Rising above the Thames in London, Westminster Abbey has been the site of coronations since 1066 and the final resting place for royalty, authors, poets, statesmen and scientists.
It was founded by Benedictine monks in 960 and is now a world heritage site.
The abbey is an example of medieval Gothic architecture. There are tombs, statues and other memorials that trace British history even before William the Conqueror invaded the shores of England and claimed the throne.
Nicholas Hawksmoor, one of the abbey’s surveyor of the fabric, gave the facility its distinctive profile when he supervised the completion of the twin west towers that flank the great main door in 1745, according to The Guardian.
Dimensions
Westminster Abbey is the tallest Gothic building in the United Kingdom, the Chicago Tribune reported. According to the Westminster Abbey Press Office, the extreme exterior length of the abbey is 530 feet, while the interior length is 511 feet, 6 inches.
The floor area covers 32,000 square feet, and the tallest part of the abbey is the West Towers, which rise 225 feet, 4 inches. The interior height of the Nave is 101 feet, 8 inches.
The abbey can seat approximately 2,000 worshippers for regular services. For coronations, additional bleacher-style seating is built in the north and south Naves, bringing the seating capacity close to 8,000.
For the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, 8,251 guests attended the event, representing 129 nations and territories, People reported.
Coronations
King Charles III becomes the 40th British monarch to be crowned at Westminster Abbey since 1066.
The first documented coronation at Westminster Abbey occurred on Dec. 25, 1066, when William the Conqueror was crowned. Since then, only two monarchs have not been crowned at the abbey. Edward V was 12 years old and only king for two months in 1483 (April 9 to June 26); it is believed that he was murdered while imprisoned at the Tower of London later that year. Edward VIII abdicated before his coronation; his younger brother, who became George VI, was crowned at the abbey on May 12, 1937.
On April 11, 1689, William III and Mary II became the only joint monarchs to be crowned, according to the abbey’s website. The chair that Mary sat in is on view in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries in the triforium of the abbey.
Jerusalem Chamber
The Jerusalem Chamber was added to the abbey during the 14th century during the reign of Richard II by Nicholas Litlyngton, who was the Abbot of Westminster from 1362-1386.
The medieval house of the Abbots of Westminster was known as Cheyneygates, and the Jerusalem Chamber is the principal room.
The origins of the name are lost to history.
The chamber still has its original roof, although it needed to be restored and repainted during the 1950s due to death-watch beetle damage.
Litlyngton’s initials are carved on one of the timbers.
The most notable event to occur in the Jerusalem Chamber was the death of Henry IV in 1413. The king was planning to visit the Holy Land when he suffered a stroke, according to the abbey’s website. He was taken to the Abbot’s house and into the Jerusalem Chamber.
When the monarch regained consciousness, he allegedly asked where he was and was told “Jerusalem.” According to lore, Henry IV realized he was about to die because it had been prophesized that his death would occur in Jerusalem.
Famous burials
Westminster Abbey is noted for the famous people buried at the church. There are more than 3,300 memorial markers and graves at the site.
That includes 30 monarchs, like Queen Elizabeth I and her half-sister, Queen Mary I, Edward the Confessor and Henry V. Also buried in the abbey is Anne of Cleves, the fourth of Henry VIII’s six wives and the only spouse of that monarch to be interred there.
Author Charles Dickens is buried in the Poets’ Corner of the abbey, along with Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy and Dr. Samuel Johnson. Scientists are represented by Sir Isaac Newton; Charles Darwin; William Thomson, Lord Kelvin; and Stephen Hawking. Poets Robert Browning and Geoffrey Chaucer are also buried at the abbey.
Noted actor Sir Laurence Olivier is buried in the South Transept.
Military heroes are represented by John Andre; Edward Montagu, the first Earl of Sandwich; and John Burgoyne, a distinguished soldier who nevertheless lost a key battle at Saratoga in 1777 to American forces during the Revolutionary War.
Other notable figures buried at the abbey include politicians (20th century Prime Minister Clement Atlee); musicians (George Frederic Handel); and explorers (David Livingstone).
There is only one person buried at Westminster Abbey who is anonymous. That is a soldier who fought during World War I and was killed in France. He was buried in the grave of the Unknown Warrior on Nov. 11, 1920, in the west end of the abbey’s Nave.
The grave contains soil from France and is covered by a slab of black Belgian marble taken from a quarry near Namur, Belgium.
King George V was present for the burial.
Who decides?
How does one qualify to be buried at Westminster Abbey? The decision for burial or to receive a memorial belongs to the Dean of Westminster, according to the abbey’s website.
The current Dean of Westminster is David Hoyle. He is the 39th person to hold the position and was installed on Nov. 16, 2019. His appointment was approved by Queen Elizabeth II, and he succeeded John Hall, who held the position for 13 years.
The first dean was William Benton, who was appointed in 1540. He is buried at Westminster Abbey.
Pop culture
Westminster Abbey was briefly referenced in Roger Miller’s No. 1 hit, “England Swings” in 1964. The song, written and sung by Miller, mentions famous landmarks like the abbey and Big Ben.
“Westminster Abbey, the tower of Big Ben/ The rosy-red cheeks of the little children.”
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