The Strand: Savoy Chapel

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Sir Walter Besant, in The Fascination of London, published in 1903, continues his survey of the Strand with this look at the Savoy Chapel:

Just before arriving at Wellington Street there is a glimpse of green trees, and of a brilliant bed of flowers, down a little narrow street on the south side of the Strand.

Many people must have noticed these things, few have had the curiosity to explore further; yet it is well worth while to get down from omnibus or cab and venture into this little backwater of the Savoy.

Between eleven and one, and two and four o'clock every day the garden gate is open, and the verger is in the chapel, ready to answer questions.

The little graveyard garden, with its waving trees, is a veritable oasis in the desert of brick and mortar, and the quaint chapel with its turret forms a suitable background.

The precincts of the Savoy appertain to the Duchy of Lancaster, and as such are royal property; the reigning Sovereign keeps up the place, and pays for choir and service. In former days many irregular marriages were performed here, until the place gained a reputation second only to the Fleet Prison.

Weddings are still held here, though the procedure is now strictly legal. The origin of the church was in the reign of Henry VII, but the fire which raged in 1864, and burnt out the interior, destroyed many old relics, and the present interior is Early Victorian.

There is a curious old oil-painting opposite the door, which looks as if it had been part of a triptych, and in the chancel two quaint little stone figures, which survived the fire.

The latest stained-glass window was filled in quite recently in memory of D'Oyley Carte. It was unveiled by Sir Henry Irving in the spring of 1902. Several persons of importance have been buried here, but none whose names are sufficiently well known to merit quotation.

Many Bishops have been consecrated in the chapel, and it was here that the memorable Conference on the Book of Common Prayer took place in Charles II's reign.

The chapel was made parochial after the greedy Somerset had destroyed the first Church of St. Mary le Strand, in order to use its materials for his own mansion.

It had before that time been dedicated to St. John the Baptist, but was henceforth known as St. Mary le Savoy.

Next: The Strand: The Precinct of Savoy