Tower

The tower is the only element of the Chapel that imitates a detail of another specific building. It is modeled on the Bell Harry Tower of Canterbury Cathedral, but with a difference: instead of being located over the crossing of the nave and the transept, as is traditional for English Gothic cathedrals, the tower is at the front of the building, in the tradition of English parish churches.

A hundred feet above the Chapel entrance is the Tower Historical Room. Originally intended to house items reflecting the University’s Trinity College heritage, it now is used as a storeroom. Built into the walls of this room are cornerstones from the original Trinity College campus in Randolph County, North Carolina, and from buildings on East Campus that were demolished. The Historical Room provides access to the space between the ceiling and the roof of the nave. This attic space holds the steel skeleton that supports the roof. At this level are winches that can be used to lower the chandeliers to pew level for cleaning or changing the bulbs.

The next room in the tower is the carillon studio, which houses the keyboard from which the carillon is played. From the level of the carillon studio, doors open onto balconies on each of the tower’s four sides. Above the carillon studio is the large, open chamber where the bells hang. From this level, the stairwell leads to the roof, upon which is an elevated observation deck.

Because of safety concerns, access to the observation deck is limited to first-year students and graduating seniors on specific dates during the academic year. Occasionally, religious life groups climb the tower stairs with one of the deans or religious life group leaders.

You can learn more these parts of the Chapel by clicking on the corresponding image: