Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-02-04
I'm WESTMINSTER PALACE.
The Assembly Place of the
British Parliament.
Interesting Description of a Notable
Structure on q Historic Site.

Interesting Description Of Notable
Structure on Historic Site
Westminster Palace. the assembly
place of the British Parliament, stands
On a huge granite terrace on the left
Or northern bank of the Thames, be-
tween the river and Westminster
Abbey and just above Westminster
Bridge, 1t is in the western part of
The metropolis, near the Treasury the
Horse Guards, Charlng Cross, st.
James's Park and Palace, Pail Mall
and Trafalgar Square. Further up the
river is Millbank Prison, and on
the opposite bank are tho great ST.
Thomas's Hospital and Lambeth
Palace. The building occupies the site
of the old palace which was destroyed
by fire October 10th, 1884, and covers
about eight acres of ground 1t has a
river front of 900 feet, and contains
100 stairways, LOO apartments and
two miles of Railways. Its foundation
was laid April 9th, 1910. The hall
of the House Of Lords was finished in
April, 1917, and the House Of Com
mons in February, 1852 Its cost has
been more than $S,000,000.
The hall of the House Of Lords is
probably the most splendid legislative
chamber in the world. 1t is 80 feet
long, As wide and As high. The house
is lighted by twelve lofty windows, six
on either side, each with eight COM
partments for figures. The windows
are all filled with stained glass, repre-
senting the kings and queens from
William the Conquerer to William the
". At each end of the House are
three archways, corresponding in size
and mouldings to the windows. Its
walls and ceiling are richly gilded and
frescoed. Among the paintings are
the Spirit of Justice, and the Spirit of
Chivalry; Edward III Comforting the
Order of the Garter upon the Black
Prince; the Baptism of Ethelbert; and
the Prince of Wales Committed to
Prison for His Assault on Judge Gas
coigne. In inches between the win
dows are statues of the eighteen
barons who forced King John to sign
the Magma Charta. In this room are
the Queens throne, the Prince of
Wales's chair and the woolsack seat of
the Lord Chancellor. The windows
are filled with rich stained glass and at
night are lighted from outside. In this
hall the Queen opens Parliament, en-
tering the Palace through the Vic
toria tower and passing through her
robing room, where are Dyce's famous
fresco paintings of scenes from the
history of Arthur and Guinevere
the Victoria gallery. 100 feet long, and
the Prince of Wales's room, to her seat
on the throne.
The chamber of the House of Com
mons is less gorgeously furnished than
that of the Lords, and is IS feet
long, As wide and 4j high. 1t occu-
pies the site of that famous old st.
Stephens Hall, where the House met
in the days of Burke and Pitt and
Sheridan. The Speakers chair is at
the north end, and there are galleries
all around There is u new st.
Stephens Hall in the palace, on the
site of the old st. Stephens chapel,
which contains twelve statues Of Illus
triOus statesmen. Another notable
apartment is Westminster Hall, u
monster room 900 feet long, 6S feet
wide and 100 feet high, with not a
pillar to support the wide eXpanse of
its richly carved oaken roof. 1t occu-
pies the site of the ancient hall of
the royal palace and until lately was
occupied by the highest law courts
established by Henry III, in 1924. At
the eastern corner of the hall a stair
case leads tothe crypt beneath and ad-
Joining the House of Lords. This
crypt, in which one of the explosions
occurred yesterday. is the sole remain
ing relic of the old palace. 1t is low,
vaulted chamber with many columns,
measures 90 feet long, IS wide and 20
high, and has lately been reftted and
used as chapel.
Westminster Hall is in the side of
! lnb DdldIb ucAu W w tSblnluoIcl ADDcy.
In the southwest end is the House of
Lords, and the Commons are in the
northeast part. The Victoria tower,
containing the royal entrance, is at the
southwest corner, and is IS feet square
and $40 feet high. At the northeast
corner, abutting on Westminster
Bridge, is the clock tower. 40 feet
square and 3lS high, with four dials
near the top each 80 feet across. In
this tower hangs the great bells, of
which Ben, the biggest of all. weighs
eight tons. From the central portion
of the palace rises pointed spire 60
feet in diameter and 300 feet high. 1t
stands above the octagonal central hall
of the palace, and is supported by the
groined ceiling without single pillar.
-Ne1C York Tribune.
An Easy Lesson in Geography.