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Trinity College Kandy - Respice Finem

Trinity College Kandy - Respice Finem

Trinity College, Kandy Respice Finem

T +94 70 6 65 65 65
Email: info@trinitycollege.lk

Trinity College, Kandy
262, D S Senanayake Veediya, Kandy 20000, Central Province, Sri Lanka

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Tuesday, 05 November 2019 / Published in Chapel, College, General Articles, History

Pioneering days of the Trinity College Chapel – images from 1922 to 1935

Inspiration, planning and designing

The inspiration from circa 1100 AD

Rev Gaster and Rev Fraser were nothing if not pioneers. At a time when most Europeans were content to build churches in their own Gothic style, Gaster and Fraser were more inspired by the local Sinhalese architecture. Prototypes for this Chapel can be found in the audience halls of at Embekke and Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The difference is that the pillars of these buildings are of wood. At Trinity, inspired by ancient buildings in Anuradhapura, Fraser and Gaster built for Eternity.

“From the seed of an inspiration to a monument built for eternity”
Polonnaruwa: The inspiration from circa 1100 AD

Putting pen to paper: the inspiration germinates into a plan

Inspired by Sri Lanka’s exquisite architecture of stone buildings, blue prints were arranged to construct a Chapel of stone pillars.

The Floor Plan
South Elevation of the Chapel

The plan develops into general perspectives

Gaster’s drawings allowed for a flat ceiling, like that to be seen in the chancel, and galleries for Choir and organ. Financial and engineering considerations made it difficult for this work to be carried out. Some indeed like the soaring Kandyan roof as it is!

Sketch by Rev Gaster
A sketch with a tall bell tower
Detailed renderings of the interior as envisaged by Rev. Gaster
From two dimensions to three: Rev. L. J. Gaster’s Model

Craftsmanship, transporting and construction

“The rock face had to be split with human muscle power aided by steel wedges, sledgehammers, and crowbars, as blasting would have merely shattered the rock into pieces.”

The fifty four pillars are made of granite quarried in Aruppola, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) away. Some, in the chancel, are built in sections, but most have been hewn out of single blocks (5.5 metres (18 ft) long and 0.9 metres (3.0 ft) square), each of which weighing about 3 metric tons (3.0 t) before carving. The blocks were then hauled up to the college on a trolley by a pair of elephants. The first pillars to be erected, those by the pulpit and the south entrance, were fully carved at the quarry before being transported. The remainder were carved at the site of the chapel.

“The Quarry: Showing the marks of the wedges with which the rock is split”
“The monolithic pillar blocks had to be eighteen feet long and three feet square with no cracks or major blemishes. Each weighed about three tons.”
A prospective pillar is detached and levered up by muscle power onto round logs to be rolled onto the platform for transport.
“The massive blocks had to be then loaded onto a special trolley designed to carry one pillar at a time…”

“The blocks were hauled by two elephants, one pulling and one pushing, for a distance of three miles to the school premises; and then another three hundred feet up the slope of the hill to the Chapel site”

Hard metal wheels and a tree trunk grab pole for the lead elephant
A block being pulled by an elephant
A block being pulled by an elephant
Hard metal wheels and a tree trunk grab pole for the lead elephant
A stone block being unloaded at the construction site of the Chapel

“Actual constructions commenced in 1923 and according to the plans drawn up, the building had to be constructed in granite stone of grey colour from ground level to the top level of the pillars and walls.” Above the pillars that were carved by local and South Indian craftsmen are the pillar heads. The sawn timber had to be turned into shape by skilful carpenters and wood carvers who did the exquisite carvings of the Pekadas, Pekada beams, doors and window frames in the chapel.”

Floor being built
Stone masons at work
Stone masons at work
Stone masons at work
Stone masons at work
A pillar being pulled up
A pillar being pulled up
A look from the side nave before the vestry was built
A pillar being pulled up
A visit from the Planters Association
From behind the Chapel
Two craftsmen standing next to a wooden carving
The entrance
Wood carvings
The “Pekadas”
Inside the side Chapel

The Murals by David Paynter

“Are ye Able” mural found inside the side chapel was painted in 1928, shortly after David Paynter had returned from studying art in Europe. It conveys something of a lush vegetarian characteristic of parts of Sri Lanka which so impressed him on his return from Italy.

David Paynter working on the Mural
‘Are Ye Able’ inside the Chapel of the Light of the World (in the Side Chapel)

“The Crucifixion” mural located above the altar was painted in 1933. Paynter has set the crucifixion, with a beardless Christ on a cross. The backdrop for the crucifixion is a location in north eastern part of Sri Lanka near Trincomalee; the hills of Sri Lanka are too green to suggest the loneliness and desolation of that first Good Friday.

David Paynter working on the Crucifixion mural
‘The Crucifixion’

The mural of the “Good Samaritan” located above the pulpit was painted in 1957, replacing an earlier version on the same subject.

Early painting of the “Good Samaritan” mural
‘The Good Samaritan’

“The washing of the feet” mural was painted in 1965, replaced an earlier one on the same subject that was damaged when the roof of the chapel was replaced. It depicts a building of simple Kandyan design with Sri Lankan countryside behind. Interestingly, all the faces (other than that of Jesus himself) were modelled on members of the Trinity staff at the time.

David Paynter working on the “Washing of the Feet” mural
‘Jesus Washing the Disciples’ feet’

 

Consecration of the Side Chapel and the Chapel

The side chapel, entered from the North transept, was named by Macleod Campbell as “The Chapel of the Light of the World”. It was the first part of the Chapel to be built. The side chapel was dedicated on 23rd March 1930. Then the governor, Herbert Stanley was also present at this occasion.

The Chapel was formally dedicated on 3rd March 1935.

Interior of the Chapel from 1960s (The previous version of the “Washing of the feet” mural can be seen here)
Interior of the Chapel as seen today

 

For those readers who wish to view a larger collection of photographs of the Chapel:

Colour photos of the College Chapel:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/trinitycollegekandy/albums/72157684182912622

Monochrome captures of the College Chapel:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/trinitycollegekandy/albums/72157698372875624

Read more about the Trinity College Chapel:

The John Mcleod Campbell tower and the 359 year old bell – https://trinitycollege.lk/2019/04/30/the-john-mcleod-campbell-tower-and-the-359-year-old-bell/

‘A meeting of cultures’ by Ranil Bibile – https://trinitycollege.lk/2019/01/17/a-meeting-of-cultures-the-chapel-of-trinity-college-kandy/

Coats of arms on the pillars –  https://trinitycollege.lk/2017/11/07/coats-of-arms-on-the-pillars-of-the-holy-trinity-chapel/

Chapel events and news – https://trinitycollege.lk/chapel/

 

What you can read next

The Art of Drawing – 34th Issue of the Grade 1 Weekly Newsletter
Junior School Table Tennis Tournament 2019
Junior School Inter-House Badminton Tournament 2019

COLLEGE NEWS

  • “I am, because we are ” – Trinity College Social Services Week concludes with a positive outcome June 7, 2023
  • Eulogy – Dr Jayantha DhanapalaMay 27, 2023
  • ‘ගම්මැද්දේ අවුරුදු’ පසු විපරුමMay 17, 2023
  • Trinity College Social Service Week – Rediscovering our connectedness!May 14, 2023

SPORTS NEWS

  • Trinity Cricketers win against Royal College Colombo at the Under 19 Division Tier A Two Day Tournament 2022/2023March 10, 2023
  • Trinity Under 18 Football team wins against Wickramabahu National College Gampola – SLFA 3rd RoundMarch 10, 2023
  • Trinity wins SLSFA Under 16 Kandy Zonal Football TournamentMarch 10, 2023
  • Trinity Basketball Players emerge winners at the U16 Central Zone Baskteball TournamentMarch 6, 2023

CLUBS & SOCIETIES NEWS

  • Automotive Society visit to the Ratmalana Railway WorkshopMay 31, 2023
  • The annual “Muththamizh Vizha” conducted for the 104th consecutive yearMay 8, 2023
  • Awareness Programme on Environment Preservation held by the Environment Pioneer BrigadeMay 5, 2023
  • 48 වැනි සර්ව රාත්‍රික පරිත්‍රාණ ධර්ම දේශනාව සහ සපිරිකර සංඝගත දක්ෂිණාව – 2023May 4, 2023

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Installation of Bird Nests at TELA, Pallekele - A Installation of Bird Nests at TELA, Pallekele - A project by the Students of Ornithology Club and Young Zoologists Club#trinitycollegelk #birdnests #project
Trinity community mourns the passing away of Dr. J Trinity community mourns the passing away of Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala an illustrious past pupil and a distinguished career diplomat who rendered a yeoman service to Sri Lanka.
The tranquil beauty of early morning sunrays 🌄 The tranquil beauty of early morning sunrays 🌄 at the steps towards the College Chapel! 🍃#trinitycollegelk #morningsPic by Nethmika Athukorala
Our congratulations to Master Manula Dharmaratne f Our congratulations to Master Manula Dharmaratne for being selected to represent Sri Lanka at the IEO 2023 by being a finalist of the Sri Lanka Economic and Finance Olympiad being in the top 5.Manula is the first Trinitian to represent Sri Lanka at IEO!IEO, the International Economics Olympiad is an event which gives students to take part representing their respectful countries to show their knowledge regarding the subject of Economics. This year the event is hosted by Greece.@the_ieo#trinitycollegelk #trinitycollege #economics #ieo #olympiad #representative #kandy #srilanka
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Trinity College has had its proud shares of young Trinity College has had its proud shares of young innovators in the past!Two very creative and inventive students from Grade 6 and 7 - Master Viduna Rathnasiri and Master Sharlene Bandara have developed an Automatic Plant Watering system and an Arduino Pesticide Spray car respectively.Read the full review on our College website.#trinitycollegelk #trinitycollegelk #innovators #innovations
A #throwback to our ‘ගම්මැද්දේ A #throwback to our ‘ගම්මැද්දේ අවුරුදු’ in Middle School!Read the full review on our College website!#trinitycollegelk #trinitycollegekandy #newyear #celebrations
The elegance of Alison!#trinitycollegelk #buildi The elegance of Alison!#trinitycollegelk #buildings #architecture #places #history #trinity #college #kandy #srilankaPic by @_afzal.s
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