Westminster Abbey
The walls and floors of Westminster Abbey were constructed of Purbeck marble. The Nave of the Abbey took 150 years to build, beginning with Abbot Litlyngton in 1376, and continuing into the reign of Henry VII under Abbot Islip in 1528. Though the Nave was constructed by a variety of architects, it still presents a unified front. It contains 12 bays with elaborate pointed arches and pillars that are clustered together instead of standing independently. Above the main arches is the Triforium arcade, with the clerestory lying above it.
Nave of Westminster Abbey
Floor plan of Westminster Abbey
While the stained glass windows that filter in rays of dazzling multicolored light into the Abbey are breathtaking, the only original stained glass windows remaining are the Great West Window, which is thought to have been designed by Sir James Thornhill, who painted the inside of the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, and the rose window in the North Transept. Both of these windows were built in the early 18th century.
Rose window in the north transept
The Choir Stalls of Westminster Abbey still host daily services, where the clerks of the Abbey are in charge of performing the liturgy. While the site of the Choir has remained unchanged, the present Choir Stalls themselves were built in 1848. The original organ was built in 1730 by Christopher Shrider, but has been refurbished and enlarged on other occasions, and Harrison and Harrison of Durham rebuilt it entirely in 1937 before the Coronation of King George VI. Music is a pivotal facet of the Abbey. Many musical works have been composed specifically for ceremonies in the Abbey, such as the funeral music by Purcell for Queen Mary, the music by Handel for the funeral of Queen Mary, and Handel’s Coronation Anthems.
Westminster Abbey's organ
The High Altar of Westminster Abbey lies in front of St. Edward’s Chapel, where the body of Edward the Confessor is enshrined. Sir Gilbert Scott was the designer of the High Altar, building it in 1867. The pavement in front of the High Altar was installed by Henry III in 1268. The Roman Odoricus was the chief worker hired by Henry III, laying the stone in an abstract design known as Cosmati work, featuring patterns of colored stones in different shapes.
The Cosmati Pavement in front of the High Altar
One of the most famous sections of Westminster Abbey is Henry VII’s Lady Chapel. Built under the Italian sculptor Pietro Torrigiano, it features a fan-vaulted roof and banners of the Knights of Bath on its walls, for it is there that the Knights of Bath are knighted. The Lady Chapel would function as Henry’s mausoleum, containing a tomb of black marble, and as a chantry chapel for himself, where prayers were to be constantly said for him and his family
The Lady Chapel of Henry VII.
It would be remiss to conclude any work about Westminster Abbey without mentioning the countless numbers of memorials and monuments in the Abbey. Seventeen monarchs are buried in the Abbey, in addition to scores of famous British historical figures. The Abbey contains a section in the South Transept, known as Poet’s Corner, that contains monuments to such literary giants as Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Milton. Another area, termed Statesmen’s Aisle, houses monuments to renowned politicians, such as William Pitt and Benjamin Disraeli. A few other famous people who are buried in the Abbey include Charles Dickens, Isaac Newton, and Geoffrey Chaucer.
Memorial stone for Winston Churchill.
Westminster Abbey contains many other sections, such as a Nurses’ Memorial Chapel, Royal Air Force Chapel, and the Cloisters, where monks meditated and exercised. Today, Westminster Abbey is one of the most popular tourist attractions of England, with both guided and self-guided tours available. The Abbey also hosts a vast library available for research, and holds religious services daily. Furthermore, it still serves as the coronation and wedding site for all British monarchs. Indeed, Westminster Abbey has become a British trademark, with glory that has not faded over the centuries of its existence.
Prince William and Kate Middleton after their wedding at Westminster Abbey in 2011.