I have often wondered what a Royal Peculiar is, as the name suggests they sound very peculiar. It’s for that reason that we begin this series on Royal Peculiars though first we must establish just what one is.
A Royal Peculiar is a church that does not come under the jurisdiction of a bishop nor does it belong to a diocese, it belongs directly to the Monarch. From its origins in Anglo-Saxon times, the idea of Royal Peculiars developed further as a result of the relationship between the Norman and Plantagenet Kings and the English Church. Following the Reformation, King Henry VIII retained Royal Peculiars and following the Ecclesiastical Licences Act of 1533, the jurisdiction was transferred to the Monarch, which was previously exercised by The Pope.
There are many Royal Peculiars, some well-known and some you may not be aware of and throughout this series we will be taking a look at all of them. For our first piece, we make a journey to the Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy.
The Queens Chapel of the Savoy is a church located just south of the Strand, London, right next to The Savoy Hotel. The Chapel’s origins were founded as part of Peter of Savoy’s palace which was destroyed during the Peasants Revolt of 1381. The building of the present chapel began in the 1490’s during the reign of King Henry VII and was initially a side chapel of the Savoy Hospital’s 200ft long nave. Throughout history, many congregations have gathered at the church including that of St Mary le Strand, the German Lutheran congregation of Westminster and the church is also the burial-place of the last Jacobite leader executed for treason, Archibald Cameron of Locheil.
The Queens Chapel of the Savoy’s Altar.
The church is a Royal Peculiar as it is under the jurisdiction of the Monarch and has been for centuries. It is Crown property and is a part of the Duchy of Lancaster, a Royal Duchy in England held in trust for the Sovereign and used to provide income to the British Monarch. The Chapel of the Savoy is effectively ‘Parish Church’ of the Savoy Estate, which in turn is the Duchy of Lancaster’s principal London landholding.
In the present day, The Queen’s Chapel of the Savoy’s costs and maintenance are met by The Duchy of Lancaster and in recent times its garden was landscaped in honour of Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee, the chapel ceiling was restored in 1999 and as part of Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the chapel was restored further and a new stained glass window commemorating the celebrations was unveiled by The Queen in November 2012.
The chapel is also the Chapel of the Royal Victorian Order, as commanded by King George VI on 11th May 1937.
So there we have our first Royal Peculiar, The Queens Chapel of the Savoy. And just because it is a Royal Peculiar, doesn’t mean you are not allowed to step inside, in fact just the opposite. The Chapel is open to visitors Monday to Thursday and members of the public are invited to join the service on Sundays.
Photo Credit: njj4 via photopin cc
Featured Photo Credit: James.Stringer via photopin cc
