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| Image: Google Maps |
Located in the heart of London, on the banks of the river
Thames, West Minster Abbey may be one of the most well-known churches in
England. The royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton may have been
the most recent, global event there but coronations and royal weddings have
been held in the church since 1066, the coronation of William the conqueror.
Not only is the church used for these momentous occasions, it is also used regularly,
for the tradition of daily worship which began in the middle of the tenth
century. Westminster Abbey is also home to the tombs and memorials for some of
the most significant people in England’s history. The site celebrates the great
events in the life of the nation.
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| George IV Coronation in 1821 Image: www.westminster-abbey.org. |
Every monarch since William the Conqueror has been crowned in
the Abbey. The two exceptions to this since 1066 are Edward V and Edward VIII
who were never crowned. The shrine of Edward the Confessor is behind the High
Altar and around it, many medieval royal members are buried. Included in these
are Henry III, Edward I and Eleanor of Castile, Edward III and Philippa of
Hainault, Richard II and Anne of Bohemia and Henry V. In addition to housing
the remains of the kings and queens of the past, the Abbey also contains many
national treasures. The abbey contains over 600 monuments and wall tablets, a
treasure house of paintings, stained glass, pavements, textiles and other
artifacts.
In the middle of the 10th century, Benedictine monks
first came to the site. In the 1040s, Kind Edward chose to enlarge the monastery,
building a large stone church in honour of St Peter the Apostle. This church
became known as the “west minster” to
distinguish it from the east minster, St Pauls Cathedral in London. Today, the
only traces of this time are in the round arches and massive supporting columns
of the undercroft and the Pyx Chamber. Edward’s Abbey survived until the middle
of the thirteenth century when King Henry III rebuilt the church.
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| Image: www.westminster-abbey.org |
Henry’s devotion to St Edward the Confessor prompted him to
build a newer, more magnificent church in the Gothic style. He also provided a
shrine for the Saint with space where he can be buried himself. The three
masons supervising the work were Henry of Reyns, John of Gloucester and Robert
of Beverley. The architect was clearly influenced by the newer cathedrals at
the time, borrowing ideas of an apse with radiating chapels and using the
gothic features of pointed arches, ribbed vaulting, rose windows and flying
buttresses. The design is based on a system of geometrical proportions. The
English influences are the single , rather than double, aisles. And a long nave
with wide, projecting transepts. The Abbey has the highest Gothic vault in
England at nearly 102 feet. The English influences are also apparent in the
elaborate mouldings on the main arches, the lavish use of polished Purbeck
marble for the columns and the overall sculptural decoration.
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| Henry VII's Lady Chapel Image: www.westminster-abbey.org |
Consecrated in 1516, the glorious Lady Chapel was a new
addition to the Abbey by King Henry VII. This addition has a fan-vaulted roof
and Henry’s tomb which was carved by an Italian sculptor. At the east end, the
Battle of Britian memorial window can be seen in the Royal Air Force Chapel.
In 1745, the western towers, which were left uncompleted from medieval
times, were finished according to a
design by Nicholas Hawksmoor. Little remains of the original stained glass but
today, there are windows and glass which date to the early eighteenth century.
Sources:
1. www.westminster-abbey.org
2. Watkin, David. A History of Western Architecture: Sixth ed. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1986. Print.
