance service opposite the
wings of the RAF.
Above the beams and corbels are the stone tiles of the four roofs. These were
cut from deep Purbeck beds in Dorset. Difficult to find, they come from
many quarries. In the other half of the north and south arches the offices of Government and
Empire are placed opposite the Coats of Arms of the governance of the
school: Lord Chelmsford, Viceroy of India and Viscount Grey, Foreign
Secretary at the outbreak of war, opposite Warden Palmer and Headmaster
Rendall’s Arms.
Around all four inner walls of War Cloister, the national Coats of Arms or
flags of the Allied Nations during the Great War are depicted in large name
tablets. There are eight of these and they follow a pattern of design. Each
name tablet has in its upper half a magnificent British Lion. From the Lion
flow golden threads toward the national emblems. These are the golden
threads of Alliance which brought about ultimate victory.
Moving clock-wise from the north east (Indian) corner, they are France and
Belgium in the eastern range, Imperial Russia, Serbia and Rumania in the
southern range, Japan, Greece and Portugal in the western range, with Italy
and the USA in the northern.
As we have seen in the placing of the south and north doors, harmony and
balance are a key to the whole structure. This was no doubt in Baker’s view
and Rendall’s vision an attempt to bring order and a peacefulness to an
experience of horror and chaos. In Reverend J D’E Firth’s 1959 book on
Winchester College, he described War Cloister as “a single act of faith
commemorating countless acts of faith” during the Great War. One would
be hard put to better this description.
If we move into the garth and stand next to the octagon on which stands
Turner’s cross, the desire for balance and harmony is once again witnessed.
High on the inner arches of the eastern range are those Charges, Arms, and
Regimental badges representing thoughts of home. The Arms of the home
countries: the three lions of England, the rampant lion of Scotland, the Irish
Harp and the Leek of Wales. Facing these across the garth on the inner
western arches are those symbols of the nurturing Wykehamical community,
representing Hampshire, Winchester, the Holy See of Winchester, William
of Wykeham our Founder, and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
When one faces the north and south arches there is a balanced pairing with
the Shield of the Royal Navy facing the badge of the Merchant Service, the
Arms of the Infantry facing the Arms of the Royal Artillery, the rewards of
valour, the Victoria Cross, opposite the symbols of High Command in the
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The final cost of the War Cloister by 1924 was £65,000. This would equate
today to just under £3,750,000. This money was all raised from the generous
donations of Wykehamists. It was also conditional in that the OWs insisted
the Warden and Fellows would find, independent of this money, the funds
to finance the education of any fatherless son of a fallen Wykehamist who
wished to come and would benefit from a Winchester education. This
commitment was given at a meeting in the Junior Common Room of our
sister foundation, New College Oxford, in 1919. The Governing Body
having given this commitment, Rendall and Baker had the green light to
start on War Cloister.
Flint: Wykeham’s original building material. Flint for War Cloister was similarly
sourced from Shawford.
A legitimate question would be “how relevant is War Cloister to the young
Wykehamists of today?” Aged between 13 and 18 and of an increasingly
international mix, the events of 100 years ago might seem less meaningful.
Mostly, the current pupils are seen rushing through War Cloister back up to
their boarding house or running late for a lesson.
We still hold our Act of Remembrance in War Cloister each Remembrance
Sunday. There is also a less formal Act of Remembrance held on the actual day
and hour of the Armistice. I am always struck by the solemnity and dignity
with which the boys hold the two minutes silence. The atmosphere of War
Cloister seeps into all present, and thoughts, some only half-formed, turn to
their Wykehamist forebears. It is genuinely moving. Rendall would feel proud.
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