Stamford School Chapel

The Chapel is the oldest part of Stamford School. Originally part of St Paul’s Church, it is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, and is referred to in a deed dated 17 February 1200. 

We cannot be at all certain about the size and shape of St Paul’s Church in the 12th – 15th centuries, though there are remains of stonework from throughout this period. The two east bays of the south wall have been dated to the first half of the 12th century, but they provide no real clue as to the layout of the building, which may have been no more than a simple rectangle. 

Larger windows were added to the south wall during the first half of the 14th century. Late in the 15th century new windows were inserted into the east walls of the sanctuary and aisle. Documentary evidence tells us that the church had a tower and belfry and there was a room over the church door. A narrow stone staircase survives in the south wall and this staircase probably led to the room above the church door, but it is possible that it led to the tower. 

In 1548 the parish of St Paul was amalgamated with that of St George. This seems to have led to the west end of St Paul’s church being demolished, so that the building’s length was considerably reduced. It was only when it was decided to move the recently founded (1532) Stamford School into what remained of St Paul’s church, some time between 1548 and 1553, that the building was saved from complete demolition. The surviving east end became the schoolroom and a new west wall was built.

The Chapel underwent refurbishment and the School Room moved to the adjacent room. Today it is used as a library and reading room.

Henry Elyngton was rector of St Paul’s church between 1384 and 1400. The slab is in its original position on the South Wall and Elyngton’s remains still lie under the slab. His remains were examined when the slab was discovered in 1903: he had ‘a finely shaped head, perfect teeth and a good square jaw, but he would have walked lame through a broken leg badly set’.

Concealed behind the choir stalls on the south side, lies a small slab, so hidden away that even most regular visitors to the chapel are unaware of its existence. The fish-tail designs attached to the central ridge seem to indicate crosses. The slab does mark the location of a tomb – the skeleton was examined in the early 20th century – but the slab itself was not originally laid here; apparently it was dug out of the ground during the 1929-30 extension and placed over the tomb at that time. The small size of the slab – about 60cm in length – suggests that it once marked the burial place of a child.

We know from 15th century written evidence that St Paul’s church had a tower and belfry, and a room over the church door on the south side. The surviving doorway and steps probably led up to this room, although they could have led to the tower.

Mother of Henry VII, Margaret Beaufort is known to have been a member of the Guild of St Katherine in 1502, which met at St Paul’s church. She could have visited the church at some point. The refurbished ‘Beaufort’ building at Stamford School is named after her.   

The inscription, formerly on the north wall but moved to its present location in 1833 when most of the north wall was replaced, can be translated as follows: ‘+ Here lies Eustachius Malherbe, once burges of Stamford. God have mercy on his soul. Amen.’ The wording suggests that the inscription would originally have been placed above the tomb of Eustachius Malherbe; its present location above the west door is, therefore, not entirely appropriate! We know that Eustachius Malherbe was Member of Parliament for Stamford in 1322 and that he owned Hudd’s Mill near St Leonard’s Priory.  

The wooden panelling around the walls of the chapel contains the names of those former pupils who lost their lives in World War II.

Further wooden panels at the east end, behind the altar, list the names of pupils and staff who lost their lives in WWI, including Oswald Elliot, who the School Hall is named after, and the Beecheys, three brothers who lost their lives. Upon hearing thanks from Queen Mary for her sacrifice, Amy Beechey, their mother responded: "It was no sacrifice ma'am, I did not give them willingly."

On the north wall lies a plaque remembering two Old Stamfordians who lost their lives in the Boer War.

The door itself was placed there, as a false door, in 1929. Doorways which allowed priests to enter directly into the chancel (the part of the church from where the service was led), so avoiding any direct contact with ordinary people just before a service, were popular at this time. 

On Speech Day, 1919, the then-headmaster, Canon Day, announced that this old schoolroom would be restored to its original purpose as a place of worship. The new chapel would serve as a memorial, not only for the assistant masters and Old Stamfordians who lost their lives in the First World War, but for those who had distinguished themselves and brought honour to the School.

Work began in 1929 to extend the west wall and restore the building to it's original size, and the Chapel was consecrated by the Bishop of Lincoln on 21 June 1930.

This stone head, possibly that of St Paul, originally stood over the old west door of the building before the extension of the west end in 1929-30. It used to form the basis of an unusual school ceremony: ‘kissing the Old Man’! Quite how the ceremony began is unclear, but it was certainly a feature of the school by the late 19th century. The ceremony was arranged by the Head of School on the second Saturday of each term during break time. Two prefects held each new boy up in turn to kiss the stone and all those watching the event would applaud. Health and Safety regulations would probably prevent the ceremony being reintroduced today!   

In 1970 the BBC came to film an edition of Sing Alleluia in the Chapel, with performances from the Chapel Choir. The black and white behind-the-scenes photo below was captured and is now in our archives. Notice the organ pipes dominating the corner of the room, in comparison with the much smaller organ present today,

 Click here to explore the Chapel using technology similar to that of Google Street View. 

© Stamford School

Southfield House, St. Paul’s Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2BQ