High above the Minster’s Nave is one of the two Royal Coats of Arms. The Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom, or the Royal Arms for short. At the time of rebuilding the Minster, the monarch was Queen Victoria and these arms were used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom.
The stained glass window that is above the south side of the High Altar commemorates those that fell in the Crimean War. The inscription at the base of the window reads, “In memory of the officers and men formerly stationed at Parkhurst Barracks who fought and fell in the Russian War.”
The Minster served as the garrison church to many regiments of the Army that were stationed at the nearby Parkhurst Barracks. Built in 1798, they were shortly afterwards renamed Albany Barracks in honour of Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany. The Barracks were decommissioned in the early 1960s.
A number of regimental colours and other flags were laid up in the Minster, most of which have now been interred.
The Colours were laid up in the Minster on Saturday 19th August, 1871, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Arthur, K.G., K.T., K.P., His Imperial and Royal Highness Frederick William, Crown Prince of the German Empire, and Her Imperial and Royal Highness Victoria, Crown Princess of the German Empire, Princess Royal of Great Britain and Ireland.
The elephant and tiger are distinctions for service in battles.
