pictorial history of westminister abbey

7/27/2019 Pictorial History of Westminister Abbey

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WESTMINSTER ABBEY~A

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***!*"-!^^ - ' "Tt-BY CANON ADAM FOX, D.D.,Archdeacon of Westminster


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Joseph L. Barnett1438 Boulevard Ave.Huntington, WV 25701

Westminster Abbey and the old Houses of Parliament from the River Thames. This painting by David Roberts depictthe Lord Mayor of London for 1838-39, Mr. Samuel Wilson, about to land at Parliament Steps. Until 1857 the LordMayor's procession was water-borne. Every year from near Guildhall the fleet of decorated barges passed up-stream tWestminster where the High Constable of Westminster received the Lord Mayor. From the landing stage, the part

proceeded in procession to the Court of Exchequer in Westminster Hall where the Lord Mayor was sworn in.THE COLLEGIATE CHURCH OFSAINT PETER IN WESTMINSTER

Such is the full title of Westminster Abbey. It has been sonamed since Elizabeth I replaced the Abbot and Monasteryby a Dean and Canons; five centuries earlier, Edward theConfessor had dedicated the Church he had built to St. Peterin reparation for not making a promised pilgrimage to Rome.

Westminster Abbey is not a cathedral for it does not containa Bishop's throne, nor is it a parish church. In ecclesiasticalterms it is a "Royal Peculiar," a distinction shared only withSt. George's Chapel, Windsor. The Dean and Canons aresubject only to the jurisdiction of the Sovereign as Visitor;neither the Archbishop of Canterbury nor the Bishop ofLondon have any authority over the affairs of the Abbey.Westminster Abbey is essentially a Royal Church. It wasfounded by a king and, apart from the Dissolution, has 900years of unbroken connection with the Crown.

William the Conquerorwho was crowned in theAbbey in 1066.Henry V, the victor ofAgincourt, agreat bene-

the Abbey.


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St. Edward The Confessor The Pictorial History Of King Henry The Third

WESTMINSTER ABBEYBY CANON ADAM FOX, D.D.

Archdeacon of WestminsterTHERE are many Abbeys in Britain, but ofthem all, one has become known throughoutthe civilised world simply as the abbey. West-minster has this pre-eminence, partly becauseof the quality of its architecture, partly becauseit is a very large church actively ministering tothe people in a very large city and partly becauseof its age-long connection with the government ofEngland. It is a very solemn place. It is madeso by the solemnity of successive Coronationsand the solemn pomp of funeral monuments.It is famed for the solemn ceremonial of itsServices, which large congregations gather toattend. It is solemn always for the great heightof the Gothic piers and vaults with their patchesof sunlight of every shape and size; and theshadows they cast at dusk or on a misty day arebeautiful to behold.The recorded history of Westminster Abbey

begins in Edward the Confessor's time, but thereare glimpses of its existence before that. Thename occurs in a 10th-century document whereit is described as a terrible place, that is, an awe-some place. This evidence points to the previ-ous foundation of a monastery or at least of achurch, and legend attributes this foundation toSebert, King of the East Saxons (died 616),under the influence of Mellitus, first Bishop ofLondon. Earlier still, Romance, as shaped byMallory in his Morte d''Arthur, tells of KingArthur holding a tournament in a field near by;of Queen Guinevere going a-maying into fieldsand woods aside, and of the corpse of Elaine thefair maiden being rowed in a barget up and downthe Thames at Westminster and then beingrichly interred. No one has ventured to point

to Elaine's grave in the Abbey, but they do showthe tomb of King Sebert erected by the monksin 1308.

All this is dim and misty. But the creation ofEdward the Confessor is with us still. By asupreme but probably quite unconscious act ofstatesmanship, he has made Westminster thecentre of a mighty empire. On an island in theRiver Thames, already called Westminster Eyot,(earlier known as Thorney or Thorneye Island),he set about to build a great monastery to promotethe glory of God and the prosperity- of hiskingdom of England. Close by he took up hisresidence in order that he might watch the pro-gress of the building. Thus he separated theseat of government from the City of Londonwhich lay across the fields a couple of miles away.This he may have done intentionally. Further,by placing the Abbey and the Royal palace sideby side he strengthened for some centuries thebond between Church and State. This mayalso have been intentional in part, but he couldnot have foreseen the ultimate effect.For the first five centuries of its existence, that

is from the nth century to the 16th, the palaceat Westminster was the reigning king's place ofresidence. For the last two of these five cen-turies, actually from about 1376 to 1547, theHouse of Commons normally met in the ChapterHouse or the Refectory of the Abbey. Duringthis period too, eight of the kings and queens ofEngland were buried in the Abbey, where pre-viously the only Royal burial was that of theConfessor himself. Thus Church and Stateforged bonds between themselves. But after

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B I V E BT H A M E

Westminster Eyot (earlier called Thorney Island) as itappeared about 1532. This reconstructed illustration ofthe Abbey, the adjacent monastery buildings and the RoyalPalace of Westminster was prepared after exhaustiveresearch by Mr. A. E. Henderson, F.S.A., by whose kindpermission it is reproduced, the abbey buildings : (1) TheNave, Westminster Abbey; (2) St. Margaret's Church;(3) Henry VII Chapel; (4) Cemetery; (5) Abbot's Lodging;(6) Cloisters; (7) Vestry; (8) Chapter House; (9) Monks'Dormitory; (10) Infirmary; (11) Infirmary Garden; (12)Fish Ponds; (13) Prior's Lodging; (14) Frater; (15) Miseri-corde; (16) Grammar School; (17) Entrance to Bayliffs;(18) Hospice; (19) Stables; (20) South Gateway; (21) Broad

Sanctuary; (22) Bell Tower; (23) Great Sanctuary; (Abbey Wall; (25) Abbey Gatehouse; (26) Jail; (27) Bishof London's prison ; (28) The Elms (now Dean's Yard(29) King's Alms Houses; (30) Poor men's Lodgin(31) River Tyburn; (32) Long Ditch; (33) Abbey Far(34) Abbey Mill; (35) Abbot's Garden, the roybuildings : A Palace Court ; AA High Tower, West Gatway leading to City of London ; B Clock Tower ; C Wesminster Stairs; D Duchy of Lancaster; E South GatF Westminster Hall; G Star Chamber; H. St. StephenChapel; I The Whitehall; J Painted Chamber; K Wesminster Palace Boathouse and Stairs ; L Jewel Tower.

THE INFLUENCE OF EDWARD THE CONFESSORthe middle of the 16th century the king ceased tolive at Westminster, and this led on to great and ne%vevents. His palace became the Houses of Parliament,and side by side with the legislative power theexecutive, or, as we should call it now, the CivilService, grew up and established itself in Whitehallwhere it still remains. By a parallel development,the business of the Church of England has come tobe transacted in another area that adjoins the Abbeyprecincts. Here are the Church House, the Cqnvo-cations, the Church Commissioners and the officesof most of the Church Societies, instead of being, as

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might have been expected, in the vicinity of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury's Palace at Lambeth.Edward the Confessor is, therefore, no mere figureof fabled sanctity. His work still strongly influences

the national life. Of his buildings almost nothing isleft. He completed the Church which was later onentirely demolished, but the rest of the monasterywas hardly begun in his lifetime. Some kind oftemporary accommodation there must have been forthe Abbot and monks to eat and sleep and work in,but it took the best part of a hundred years to erectthe permanent buildings. Of these there are very

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above : One of Sir Christopher Wren's designs for the additions toWestminster Abbey included a central spire. This proposal, how-ever, never progressed beyond the drawing-board stage, below :The entrance to the Chantry Chapel of Henry V where the hero ofAgincourt is buried. In his will he directed that a high chantrychapel should be erected over his body. Above Henry V's tombare his saddle, shield and helmet.

Pari of the beautiful stone reredos of the HeChantry Chapel zoilh the statues of Ota-St. Edmund and St. Denis.

considerable remains. You may still see thecroft of the monks' dormitory almost exactlwas, and it is possible that the Confessor himsit too. You can see one wall of the Refectoits Norman arcading, and the Dark Cloister bythe monks moved from one part of the monasanother. Three rounded arches of St. CathChapel are still standing, a part of theInfirmary and a relic of somewhat later NormanBut of course it was round the Church t

whole life of the community revolved, and Ethe Confessor was perhaps content to have comthat. It stood on the north side of the mobuildings, a very large Church in the style thenlent in France, and for that reason termed thman style, but abroad the Romanesque. Theplan was very little different from that of theChurch, except that the Transepts were naIt was in the form of a cross and probably hadtral tower, and is so represented in thetapestry. No doubt the Confessor's Churcthe grim but reassuring look of the early Nchurches. East of the crossing made by thesepts was the Sanctuary which occupied a coable area with the High Altar in the centre.east of the Altar there was presently to be thof the Confessor himself.

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THE CONFESSOR'S SHRINEThe Chapel of St. Edward The Confessor is the mostsacred spot in the Abbey since it contains not only thebody of the founder, but the tombs of five other kingsand three queens. The bones of the Confessor havebeen much disturbed since he was first buried before theHigh Altar of his church. William the Conquerorerected an imposing stone tomb over the grave, but in1 163 the Saint's remains were transferred to a new shrineraised by Henry II. When Henry III began to pulldown the Norman church, this shrine was removed whilstanew and more magnificent one was prepared. Onlythe lower part (seen above) of this costly 13th-centurymonument now remains. On the Dissolution of theAbbey in 1540 it was stripped of its huge jewels,beautiful cameos and the golden statues which adornedit. right : A section of the carved stone Screen in St.Edward's Chapel. The scene depicts the Confessor'svision of the drowning of the King of Denmark whowas shipwrecked on his way to invade England.


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left: An 18th-century engraving of the South Ambulatabove: The tomb of Henry III. Although Edward the Cfessor founded Westminster Abbey, Henry III commencedrebuilding of the Norman fabric, and can thus be said to befather of the present church. More devout than wise,rageously extravagant, Henry III beggared himself to re-bthe Abbey until he was eventually forced to pawn the jewith which he had beautified St. Edward's Shrine.

WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR IS CROWNEDThe Consecration of the Church had been fixed

for Christmas Day 1065, but the King was so ill thatit was postponed, then hurried on and solemnised onthe Holy Innocents Day, 28th December, and on5th January the King died. Harold's accession wasconfirmed by his Coronation (some historians say inthe Abbey, but there is no definite evidence of this),and by a strange revolution in this fateful year of1066 there was another Coronation within twelvemonths, that of William the Conqueror, Duke ofNormandy. He chose the Abbey for his crowning,no doubt partly for its size, partly because it wasattached to the Royal palace and partly because it wasnear London. He was crowned on Christmas Day.Not a stone of the Confessor's Church remains

above ground. Less than 200 years after its com-pletion Henry III resolved to demolish it and builda more beautiful one, again after the style then pre-vailing in France. The new Church would be muchtaller, much lighter and more spacious; and it wasto be of the very best material. The masons setPage 6

to work from the east end, and before the kingdied in 1272 they had completed the Sanctuary, theTransepts, the Choir and two bays west of the ChoirScreen. The rest of the Norman Nave was stillstanding, producing a complete disharmony of shapeand style, and so it continued for more than a cen-tury. Henry III had spared no expense, but whenhe died the coffers were empty and the work wasstopped.The main piers of the Church are of solid Purbeck

marble, the floor is paved with a lighter variety ofthe same; the stone came partly from Caen, butmainly from quarries near Rcigate. Structurally,the Church to-day is as Henry III planned it, thoughit is doubtful if there is any part of the outside whichhas not been re-faced. There is carving and statu-ary in every part of the building. This was all dueto Henry's inspiration and appreciation of the beauti-ful. He has been called " the greatest builder and thegreatest patron of the arts who has ever occupied thethrone of England."

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above : Edward Ill's tomb. "A. perfect example of this world'svanity," Edward III died in 1377, overcome with grief for the lossof his eldest son, the Black Prince. The king was deserted by his fol-lowers ; only one poor priest who was unable to prevent the servantsstripping the rings from Edward's fingers attended the death bed.below : The white marble tomb of Queen Elizabeth I erected byJames I in 1603. Inserted in the tomb is a gold ring traditionallysaid to be the ring which Elizabeth gave her favourite, Essex.

THE ANCIENT RELICSOF THE ABBEY LOST

Henry III seems to have had three ideas whresolved to rebuild the Abbey. First he sougpromote the glory of God, for Whom only thebest was appropriate, by gathering into its fabthat was precious and beautiful. Secondly, hsired to provide a place fit for the great occasiospectacle of a Coronation. Thirdly, he thougprovide a burying place for himselfand his succnear the tomb of St. Edward, around whose bmuch national sentiment had already gathered.He contributed to all these purposes at on

rebuilding the Church and piling up a great mof earth in its eastern part. This entailed remthe Confessor's remains to a temporary restingand it was not until 1268 that they were replacethe existing monument was erected. This monumwhich came from Italy and was richly adornedmosaic and surmounted with a golden feretohearse, was, and perhaps still is, the great wondthe Abbey. Westward of this tomb was theAltar, and westward of the High Altar themound formed a platform on which Coronatake place.On the border of the mound, by way of encl

the Confessor's shrine, there were later erecteby one the tombs of Henry III, Queen EleEdward I, Queen Philippa, Edward III and RiII. All these tombs except that of Edwardsurmounted by effigies which preserve some traof what these kings and queens looked like. Aside of Richard H's effigy is thai of his wife, AnBohemia. The tomb of Edward I is perfectladorned and may still be regarded as temporarAt the east end of this Shrine there was a

Lady Chapel, and here King Henry VI causupper Chapel to be built supported on archebountifully enriched with statuary. Undernwas the tomb of his father, Henry V, a great lothe Abbey; and the whole was a memorial oFrench wars in which the warrior king was fmuch of his life engaged. In the Chapel abovechief relics of the Abbey were exhibited untiReformation. Amongst them was the head oBenedict and, less authentic, a tooth of St. Atsius, some vestments of St. Peter and a girdle oBlessed Virgin Mary. The whole design is orand forms a noble monument to the men ofcourt and the king who led them. To the wethis great group of Royal tombs the High Altarwhere it still stands, but there was no Screen beFrom the body of the Church the Shrine was vbeyond the Altar. Only after the erection of HV's Chapel did the monks erect the lovely cstone Screen to exact something more frompilgrims who passed through it.And they were justified in doing so, for they hscrape and save to complete their long Nave, a

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above: ine gut bro:.ze emgy oiElizabeth of York (died 1503),Queen of Henry VII, and firstperson to be buried in her hus-band's chapel, and (below) that ofEleanor of Castile (died 1290), thewife of Edward I. These like-n.sses adorn the Queens' tombs.The latter efHgy was executed byWilliam Tovel "goldsmith andcitizen of London" in 1701.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe Dean and Chapter ofWestminster rendered valu-able assistance in the pro-duction of this book, as didMr. R. Hoiugrave-Graham,F.S.A., the Ass. Keeper ofthe Muniments, by takingspecial photographs. Pitkinsmost gratefully acknowledgethese services and also thehelp of Air. B. Freeman inthe selection of prints fromthe British Museum.

above: The carved stone Screen which separates St. Edward's Chapel from theSanctuary. It was erected by the Abbey monks during the reign of Edward IV(1461-1483) in order, it is said, to exact a toll from the pilgrims entering the Chapel toworship at the Shrine of the Confessor. The money so collected helped to maintainthe unfinished fabric of the building then in poor repair. At this period the coffersof the Abbey were empty. St. Edward's Chair is in the position it normally occupies,to the left of it are the shield and great sword of Edward III (1327-1377). On thefrieze at the top of the Screen are carved scenes from the life of St. Edward, belowThe Liber Regalis, the Coronation Ritual Service Book used by all English sovereignsfrom Henry IV to Elizabeth I. It was written and illuminated during the reign ofRichard II, probably for the Coronation of his Queen Consort, Anne of Bohemia, in1382. The Liber Regalis is now in the Abbey Library. This photograph is repro-duced bv kind permission of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster.

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In its 900 years of history many Royal weddings have been cele-brated in Westminster, but none have given greater joy to thepeople than that of The Princess Elizabeth (now Queen ElizabethII) to the Duke of Edinburgh on 20th November, 1947. Aboveis the scene before the High Altar : the full story of the wonderfuloccasion is told, by Collie Knox, in Princess Elizabeth's WeddingDay, a pictorial souvenir published by Pitkins at 2.6one of themost popular Royal Family books ever produced, below : Themonument to Margaret Beaufort, Countess ofRichmond and Derby(died 1 509), mother of Henry VII. A noble and charitable woman,to whom her son owed much, she was patroness of Caxton whoseprinting press was set up in the Abbey Almonry, and foundress ofSt. John's College and Christ's College, Cambridge.

THE MONKS PERSEVERElast they did it. The Nave is now of twelvand of these, five were completed in the rHenry III or at latest in that of Edward I.middle of the 14th century. Abbot Simon Lanafterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, provifurther progress out of his great fortune. Butnot till the latter part of the 15th century twesternmost bay, including the lower partWestern Towers, was finished. The style of thwork was by this time obsolete, but to buildextension in the current Perpendicular stylehave looked almost as odd as the original Nportion did on Henry Ill's new Church.monks persevered with their building and inthey added their seven bays and, what is moproduced the elevation as it had been desigHenry HI.As originally conceived the great Church w

finished, but there were two important additbe made. At the east end, Henry VII pulledthe Lady Chapel and erected the Chapel namehim. It belongs to the first 20 years of th

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The gates at the entrance to the Henry VII Chasuperbly fashioned of bronze, and are adornebadges of families from whom Henry was desthe Portcullis of Beaufort, the Fleurs-de-lis, thof England arid the Dragon of Cadwaladr.Page 10


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CROWNING PLACEOF KINGSFor 900 years the Kings and Queensof England have been crowned inthe Abbey. Above is St. Edward'sCrown with which the Sovereign iscrowned . Itsweightofover five poundsprevents it being worn for long, and,immediately after the act of crowninghas been performed, St. Edward'sCrown is exchanged for the ImperialState Crown, which was made tor QueenVictoria's Coronation in 1838. St.Edward's Crown is never again wornby the King or Queen Regnant, below :The Ampulla. The neck of the goldeneagle unscrews to receive the holy oil,and during the Coronation ceremonythe unguent with which the Sovereignis anointed is poured from the beak.The Ampulla was used at the Coronationof Henry IV in 1399, but it is probablymuch older. With the Anointing Spoonand Queen Elizabeth I's Salt Cellarit escaped destruction during the Crom-wellian period.

above : The scene in the Theatre shortly after King George VI was crowned.His Late Majesty wears St. Edward's Crown, he is seated in St. Edward's chair.His Queen Consort, (now Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother) is seatedbottom, left, the assembled clergy are right. The Choir Stalls are occupiedby distinguished guests, the Kings of Arms, the Heralds and the Pursuivantsof the College of Arms are grouped around the pillars. Behind the line ofpages are the Thrones Their Majesties will occupy later in the ceremony.


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THE SETTING FORTHE CORONATIONCEREMONYWhen Henry III rebuilt Edward theConfessor's Norman church heplaced the Choir west of the centralcrossing,w hich is unusucl in Englishcathedrals. His intention was toprovide a noble stage before theSanctuary and High Altar on whichfuture Kings of England would becrowned. At the time of a Corona-tion this central space is built up tothe level of the Sanctuary and isthen termed the " Theatre." Suchis the setting of the greatest pageantthe Church and State of Britain canoffer. The Coronation, of course,is more than a pageant; it has thedeepest spiritual significance bothfor the Sovereign and the people.This spiritual significance is ex-plained by the Dean of Westminsterin an Introduction to The HistoricStory of The Coronation Ceremonyand Ritual published by Pitkinsat 2/6d. Lawrence E. Tanner,M.V.O., F.S.A., The Keeper of theMuniments, Westminster Abbey,tells the history of the i,ODO-year-oldceremony and describes the ritual.below : The Coronation of QueenAnne Boleyn on Whit Sunday, 1533.Henry VIII arranged a great andglittering pageant, but the peoplewere cold. " The city was wellenough," Anne said, " but I sawfew heads bared."

ABOVE: King George VI faces his people during the Recognitionthe first actof the Coronation Service. The Archbishop of Canterbury has just presentedhim " as the rightful inheritor of the Crown of this realm " and calls for homage,service and bounden duty to the King. The King's Scholars of WestminsterSchool lead the congregation in a great shout of acclamation thereby testifyingthat George VI has been accepted by the people. The Sovereign of Englandreigns not merelyby right ofsuccession ; he must also be the choice of his subjects.


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above : Tne Hign Altar stands against a supercarved stone scteen erected by the Abbey monin the 15th century to divide St. EdwarChapel from the rest of the Sanctuary. Abothe High Altar is a modern mosaic depict"The Last Supper." left: A fragment13th-century art, probably the most cheristreasure in the Abbey. Above Henry IlHigh Altar once hung a painted and bejewelRctable (a frame enclosing decorated pmels)at some time unknown this beautiful examplemedieval craftsmanship was removed and lIn 1827 it was found, terribly damaged in usethe top of a waxwork case, below : The pulp


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above: The Choir Stalls and Screen, below: Gilt-bronzeeffigies of Henry VII {left) and Edward III (right) on their tombs.It is traditionally believed that the latter was modelled from a castof the king's face taken shortly after his death.

A corner of the Bailie of Britain Chapel in HenryChapel dedicated to " The Fevi." The ornate pillon the left is part of the gilt-bronze grille surrothe tomb of the founder of the Chapel.

century, and is a building of extraordinary band very remarkable design. The vaulting oceiling is marvellous, the statuary various antomb of the founder and his Queen, which occmost of the eastern half of the Chapel, is awork of art by the Italian, Torrigiani. Theerected against the west end of this monumelargely a reproduction of the original, but somremaining fragments of the 16th-century Altarbeen incorporated in it. The exceptionallyStalls are contemporary with the building anallotted to the Knights of the Bath, whose Cthis is. The crests and banners of the living GCross Knights hang over the Stalls and are delto their next of kin on their decease. BehinStalls on either side are graceful Aisles, one ofcontains the tomb of Queen Elizabeth I, another those of Mary, Queen of Scots, and of theMargaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII. Thend of the Chapel forms a small enclosureuntil recently was empty, but is now the RoyaForce Memorial Chapel. The window byEaston commemorates the 63 squadrons that fin the Battle of Britain, and embodies all their b

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In Poets' Corner arc many memorials toillustrious English men and womenwhose arts have enriched the literatureand theatre of their native land, above :The bust of John Milton (1608-74).below: The memorial to GeoffreyChaucer (1 340-1400), earliest of theimmortal English poets. Son of a Lon-don vintner, he was a page to Lionel,third son of Edward III, and laterserved the King in several capacities.His best known work " The CanterburyTales," written about 1387 was printedby Caxton at Westminster in 1475.Chaucer died in poverty in the precinctsof the Abbey, and his grave at theentrance to St. Benedict's Chapel wasfirst marked by a leaden slab hung ona nearby pillar. In 1556 the poetNicholas Brigham, at his own expense,erected the fine tomb now seen.

above : The corner of the South Transept known as PoCorner. Above is the Rose or Wheel Window, the largesits type. The painted glass is modern, below : The CanClub Chairs and Faldstools which were used by King GeoVI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) when tattended official services or functions in the Abbey. Theof the Canada Club of London, these examples of 20th-centcraftsmanship are made of Canadian wood finished in eband gold, and arc the work of Mr. Sebastian Compcr.


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above : The exterior ofthe Henry VII Chapel, below : TheTombof the Unknown Warrior, just inside the Western Doors, is themost simple but yet the most impressive of all the memorials in theAbbey. It commemorates the fallen of World War One, and ismarked by a plain slab of black Belgian marble bearing an epitaphin gold letters. On Armistice Day, nth November, 1920, thebody ofan unknown soldier selected at random from the multitudesof British dead in France was reburied in the presence of KingGeorge V and "a vast concourse of the nation." Red Flanderspoppiesemblems of sacrificealways decorate the tomb.

THE LIFE OF THEBENEDICTINE MONKS

At this point only the width of a street seWestminster Abbey, from Old Palace Yardwhich now stands the House of Lords.

For a long time the other end of the Abbeyvery incomplete appearance. The West Froflanked by the lower half of what were evmeant to be two great towers, but it was no1734 that Hawksmoor completed them fromby Sir Christopher Wren. This was doneefforts of an excellent Dean, Joseph Wilcocks,of Rochester, whose monument in the Navesuitably enough, a fine representation of thefrom the north-west. The gaily colouredWindow gives its own date, 1735, in large figThere has been no more building of an

sequence since, but the wareffected onegreat imment. An incendiary bomb set fire to thethe Crossing where, beneath a very stumpytower, there was a temporary ceiling only soyears old. This fell into the Church withoutmuch damage and has now been replacedpermanent roof which is slightly steeper thold roof, and this decidedly improves the appeof the Abbey from outside.

Since 1065 the buildings at Westminsterhave been occupied by churchmen, but thethe occupants has been of two differing kinds.1065 until 1540, when the Abbey was Disthe precincts housed a monastery ; from 1560 upresent they have housed a Collegiate Church.Abbots of the earlier period have given pthe Deans whose unbroken line continues to oday. The monks have been succeeded bCanons of Westminster. The place is nowan Abbey only by tradition.The life of the monks is not difficult to pThey were Benedictines, living in a regular b

too severe a way based on the directions whiBenedict had given for the community he fat Monte Cassino about 530. They spent theat Services in the Church both by day and byin reading and writing, in gardening and inabroad (that is outside the piecincts) on the buof the Abbey or of the king. They had to lootheir many estates, and they visited their dahouses. The Abbey owned a great deal of prin many parts of England, and although theas individuals were officially without possessionactually had money to spend. The young oneoften sent to Oxford to study. Later on theytimes found occasion or excuse for a changetheir own familiar Cloister. The old onesprobably have spent their last years in the Infwhere the Little Cloister was and still is.The Abbot was a very important person

entertained a great deal and went about on aff

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In the Nave hangs nits meateval portrait, belxevea to bea likeness of Richard II. Son of the Black Prince,Richard teas crowned in 1 377 when he was ten.

State. He had numerous servants and a great houseand household. Many of the other monks wereofficers, or Obedientiaries as they were called. Theylived, and frequently they slept, in their offices.Such were the Prior (the second in command), theCellarer, the Almoner, the Sacrist, the Infirmarer.Those who were not officers slept in the dormitory,as in theory everyone did. The dormitory whichadjoined the end of the South Transept is now theLibrary of the Dean and Chapter and the greatschool room of Westminster School. It was over170 feet long, and as there were never more than 60monks, and usually much fewer, they generally con-trived to have some sort of cubicle to themselves.Part of the stairs by which they came down into theChurch by night is still to be seen.The organisation of the Collegiate Church in ac-

cordance with the Charter Queen Elizabeth I grantedin 1560 was rather different. The corporate bodyor College which stood possessed of the building andsuch property as she chose to confer upon them con-sisted of a Dean and twelve Prebendaries. Each

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above : The Coronation Chair. Every monarch of Britain* hasbeen crowned in this ancient Chair since Edward I ordered it tobe made to enclose the Stone of Scone which he brought fromScotland in 1297. The Chair is made from English oak and wasoriginally richly painted and decorated with patterns of birds,animals and foliage on a gold background. The Coronation Chan-is now but a bartered remnant of the beautiful object conceived byEdward I, but it nevertheless is one of the Nation's most cherishedrelics. In this photograph the Chair is arranged for the Corona-tion ofKing George VI. below : The Stone of Scone, also knownas the Stone of Destiny. This rough piece of sandstone is thesource of many legends, but it is historic fact that the ancientScottish kings were crowned upon it. Fergus II is said to haveseized it from the Irish in the 5th century, where on the hill atTara it was used at the coronations of Irish Kings."Except Edward V who was murdered aud Edward VIII who abdicated


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'THE MOSTIN ALL BEAUTIFUL CHAPELCHRISTENDOM"This description of the Henry VII Chapel is harexaggerated, for the elaborate and delicate tracof the fan-vaulted ceiling, the magnificent carvstalls, the coloured banners of the Knights of the Baand the superb Altar combine to present a pictureincredible beauty. When in 15 19 the Chapel wcompleted and dedicated to the Virgin (in order, isaid, to assuage the founder's troubled consciencthe place was of even greater splendour. Most oforiginal painted glass has been destroyed and the rbejewelled ornaments have long since been plundereHenry was buried in his chapel, and his tomb werected by his only surviving son, Henry VIII. Tbronze grille which surrounds it (left of photo,facing page) was originally gilded all over, and whfirst erected was a source of wonderment, for nothapproaching it in magnificence and elaboration hbeen seen in England before.Members of the Most Honourable Order of the Baarc installed in the Henry VII Chapel, a custoriginated by George 1 in 1725. Above is an imprsive scene from the 195 1 ceremony. King Georgeas Sovereign of the Order stands before the DeanWestminster who is at the Altar, left : The charing memorial to Princess Sophia, daughter of Jameswho died three davs after her birth in 1606.


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above : The North Cloister, below : OH the East Cloister is thePyx Chapel, a vaulted chamber built about 1060, which was partof the monastic buildings. The word " pyx " means a box, a boxcontaining the standard pieces of gold and silver currency ofthe country being kept there. Once a year, the trial of the pyxthe testing of the coinagetook place in the chamber. In thisphotograph, an ancient treasure chest is seen; on the platform inthe top foreground armed guards were once stationed. There isalso a 13th-century stone altar in the Chapel.

A VALHALLA FORTHE GREAT AND NOBLEPrebendary had a house and probably a wife,was usually the holder of some other beneficseveral, and was only bound to reside in the Prfor a limited period each year. He might beranking ecclesiastic or a nobleman. For aboyears (1666-1802) the Deanery was held wiBishopric of Rochester. The Dean, althouentitled to the absolute obedience demandedAbbot, had many rights, but he also had (ahas) great responsibilities. The decision asshall be buried in the Abbey rests entirely wifor example. In one way the Collegiate Chumore strict than the monastery. The DeaCanons must be in Holy Orders, the monkswere so but need not have been.The general effect of the changeover from M

tery to Collegiate Church has been that vastlpeople come into the Abbey, and it has becoplace where the history of the nation is exhibpageantry and has been made permanent inBut these effects have been brought about graUntil about 1820, the Church was like achapel, visited mostly by archaeologists andtects, but very sparsely attended at ServiceEven to this day the public have no right tomitted ; legally they come with the Dean's permiDean Ireland (1816-1842) threw open the Nthe public, and in modern times great numbpeople visit the Church daily.

In the monastic days only Royal personaghigh ecclesiastics were buried in the Abbey,the reign of Elizabeth, and thereafter, the nbegan to acquire vaults, and several very largements were erected. Some of these are of conable beauty and interest. In the 17th centuryfitting, the English poets joined the English noand Spenser, Dryden, Tennyson and manyhave followed Chaucer into Poets' Corner.18th-century the burial of people of distincother spheres added new lustre : Dr. Johnsonsents literature, for example, and beside himfriend Garrick the actor, nearby Camden thtorian and, in the Nave, Tompion the clock-The musicians found a quarter to themselves bthe North Choir Stalls, close to the old organ.cell is there, and Croft, and Blow and, more reCharles Villiers Stanford.In the 18th century, too, monuments began

erected to those who were buried elsewhere.speare is buried in the Chancel of Trinity Cat Stratford-on-Avon, where he was a procitizen. Perhaps the people there thought Lwould ask to inter him, for he is buried in a17 feet deep, and the short verse on his monlays a curse on the man who moves his bones.in 1740 a large statue of him was put up in

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The Chapter House has a ijth-century tiled pavementin almost perfect condition. The tiles {see above)are as brilliant in colour as when they were first laid.

Corner as a testimony of public affection, so theinscription above his head tells you. Milton's bustis there, though he was buried in St. Giles', Cripple-gate; and there is a medallion of Gray, who lies inthe country churchyard of Stoke Poges. There isalso a full-size statue of Wordsworth, whose remainsrest in the Lake country where he lived.The ashes and the likenesses of many scientists

have accumulated in modern times round the monu-ment and grave of Sir Isaac Newton. Soldiers andsailors, however, look now for lasting remembranceto St. Paul's, since Nelson and Wellington were buriedthere. Nevertheless, there are several fine monu-ments of former days to fighting men who died youngor famous, and some of these are mingled with thestatues of great statesmen. Many of the latter exhibitthe taste of the Victorian age and somewhat spoilthe proportions of the North Transept.The present-day practice of cremation has led tomonuments being superseded by small flat slabs

in the floor. Recent Prime Ministers, authors, archi-tects and Deans are so commemorated. This isnot a new thing ; through want of space it has becomevery necessary. But Edward VI, Mary I (under-neath her sister Elizabeth), James I, Charles II,William and Mary, and Queen Anne are all buried inthe Abbey without a monument, and this is true ofGeorge II also. His family vault beneath the floorof Henry VII's Chapel is spacious with its twelvecoffins in orderly array, though it can now only beentered by taking up the pavement.

It must be confessed that the monuments havemade sad havoc with the architecture. The beauti-ful arcade which runs all round the Abbey at thelowest stage is very largely obliterated, the windowsare sometimes blocked up and in some places thefine effect that was intended has been greatly dimin-ished. But the building taken as a whole remains

Page 21

above: The Chapter House. This beautiful octagonal-shapebuilding was completed in 1253, and from the reign of Edward(1272-1307) it was used as a Parliament House. Here the Housof Commons sat until the end of Henry VIII's reign: in 154Edward VI granted the Commons the use of St. Stephen's Chapein the old Palace of Westminster. On the dissolution of thmonastery in 1540 the Chapter House passed to the Crown, andthis day the Dean and Chapter of Westminster have no rights oveit. below : The Undercroft. This great, vaulted chamber is parof the 11th-century Norman buildings; above it is the AbbeLibrary, which was once the monks' dormitory. The Undercrofis now used as a museum.


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above : A Festival Procession at a High Service : The Station atthe Nave Altar, below : The Canons of Westminster are pre-sented to Queen Elizabeth II when Her Majesty attended theancient Royal Maundy ceremony, April, 1952. It was the firstpublic engagement of her reign. The custom of Royal Maundydates from the earliest Christian days in Britain when monkswashed the feet of the poor on Maundy Thursday in obedience toChrist's command {Mandatum) to love one another. Up to 1689the King in person performed the menial task before distributingpurses of money to poor people. Since James II 's day this partof the Service has been discontinued, but for many hundreds ofyears the reigning Sovereign has provided money, food andclothing for as many poor persons as there were years in his or herage. On the occasion of the 1952 ceremony, Her Majesty pre-sented 26 old men and women with purses of specially minted silverMaundy pence. Canon Adam Fox, D.D., the author of this book,is third from the left in the photograph. A further scene from theRoyal Maundy ceremony is seen on the back cover. The tradi-tional nosegays, the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and others arecarrying, are a custom of medieval days when a posy of sweetsmelling herbs and flowers was believed to ward off the plague.

THE GREATEST PAGEANTOF CHURCH AND STATE

one of the greatest examples of Gothic architeand it contains many works of art not only in tof monuments, but in the way of pictures, plafabrics. In Service time, too, the Abbey paysto the great achievement of English music anEnglish Church musicians. In hardly anyplace in the world has more been gathered toto please the senses and elevate the mind andThere is of course one association with the

which gives it a peculiar interest. It is the plthe Coronation of our kings and queens.Coronation takes place in front of the Highbut the actual crowning is only the culminatiowhole series of ceremonies. Two essential feare the Recognition of the king or queen regnthe people and the Anointing of his or herA platform is erected under the central space bethe Choir and the Sanctuary. The representof the State and People are in the Choir and instands erected temporarily in the Transepts. Aconcourse in the Nave has already witnesseprogress of the Sovereign up the Church accompand supported by the great Officers of State, anhe or she is presented to the people by thebishop of Canterbury, and acclaimed by themloud cries of God save the King (or Queen) !means that the monarch is the popular choice aas the lawful successor to the throne.The Anointing with consecrated oil has qui

other significance. It gives a peculiar sanctthe person of the sovereign who is anointedhands, the head and the breast. In old days thking hastened to be crowned, because an anking would be less likely to be assassinated.Harold was crowned the very day after EdwarConfessor died, and Henry III, who became

Continued on p

Some of the specially minted id., 2d., 3d. and 4d.coins distributedby Queen Eli-abeth II during theRoyal Maundy ceremony.Page 22


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This photograph is of unusual interest because it offers an authenticimpression of one English king and three queens of ancient days.When it was taken, Mr. R. Howgrave-Graham, F.S.A., the Ass.Keeper of the Muniments, had completed a restoration of the Abbeyfuneral effigies, some of which date from the 14th century, after war-time storage had damaged them. From left to right, the effigiesrepresent: Anne of Bohemia, first Queen of Richard II, died 1394;Henry VII, died 1509; Anne of Denmark, Queen of James I, died1619 and Elizabeth of York, Queen of Henry VII, died 1503. _ Inmedieval times it was the custom for a richly dressed, life-sizedeffigy of a dead king or queen to be carried in the funeral procession.

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The wax effigies, now kept in the Undercroft Museum, are almost as interesting as the medieval funeral effigies. The oldeis that of Charles II (below, left). He is dressed in the blue and red velvet robes of the Garter; his face was modelled at ttime of his death. For 200 years this effigy stood above his grave in Henry VII's Chapel. Other waxworks in the collectiinclude Queen Anne (bottom, centre) and Admiral Lord Nelson (bottom, right). The burial of the victor of Trafalgar drevast crowds to St. Paul's, and, in order to provide a counter attraction, the Abbey authorities had the effigy of Nelson set u


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ABOVE : Mr. James Higgs, one of the vergers, gives the rinal polishto the superb gold-plate salvers and chalices which adorn the HighAltar during Services. The collection has been amassed since thedays of Charles II who, on his Restoration, found the Abbeystripped of most of its treasures. Many cherished Abbey relicsjoined the Crown Jewels in the Commonwealth melting pot. Thegold plate is kept in a stronghold under one of the Chapels.below : In the Crypt under the Chapter House arc kept the vest-ments, copes and ornaments of the altars. Miss M. Groves, anexpert ecclesiastical needlewoman is here seen repairing a copewhich was worn at Charles II's Coronation.

The Annexe which is built on to the western'endAbbey for the Coronation. In this temporary strthe procession is formed before passing into thethrough the West Door, which can be seen.

at the age of nine, was hurried off to GloucCathedral by the Papal Legate and crowned tvery few days after his accession. He was cragain at Westminster when he was twelve, peto satisfy the citizens of London and secureloyalty.At the Coronation the sovereign is equipped

bolically with the power and authority whineeded for the fulfilment of the great office. Son the Chair, he or she is clothed with garwhich have something of a priestly shape andtity. The Officers of State invest the sovereiggirdle and sword and ring, and in his 01 her hancarried the orb and sceptres. As the Archbperforms the act of crowning, all those whentitled to wear coronets put them on, the trusound, the bells peal, and London East and Winformed of the great event by the firing of gthe Tower and in Hyde Park.The Coronation ofQueen Victoria was the oc

of great confusion and uncertainty, but hersuccessors have seen to it by their insistence ondetail that these august rites and ceremonies sbe of peculiar solemnity, and the nation hasnised them as such.

Westminster Abbey is a great triumph owestern civilisation. All who speak English anative tongue or owe anything to English lBritish administration should visit it if theybecause it enshrines memories of almost all thAnglo-Saxon races have achieved, and contaimemorials of so many of our legislators, judgestatesmen. But the Abbey was built abovea House of Prayer, and no visitor who entehistoric portals should leave without a praypeace upon earth.

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PITKIN PICTORIAL SOUVENIRSOF HISTORIC INTEREST

The Historic Story Of TheCORONATIONCeremony & Ritual

This Pitkin Pictorial tells thestory of the Coronation Cere-mony from its inception to thepresent, together with extractsfrom the Service which describethe 1,000-year-old ritual. TheDean of Westminster contributesan Introduction. The text is byLawrence E. Tanner, M.V.O.,F.S.A., Keeper of Muniments,Westminster Abbey. St. Ed-ward's Crown and the CrownJewels in magnificent full colourprovide the covers.50 photographs. 2'6

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THE HOUSES OftPARLIAMENT^^H " ' Urn

OTHER PITKIN PICTORIALSOUVENIRS IN THIS SERIES

Price 2'6 each*

The Pictorial Story OfBUCKINGHAM PALACE*

The Pictorial Story OfCLARENCE HOUSE*The Pictorial Story OfTHE TOWER OF LONDON

*The Pictorial Story OfROYAL LONDON*The Pictorial Story OfWINDSOR CASTLE

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The Pictorial History Of

BY CANON ADAM FOX. D.D.. ARCHDEACON OF WESTMINSTER

pictorial history of westminister abbey

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