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Westminster Abbey

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Harris
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4 out of 5
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Editor Pick

A Heady Day Out in the Company of Monarchs

  • July 25, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by eilidhcatriona from London, United Kingdom
For many years, ever since I became interested in royal history, and particularly Mary Queens of Scots, I was keen to visit Westminster Abbey, where so many British monarchs are buried. Following my move to London, I finally got my chance and visited with my mum, who is even more interested in royal history than I am, and is always useful to have around when visiting places like this – she’s a walking encyclopaedia of Scottish and subsequently British monarchs.

Adult entry to the Abbey is currently £15, £12 for over 60s, age 11-18 is £6 and free for under 11. There are also family tickets available. The Abbey is open Monday to Saturday, but Sundays are for worship only and so tourists cannot visit. Travelling to the Abbey is very easy – it is located on Parliament Square and is right beside Westminster Underground Station.

You enter the Abbey through the side door, and not from the front. Even so, the scale of the building and the beauty of the architecture is immediately apparent. It really is quite a breathtaking building. I am not religious, but even so I can appreciate the beauty of religious buildings, and Westminster Abbey really is one of the most stunning. It was begun in the eleventh century by Edward the Confessor. Building continued over the next five centuries, and the most recent addition was in the eighteenth century. As always, the sheer scale of the architecture which was created in a time before heavy machinery is simply astounding.

Similarly, think of the age of this building – back to the eleventh century. And then think about the number of monarchs England and Britain have had since then, the number of coronations and royal weddings which have taken place here. As I walked around the Abbey, I was standing on flagstones which people like Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, James I, and our own Elizabeth II have quite possibly walked on. That’s quite a heady feeling, and it followed me all the way through the Abbey.

Following our guide leaflet, my mum and I saw far more than I can possibly tell you about in a review. We saw numerous royal tombs and memorials, all of which my mum was able to give me some information about. The highlight for us of the royal tombs were those of Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots. Elizabeth had Mary executed as a threat to the English throne, but was in such anguish over having murdered a fellow queen that she had Mary buried with much ceremony in Peterborough Cathedral. When Mary’s son, James VI of Scotland, became James I of Great Britain, he had his mother’s remains brought to Westminster and had a wonderful tomb erected in her memory. I had been eager to visit Mary’s tomb and pay homage to our most famous monarch, but I didn’t expect to feel as moved by it as I did.

Another section of the Abbey that I found very moving was the Royal Air Force chapel. This is a small chapel created in memory of those who flew with the RAF during the Second World War. It features stained glass with the badges of the fighter squadrons who took part in the Battle of Britain, and has a memorial roll of those who died in it. This does not only include Brits, but those from British colonies and other countries such as the USA who flew with the RAF. The chapel is a beautiful and fitting memorial to those who fought, and it’s worth stopping and reflecting. There is even a preserved area of bomb damage to really bring home what happened.

We saw the Coronation Chair, which was of some interest to us, but having seen the Stone of Scone in Edinburgh Castle a few years before, we weren’t overly interested in the ancient chair of the English monarchs. It is fascinating that it is 700 years old – I wouldn’t expect a wooden chair to last that long, but it is looked after very well and doesn’t exactly get used very often. There is a nice gap underneath the seat where the Stone of Scone used to sit. I must admit though that the chair would probably look more impressive with the Stone in it – as it is, it is just a very old wooden chair.

I was surprised and delighted to learn that the Abbey has a Poets Corner, where a number of literary figures are buried and remembered. I enjoyed seeing the resting places of wonderful writers such as Dickens, Chaucer and Hardy, and there are memorials to many others including Wordsworth, Keats, Austen and the Bronte sisters. I was pleased to see the Scots Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott also had memorials. I don’t know why, maybe it was the light or the open and slightly higgledy-piggeldy layout of Poets Corner, but I found it quite an uplifting area, and very pleasant to visit. It did not feel sombre, but rather celebratory of these great figures. In addition to writers, the composer Handel is also buried here.

From Poets Corner we headed to the front of the Abbey, and looked up the Nave. From the main door, looking up the nave, the interior of the building is instantly recognisable as it is the section which is seen on television. In this area there is also a memorial to the great Winston Churchill, which rather appropriately is near the grave of the Unknown Soldier.

Throughout the Abbey there are statues and memorials to numerous other figures from history, and more recent years, including Darwin, Brunel, and Martin Luther King. One which was of particular interest to me was a statue of Grand Duchess Elizabeth. I have a great interest in the last Tsars of Russia, and as the wife of the Tsar’s brother, and sister to the Tsarina, Elizabeth or Ella was very much a part of this. Following the death of her husband, she set up a convent and became a nun in her new order of the Sisters of Martha and Mary. She was murdered by the Bolsheviks along with the rest of the royal family, however she was created a saint by the Russian Orthodox Church in the 1980s. Hers is a happy and sad story, and it is nice to see her remembered so far from her home.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to the Abbey, and despite the high entrance price I would like to go back – I think the entrance is definitely worth it for all the history that is contained in the Abbey. My mum and I didn’t visit every section and we spent two hours there, and I haven’t even covered everything we did see in this review as there is just too much, so I do intend to go back. I would strongly recommend a visit to locals and visitors alike, as you there is just so much to see and learn.

From journal My Favourite Area of London

Editor Pick

Westminster Abbey

  • June 1, 2008
  • Rated 5 of 5 by callen60 from Ozarks, Missouri
Westminster Abbey

There are four towers along the Thames that are instantly recognizable as ‘London’. The oldest by far are the twin towers of Westminster Abbey, which have looked out over the river for far longer than the dome of St. Paul’s, the towers of Parliament, or the newcomer of the bunch, the London Eye (also the architectural poorboy of the four).

On my first visit to London, my wife and I wandered up to Westminster from our Victoria hotel, stopping for lunch at Jenny Lo’s Tea House, poking our heads into Westminster Cathedral, and then touring Westminster Abbey in late afternoon. It was more than a little dream-like, as we struggled to convince ourselves we were actually in London, walking by the tombs of Elizabeth and her sister Mary, gazing at the remarkably ordinary Coronation Chair, and craning our necks upward towards the vaulted ceiling. All too quickly we were out the other side, struggling to hold onto what we’d seen.

So it was a given that we were going back. We headed for the Abbey and Westminster on our second morning in London, taking the bus to the Victoria Embankment and walking along the gardens and ministries, with the towers of Parliament and the Abbey finally coming in to view. Westminster Abbey opens at 9:30, and we crossed Parliament Square just as the doors opened, walking by St. Margaret’s Church on the way to the Abbey steps.

It took more time than necessary to sort out our tickets, as the clerk originally insisted that we weren’t able to use the 2-for-1 coupons we’d brought. After 15 minutes of having a supervisor correct her and issue the refunds, we finally began touring the church, opting again to distribute audio tours all around and reconnect later if necessary.

Soon after we began, one of the ministers ascended the pulpit, and asked for a moment of silence and prayer, as they do every hour. The first prayer of the morning was by Bishop Desmond Tutu, asking for wisdom and justice. We were there for two or three of these moments, which serve as a reminder that this is an active church and place of worship.

It is a church, not a cathedral: only once in its long history has it been the seat of a bishop, and Elizabeth I closed that era by making it a Royal Peculiar, directly under the authority of the sovereign and not a bishop. That seems appropriate, given its role in the coronation and burial of monarchs: every King or Queen of England has been crowned here since the Norman invasion in 1066. Many are entombed here, including the only sainted British monarch, Edward the Confessor, whose tomb is nearly hidden behind an array of wooden fences. Elizabeth and Mary lie next to each other, and over a dozen other kings and queens are also buried here.

Your visit to the Abbey will proceed along a well-defined route, which takes you through the ornately carved Quire, back down the Apse, with the many chapels and tombs of dukes and duchesses along the sides. It’s easy to move too fast, especially if the crowds are heavy, as they were on our first afternoon. I found the audio guide helpful just for keeping me from passing the 20 or so highlights. The descriptions of these points were good, and often supplemented by additional commentary from the Dean or other members of the clergy, and music by one of the Abbey’s many choirs.

Its role in the English nation and long history as a house of worship are supplemented by another role as a repository for memorials to a vast array of Britons. Poet’s Corner is a densely tiled collection of plaques noting nearly everyone of importance in British cultural life, from Chaucer onwards. I scoured the floors and walls looking for Dickens, Auden, Handel, Olivier, Dryden, Tennyson and others. Scientists are here and elsewhere, some (like Newton, despite his heretical views) commemorated with large statues, others (like Edmund Halley, to whom Newton largely owes his reputation) noted long after the fact with a modern, comet-like plaque on the wall alongside the Cloisters.

It’s easy to see how the Abbey is a work of many ages. The magnificent Lady Chapel, added by Henry VIII, has a completely different feel than the rest of the Abbey, with its high, intricate stonework, and large window that fills the space with a much different light than the main church. It was my favorite part of the building, and made easier to appreciate with a thoughtfully placed 2’ x 3’ mirror that allows you to appreciate the ceiling without permanently damaging your neck muscles.

Leaving the church during the tour, you can walk around the Abbey’s courtyard, where entrances to the museum, the Pyx and the Chapter House can be found. So many of these rooms have served a variety of purposes during the building's life, perhaps none more so than the beautiful Chapter House. I don’t remember seeing this on my first visit, but this high-ceiling, octagonal room began life as the gathering place for the Abbey’s resident monks. Archaeological work has uncovered the original hand-painted tiles that form the floor, along with large sections of early murals that line the walls. Even on a relatively mild March morning, this unheated room was quite cool, a reminder of what these buildings must have felt like throughout much of their history.

As you near the exit, there’s yet another set of reminders of the price paid by Britain from 1939-45, and their gratitude for the help that their American cousins provided in beating back Hitler’s vicious onslaught. A set of volumes records the names of all those civilians who died during the war, and turning a few of these pages was a sobering insight into what this vicious period of time was like throughout England.

As you leave, be sure to look at the statues above the door. At first glance, they may look typical of the figures that adorn the entryways of nearly every gothic structure, but their cleaner and more modern appearance gives them away. Shown here are 10 martyrs of the 20th century, including Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King Jr., Oscar Romero and others I had trouble identifying.

The extensive gift shop is now on your right, which as in many churches is worth visiting if your memory, like mine, works better with images of what you’ve just seen. It’s probably a blessing that photography isn’t allowed inside, thus allowing me and many others, I’m sure, to tour the Abbey in less than a day.

From journal London: All That We Could Afford

Editor Pick

Westminster Abbey

  • April 1, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by girlytraveler from Boston, Massachusetts
Westminster Abbey

As part of our self-initiated walking tour of London, we stopped by the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

We queued for tickets, and after receiving them from a friendly ticket agent, entered the famous House of God and House of Kings. We opted not to join a guided tour, which cost extra, and instead just walked through with the free brochure, which was more than enough for us. The free brochure does an excellent job of guiding you through the hundreds of cool things that Westminster has to offer. From tombs to thrones, the abbey has enough to make anyone happy.

There are however, several things that you should not miss. If the abbey garden is open, take a stroll through it, there's an excellent view of Parliament from the garden, and since you're once again outside, you can take pictures.

Also, towards the back of the abbey (down the left corridor) there is a little museum with the faux crown jewels that the monarchy "practice" with for their coronations, as well as medieval weaponry and royal clothing. The ladies that run the museum area were eager to offer up tidbits and trivia that just added to the visit.

When you exit the abbey, there's a nice gift shop, but try to shop around before making any definitive purchases... most London gift shops offer similar products, for a variety of prices. Thus, you can probably find it cheaper elsewhere.

For updated prices and hours: www.westminster-abbey.org

From journal London...several excerpts from my real travel journal

Editor Pick

Westminster Abbey

  • March 17, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by marseilles from Metro Manila, Philippines
Westminster Abbey is, of course, a place of worship, but most tourists go there to look at the graves of the hundreds of famous people who are buried within its walls.

The first part of the abbey was mostly of royalty we didn't know, but there were a few interesting highlights, such as Oliver Cromwell's grave (me: "I'm surprised they allowed him to be buried at Westminster!"), and Mary of Tudor and Elizabeth I interred on opposite sides of a chapel (with a moving plaque on the floor commemorating all those who had died, on both sides, for their conscience and their faith during those violent times). After the bit where most of their tombs belonged to royalty, we arrived at the Poets' Corner, and we got a kick out of identifying the graves of various great writers: Robert Browning, Jane Austen, T. S. Eliot, Geoffrey Chaucer, etc. We also saw Sir Lawrence Olivier's grave. We stopped at an external garden where we took a short breather, then headed back to see more famous graves: Edmund Halley, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin... Near the exit, we lit a candle for the dead and saw the grave of the Unknown Soldier, adorned with flowers, and finally, the grave of Winston Churchill alongside a moving tribute to all those who had died for king and country in the wars.

Photography is not allowed in the Abbey. Its visiting hours are at www.westminster-abbey.org (it is closed to tourists some days when important events are happening). Admission for adults is GBP 10. Services are at 11am and 6:30 pm on Sundays (sung), and 5 pm on Wednesdays (said); there is Holy Communion at 8am everyday and 12:30 pm on weekdays. Matins are at 7:30 am on weedays, 8 am on Saturdays and Sundays, and 9 am on weekday Bank Holidays. Evensong is at 3pm on weekends and at 5 pm on weekdays except Wednesday. Telephone: +44 (207) 2225152.

From journal Five Days in London

Westminster Abbey

  • June 29, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Nosferatu from Newark, California
Westminster Abbey

A trip to London would be incomplete without seeing the grandiose and spectacular Westminster Abbey. This church is closing is on a thousand years since it was first built on the grounds of an older shrine that was established in the early 7th century. The modern Abbey, officially called the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, was built between 1045 and 1065 by Edward the Confessor. And after the conquest of Britain by William the Conqueror in 1066, the Abbey has been the site of every coronation up to the modern time.

Walking through the Abbey is an interesting experience. Despite its function as a church with daily services, it is also a place where the lines of monarchs and other distinguished people are buried.

After entering through the North Entrance doors, you wind your way through the Abbey. In addition to the tombs and shrines, there is also a small museum that contains royal and funeral effigies, medieval glass. Nearby is the coronation chair that has been used for coronations since the time of King Edward I in 1296.

Continuing around the Abbey are other chambers and rooms that are interesting to spend time in. Also, within the grounds are the College Gardens that have been under continuous cultivation for the past 900 years.

Overall, Westminster Abbey is an historical icon. From the gothic architecture to the long line of nobles buried within its walls. I would certainly recommend seeing this place while visiting London.

You can get to the Abbey by Underground on the District or Circle Line to St. James Park or on the Jubilee & Circle Line to Westminster. The Abbey is also not open to tourists on Sundays since that is reserved only for worshipping services. And finally, the Abbey closes by mid afternoon on most days, so plan your trip to it accordingly.

From journal London--The Heart of the Empire

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