Did you know that we have examples of the swastika in some of Cambridge’s world famous churches and chapels? Swastikas are found on various buildings here in Cambridge. Some are incorporated into architectural embellishments such as the swastika meander that used to be on the front elevation of the Old Schools next to the Senate House. There was nothing sinister about this example. It was simply an elaboration of the Greek Fret motif which allows the development of the ‘Swastika’ to appear within the design.
Other terms used for this geometric device are ‘Gammadion’ (from the union of 4 capital Greek gammas). It has strong links to Christian antiquity and the Roman catacombs in particular, from the 3rd century onwards. This symbolic device is located in the chapel of Westminster College. The term ‘Fylfot-cross’ is less documented, but is generally reserved for that form of Gammadion which has shorter feet than crossed arms. These symbols are found in the baptismal window of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, local and basically known as the ‘Round Church’.
King’s College Chapel. Several examples can be found in and around the structure of this world-famous chapel, but some are hard to find or are now totally hidden from view. A swastika-pelta is said to be found in the foundation section of the south wall, in the third chapel from the east. It measures approximately 4 x 4 inches square and probably dates to around 1446; It is very likely that the stone that bears it came from the remains of some dismantled monastic building in the region. The fixtures were recently installed and the pelta is currently not visible.
Inside King’s College Chapel, an example of the swastika motif can be found on the bronze lectern, just past the oak screen that houses the organ. It was a gift from Robert Hacomblen, Provost to Kings from 1509 to 1528, and is named after him. To the right of “Robertus” is a curvy swastika shape (perhaps a play on his last name, “hook emblem”?). The construction of the hermitage entailed the work of a large number of stonemasons, many of whom have left their mark on the walls of the hermitage. Masons’ marks were typically simple designs formed from straight lines, indicating that a work was by a particular mason. Various variations of the swastika can be found in the side chapels.
Selwyn College. Visitors may be surprised to find what appears to be a swastika on part of the Selwyn College structure. In fact, he turns out to be a Japanese Mon; in this case the distinctive insignia or knowledge of the Hachisuka family. Two Japanese noblemen, one of whom was the Marquis Tokugawa (1892-1955), were so appreciative of the hospitality they had received at Selwyn College in previous years that they offered to finance a walkway to bridge the gap between the upper floor of the library and Staircase “C” in the main building built in 1929-1930.
As a sign of this generosity, the college decided to place the recognition, or mon, of the Hon. Hachisuka Masauji (1903-1953) on the keystone of the arch. Unfortunately, Selwyn College’s calendar entry for 1930-1931 confused Monday with [better-known] Tokugawa family which is the triple hollyhock. This manji symbol appears widely in Japanese heraldry, on war banners, and is often found next to the sun disk. The symbol is associated with a variety of meanings, in a variety of different contexts, such as ‘whirlwind’, ‘good fortune’, ‘foundation of life’, ‘ever-changing universe’, etc. It is also found on the flag of the city of Hirosaki, Aomori, on the northern tip of the island of Honshu.
Today, due to its long association with their religion, the manji symbol is used to mark the location of Buddhist temples on maps in both China and Japan. There are two varieties of the manji; the URA manji, which has crampons turning to the right (by convention called ‘straight’) and the OMOTE manji, which has crampons turning to the left (by convention called ‘verse’). The omote form represents ‘infinite mercy’, while the ura form represents ‘intellect’ and ‘strength’. The late 20th century movement Shorinji Kempo also used the omote form of the manji for a time as a distinctive badge of membership. From this one might conclude that either form of the manji would have been suitable here at a center of learning founded in 1882 in memory of George Augustus Selwyn, the first Bishop of New Zealand.