ABSTRACT

Henry Tudor stood victorious upon the battlefield of Bosworth. The battered crown retrieved from beneath a hawthorn bush was his by force more than by right. His claim to the throne of Lancaster was obscure and on the distaff side, others had stronger claim even through the rival House of York. The most prominent feature of the elevational design of the Henry VII Chapel is the treatment of the ‘triforium’ level. The Windsor Angel frieze is employed immediately above the main arcade, providing a horizontal definition for the lower section of the design as well as a corbel base for a scheme of canopied niches containing free-standing figures. The exterior of Henry VII Chapel has been subjected to extensive rebuilding and refacing. Some of the existing features are incorrect but the overall effect has not suffered unduly.