Westminster Abbey » Abbey Treasures Home > Visit Us > Abbey Treasures The North Transept The north transept became known as Statesmen's Aisle following the burial of Prime Minister William Pitt, Earl of Chatham in 1778. The stained glass in the north rose window was designed by Sir James Thornhill in 1722, although it was altered in the late 19th century by J.L.Pearson. The three small chapels on the eastern side of this transept contain some fascinating monuments including that by Roubiliac to Lady Elizabeth Nightingale (pictured) which shows a skeletal figure of Death emerging from a cavern to aim his dart at the dying lady. In the north ambulatory can be found the large memorial to General James Wolfe. Famous People in this location General James Wolfe The upper Islip chapel was dedicated as the Nurses Memorial chapel in 1950 in memory of UK and Commonwealth nurses who died in the 1939-45 war (this chapel can be viewed on application to the information desk).

Many fine Elizabethan monuments can be seen in St John the Baptist's chapel and St Paul's chapel, including the tallest monument in the Abbey (36 feet) to Henry Carey, Lord Hunsdon. The Nave When Henry III died in 1272 the building of the Gothic Abbey was not complete and part of the Norman nave remained attached to the new work. The present nave was nearly 150 years in building. It was begun in 1376 by Abbot Nicholas Litlyngton, who financed the work with money left by his predecessor Cardinal Simon Langham. The master mason was the great Henry Yevele, who followed closely the earlier Gothic style of architecture. Flying buttresses on the exterior took the thrust of the walls and enabled the roof to be raised to a height of 101 feet (31 metres). Richard II and Henry V later provided finance to continue the building but it was not finished until 1517, when the west window was glazed. The choir screen has a monument to Sir Isaac Newton, in an area often referred to as Scientists Corner. The West Window The present stained glass in the west window dates from 1735.

The design is probably by Sir James Thornhill and the work was carried out by the glass-painter William Price. The design shows Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and fourteen prophets. At the base are the coats of arms of King Sebert, Elizabeth I, George II, Dean Wilcocks (the Dean at the time) and the City of Westminster. Just below this window you find the grave of the Unknown Warrior which commemorates the many thousands killed in the 1914-18 war who have no grave. The Waterford crystal chandeliers were the gift of the Guinness family for the Abbey's 900th anniversary in 1965. In front of the votive candle stands are two icons, one depicting Christ and the other showing the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Christ Child. These were painted by Sergei Federov and installed in 1994. Near the entrance to St George’s chapel (which is set aside for private prayer) is the earliest known contemporary portrait of an English king, Richard II, painted in about 1395. In a case nearby are seven volumes which form the Roll of Honour of the Civilian War Dead 1939-45.

Famous People in this location View the Cosmati Pavement website The shrine of St. Edward the Confessor The Chapel containing the shrine of St. Edward the Confessor, lies east of the Sanctuary at the heart of the Abbey. It is closed off from the west by a stone screen, probably of 15th century date, carved with scenes from the Confessor's life. Work is in progress to conserve the floor of this chapel and during this time public access is restricted. An earlier shrine had been erected in 1163, after the Confessor had been canonised. When Henry III rebuilt Edward's Abbey he prepared a new shrine, bringing workmen from Italy. Peter the Roman was the chief artist. On 13 October 1269 the body was brought in solemn procession to its new resting place. The shrine seen today is only a shadow of its former self. It originally had three parts: a stone base decorated with Cosmati work, a gold feretory containing the saint's coffin, and a canopy above it, which could be raised to reveal the feretory or lowered to cover it. The shrine was decorated with gold images of kings and saints.

Many sick people came to the shrine to pray for a cure and the steps in the recesses of the shrine base are worn away by the knees of pilgrims. At the Reformation the shrine was dismantled and stored by the monks, although the gold feretory was taken away. The Confessor's body was buried in another part of the Abbey. In the reign of Mary I the shrine was rebuilt. The Purbeck marble base was re-assembled but little care was taken to match the carvings and designs which decorated it. In absence of a feretory the coffin was placed in a hollow in the top part of the stone base, where it still remains. The wooden canopy has been restored and re-painted. Around the shrine are the tombs of: Henry V with his queen Katherine de Valois To the east, under his chantry chapel, lies Henry V. There are two small tombs to Margaret, daughter of Edward IV and Elizabeth, daughter of Henry VII. A brass on the floor covers the grave of John of Waltham, Bishop of Salisbury. The chapel has a Cosmati floor, similar to that in front of the High Altar. The present altar dates from 1902.

The Lady Chapel The Lady Chapel was begun in 1503 and constructed at the expense of Henry VII. It is the last great masterpiece of English medieval architecture. In 1545 John Leland called it "the wonder of the entire world". Unfortunately the names of the master masons who designed it are not known but they were possibly Robert Janyns and William Vertue. The chapel is approached by a flight of stairs and at the entrance are finely wrought bronze gates displaying royal Tudor emblems. The outstanding feature of the chapel is the spectacular fan-vaulted roof with its carved pendants. Around the walls are 95 statues of saints (PDF) . Behind the altar is the tomb of Henry VII and his queen Elizabeth of York. The bronze screen around it is by Thomas Ducheman and the gilt bronze effigies and Renaissance tomb were designed by Italian Pietro Torrigiano. James I is also buried in the vault beneath the monument. In 1725 the chapel was first used for installations of Knights of the Order of the Bath and the heraldic banners of living knights hang above the oak stalls. Beneath the hinged seats of the stalls are beautifully carved misericords .

At the east end is the Royal Air Force chapel . The stained glass window by Hugh Easton depicts the badges of the fighter squadrons that took part in the Battle of Britain in 1940. Above, in the main east window, is stained glass designed by Alan Younger, installed in 2000. In May 2013 two new windows designed by Hughie O’Donoghue were installed either side of the central east window. Predominantly blue in colour they incorporate emblems related to the Blessed Virgin Mary including lilies and stars. All three eastern windows were presented by Lord and Lady Harris of Peckham. Famous people buried here George II The painting of the Virgin and Child on the altar is by Bartolomeo Vivarini (Venetian School, about 1480). It was presented to the Abbey in 1935. The heraldic west window, designed by John Lawson, contains the coats of arms, initials and cyphers of donors to the Abbey’s restoration appeal 1973-95, those concerned with fundraising and some of those involved in the actual restoration work. It especially honours Sir John Templeton, a major benefactor.

Smaller stained glass windows in the side chapels also honour major donors to the appeal. South Transept The South Transept is lit by a large rose window, with glass dating from 1902. Beneath it, in the angles above the right and left arches, are two of the finest medieval carvings in the Abbey, depicting censing angels. In addition to the many monuments, there are two fine late thirteenth-century wall paintings, uncovered in 1936, to be seen by the door leading to St. Faith's Chapel. They depict Christ showing his wounds to Doubting Thomas, and St. Christopher. At one time the south wall supported the dorter staircase, used by monks going from their dormitory to the Choir for their night offices. No sign of the staircase exists but if you look inside St. Faith's chapel you will see the passage leading to the staircase. Poets' Corner One of the best known parts of Westminster Abbey, Poets' Corner can be found in the South Transept.

It was not originally designated as the burial place of writers, playwrights and poets; the first poet to be buried here, Geoffrey Chaucer, was laid to rest in Westminster Abbey because he had been Clerk of Works to the palace of Westminster, not because he had written the Canterbury Tales. Over 150 years later, during the flowering of English literature in the sixteenth century, a more magnificent tomb was erected to Chaucer by Nicholas Brigham and in 1599 Edmund Spenser was laid to rest nearby. These two tombs began a tradition which developed over succeeding centuries. Burial or commemoration in the Abbey did not always occur at or soon after the time of death. Lord Byron, for example, whose lifestyle caused a scandal although his poetry was much admired, died in 1824 but was finally given a memorial only in 1969. Even Shakespeare, buried at Stratford-upon-Avon in 1616, had to wait until 1740 before a monument, designed by William Kent, appeared in Poets' Corner. Other poets and writers, well known in their day, have now vanished into obscurity, with only their monuments to show that they were once famous.

Conversely, many whose writings are still appreciated today have never been memorialised in Poets' Corner, although the reason may not always be clear. Burials and Memorials John Keats Not all those buried in the South Transept are poets or writers. Several of Westminster's former Deans and Canons lie here. Also buried here is Thomas Parr, who was said to have died at the age of 152 in 1635 after having seen ten sovereigns on the throne during his long life. The grave and monument of the famous composer George Frederic Handel can also be seen here, as well as the graves of David Garrick, Shakespearean actor, and Laurence Olivier, actor of our age. The Cloisters The Cloister were, in pre-Reformation days, one of the busiest parts of the monastic precincts and, with windows filled with glass, rushes strewn on the floor and braziers burning, would have been cosier than they seem today. They were used by the monks for meditation and exercise, besides providing access to the main monastic buildings. In the West Cloister, the novices were instructed by the Novice Master. Also located here was the washing place.

The north walk was for private study, equipped with bookcases and tables and seats below the windows. The south walk was the way to the Refectory where meals were taken, while the east walk led to the Chapter House. It was in the East Cloister, in monastic times, that the Abbot held his Maundy on the Thursday of Holy Week each year. Thirteen aged men were seated on a stone bench and the Abbot washed their feet, wiped them with a towel and then kissed them. He then gave each man three pence, seven red herrings, some ale and three loaves of bread. Simultaneously, in the South Walk, the monks washed the feet of children, where their Maundy seat, 'a faire, long bench of stone', still exists. Each of the four Cloisters is approximately 100 feet in length, dating mainly from the 13th to the 15th centuries. The Cloisters were rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1298. The Chapter House is in the East Cloister and was the place where the day-to-day business of the monastery was discussed and tasks allocated.

The Chapter House was also the place where Parliament met in the 14th century before transferring across the road to the Palace of Westminster. Chapter House In the East Cloister is the 'incomparable' octagonal Chapter House, dating from the 1250s. It is one of the largest in England. The monks met here every day for prayers and to read a chapter from the rule of St Benedict and discuss the day's work. The King's Great Council first assembled here in 1257. This was effectively the beginning of the English Parliament. The House of Commons used the room for several years in the late 14th century. After having been a repository for government records from the 1540s it was restored in Victorian times by Sir Gilbert Scott. In the vestibule of the Chapter House is the oldest door in Britain, dated to the 1050s. Pyx Chamber This low vaulted room off the East Cloister is part of the Undercroft that was built about 1070 but was walled off from the rest of the room sometime in the 12th century.

The chamber was probably made into a treasury in the 13th century and may have been used as a sacristy when Henry III was rebuilding the main Abbey. It was best known as the home of the wooden boxes, called Pyxes, where a sample of the coinage of the realm was kept to await the "Trial of the Pyx". This was a public demonstration to show that the coinage was pure and samples of coins were "tried" by being melted down and the silver content measured. The Trial itself was never held in the Chamber but in the Palace of Westminster. It still takes place today in Goldsmiths' Hall in the City of London. Poet’s Corner | The Enchanted Manor The Enchanted Manor a lifestyle blog by Barbara Jones Main menu Reply On a trip to London, England in 1998 we were fortunate to take a tour of the spectacular Westminster Abbey with its magnificent stained glass windows, beautiful marble statues and numerous memorials. Personally, I had looked forward to seeing Westminster Abbey on this trip because I remembered watching the television coverage of Princess Diana’s funeral in 1997 and the wedding of Prince Andrew to Sarah Ferguson in 1986 which both took place there.

The Abbey is also the site of the tombs of British Royalty, such as King Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth I, as well as various prominent people in British history, such as Oliver Cromwell, which are buried within the chapels. Since 1066, the Abbey has traditionally been the location of the coronation of the British Monarch with the last one taking place in 1953 for Queen Elizabeth II. A brief history of Westminster Abbey The history of Westminster Abbey begins when a small Benedictine monastery was built under the direction of the Bishop of London, later known as Saint Dunstan, in the late 960 under the rule of King Edgar. Then in the late 1000s, King Edward the Confessor began to rebuild St. Peter’s Abbey as a royal burial church conveniently located adjacent to the Palace of Westminster. This was a very timely decision given the fact that the work was completed in 1065 just a week before his death and he was buried in the church. Nothing remains of this old church, but its column bases have been found below the west end of nave of the present Abbey.

In 1245, King Henry III started the construction on the current church building and the relics of King Edward the Confessor were removed from the old church and placed within a shrine in the new church. There are a total of 17 British monarchs, including King Henry III and Queen Elizabeth I, buried within the Abbey and the last to be buried there was King George II in 1760. After that time, due to limited space within the Abbey, subsequent British monarchs have been buried either at St. George’s Chapel or Frogmore which is located just east of Windsor Castle. Throughout the years, Westminster Abbey has also been the site of many funeral services for members of the Royal family. Two notable ceremonies were Princess Diana’s funeral service at the Abbey followed with her burial at the Spencer family ancestral home at Althorp in 1997 and most recently the funeral of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother followed with her burial in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in 2002. Westminster Abbey has been the site for only 16 royal weddings throughout the centuries and the first one to take place there was in 1100 when King Henry I married Princess Matilda of Scotland.

Then, there was a period of time between 1382 until 1919 when it was customary for royal weddings to take place privately either in their palaces or castles. The first royal wedding to be held at the Abbey after more than 500 years was Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, Princess Patricia of Connaught, who married Alexander Ramsay in 1919. Over the years other notable royal weddings have taken place in the Abbey such as Prince Albert (later King VI) to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later known as the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother) in 1923 and later their daughters; Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) who married Lieutenant Phillip Mountbatten in 1947 and later Princess Margaret who married in Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960. Two of Queen Elizabeth’s children have also chosen the Abbey for their wedding ceremonies; Princess Anne who married Captain Mark Phillips in 1973 and Prince Andrew who married Sarah Ferguson in 1986. The most recent royal wedding to take place at the Abbey was the Queen’s grandson, Prince William who married Catherine Middleton in 2011.

(For more information and further details about their wedding, please click on the click Royal Weddings Part Four ) Finally, one of the most solemn ceremonies to take place in Westminster Abbey is the Coronation of the British monarch. William the Conqueror was crowned King William I on Christmas Day 1066 and it was the first of the 38 royal coronations to have taken place there. Over the centuries the main elements of the coronation service have remained relatively unchanged. Since 1308 the King Edward’s Chair, also known as the Coronation Chair, is the throne on which the sovereign sits when they are crowned. The Coronation Chair was made for the coronation of King Edward I and was constructed from oak with a space specifically designed under the seat to accommodate the famous Stone of Scone which was brought from Scotland in 1296 and used for every coronation until 1996 when it was returned to Scotland to be kept at Edinburgh Castle. For future coronation, it is intended that the Stone will be placed back in the King Edward’s Chair for use during the coronation ceremony of subsequent monarchs.

The Chair was originally painted with gilded animals and foliage with the image of the king resting his feet on a lion painted on the back. The four gilded lions were originally added to the chair in the early 16th century and then replaced in 1727. During the coronation ceremony the Chair with the Stone of Scone in placed facing the High Altar in Westminster Abbey. In the past, the Chair was kept in the Chapel of St. Edward the Confessor, but when that area was closed to visitors in 1997 the Chair was moved out into the ambulatory and placed on a raised platform near the tomb of Henry V. As of 2010, the Chair was moved to a specially built enclosure in St. George’s Chapel located at the west end of the Nave. The most recent coronation was that of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and amid great controversy it was the first time that the ceremony had been televised. (For more information and further details about her coronation, please click on the link Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II ) A tour of Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey is a beautiful Gothic-style church located a short distance from the Thames River in the City of Westminster, London.

The Abbey was formally known as the Collegiate Church of St. Peter and is considered the most important religious building in England and also one of London’s most popular tourist attractions which is seen by over a million visitors annually. The interior design was generally English in style with a single aisle and a long nave but several French Gothic features include tall windowed chapels, a spectacular round rose window and buttresses used for exterior support. Like many churches, the Abbey was designed in the shape of a cross with the transept (the cross section of a building) 203 feet long and 80 feet wide while the nave measures 166 feet in length and over 71 feet wide with a soaring ceiling that reaches over 101 feet high. The floor space of the interior of the Abbey measures 32,000 square feet and for a normal church service the seating capacity is about 2,000. This seems very small compared to Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953 which had a seating capacity of about 8,200. The exterior length of the building measures 530 feet and the West Towers are over 225 feet in height.

Upon arriving at Westminster Abbey, most visitors will enter through the Great North Door. Once inside the Abbey there is so much to see and we would highly recommend that visitors pick up one of the guided brochures or take one of the guided tours. Below are descriptions of the various areas of the Abbey. The North Transept – The Great North Door is considered the main entrance to Westminster Abbey and this is where most visitors will start a tour. As visitors move further into the church, the area known as the north transept has many tombs and statues depicting several British statesmen, such as Sir Robert Peel and two of Queen Victoria’s Prime Ministers, William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli. The North Ambulatory – Visitors will then turn left into the eastern end of the church where there smaller chapels which contain the royal tombs and memorials to several monarchs, such as Elizabeth I, Mary I, James I, Charles II, William II and Queen Anne. One of the most important and largest of the chapels is the magnificent Chapel of Henry VII which is also known as the Lady Chapel because it was dedicated in 1503 to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Chapel measures over 103 feet in length and 70 feet wide with a beautiful fan vaulted ceiling that rises to a height of 60 feet. Past the entrance which features a pair of intricate bronze gates that are decorated with the royal Tudor badges is the tomb of Henry VII and his Queen, Elizabeth of York that stands behind the altar and a bronze screen. At the east end of the chapel is the smaller Royal Air Force Memorial Chapel which features a stained glass window honoring the Battle of Britain. Visitors should look for a memorial stone to Oliver Cromwell which is on the floor in front of the window. To the south of the chapel visitors will find the tomb of Mary, Queen of Scots. The South Ambulatory – As visitors walk back toward the main area of the church, they will pass into the South Ambulatory and several of its smaller chapels. The most notable chapel in this area is the Chapel of St. Edward the Confessor which is closed off from the sanctuary by a large stone screen. Once a more elaborate shrine to St. Edward that featured a decorative stone base with a golden encased tomb covered by an intricate canopy which over the centuries had become a pilgrimage destination.

Unfortunately, the shrine was dismantled and removed from the church when the monastery closed in 1540. Then during the reign of Mary I, the monastery was reopened and the shrine was only partially restored. Also, located within this area of the church are the tombs of several kings, such as Henry III who is responsible for rebuilding the current Abbey and the tomb of Henry V which is embellished with scenes of his coronation and once featured precious silver gilt that was stolen in the 1500s. The South Transept (including Poet’s Corner) – As visitors continue on their tour of Westminster Abbey, they will enter the south transept which features the beautiful Rose Window which was designed by Sir James Thornhill and features 11 of the 12 apostles, Judas has understandably been excluded. This area of the Abbey has become known as the Poet’s Corner and the first to be buried here was Geoffrey Chaucer in 1400 in a large tomb on the east wall.

The other walls are lined with statues and there are also numerous floor memorial plaques have been placed to honor distinguished poets and writers, such as Sir Walter Scott, William Shakespeare, John Dryden, Geoffrey Chaucer, Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, Robert Burns, Charles Dickens, Lord Tennyson, Rudyard Kipling and T S Eliot. The Sanctuary and the Quire – The next area on the tour of Westminster Abbey is located adjacent to the Poet’s Corner and it is the Sanctuary and the Quire. The Sanctuary is considered the main area of the church and this is where the daily religious services as well as special royal events such as coronations, weddings and funerals are held. In front of the high altar is a section of floor which dates back to 1268 and it is known for the famous Cosmati work of an intricate pattern of inlayed colored marble onto a plain marble floor. Also located in this area is the Quire with Victorian Gothic-style stalls that are assigned to various officers of the Collegiate Body and the High Commissioners of the various Commonwealth countries with the first four places given to Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

The Abbey Choir, which is usually 22 boys and 12 men (known as vicars) sing at the church’s daily services. Farther into the church, located below the choir screen which as originally built in 1730, sits the Abbey’s organ. The organ was built by Harrison & Harrison in 1937 and was first used at the coronation of King George VI. The Cloisters (including Chapter House and Pyx Chamber) – At this point in the tour of Westminster Abbey, visitors will exit the church into an area that was part of the Benedictine monastery. The cloister (a covered walk with a wall on one side and a colonnade which opens to a quadrangle on the other side) dates back to the 13th and 14th centuries and this is where the monks lived and worked. The Chapter House was originally built in the late 13th century and was later restored by Sir George Scott in 1872.

Visitors enter thru double doors which lead into the vestibule and then into the octagonal Gothic-style crypt that has numerous stone benches around the perimeter of the room and large quatre-foiled windows of stained glass panels showing the coats of arms of the sovereigns, abbots and others closely connected to the Abbey. The room was originally used for daily meetings of the Benedictine monks, then years later it was the meeting place of the King’s Great Council in 1257 and then Parliament in the 14th to 16th centuries. Adjacent to the Chapter House is the Pyx Chamber which was the original sacristy of old Edward the Confessor’s church and now contains the oldest altar in Westminster Abbey. (pyx means a small container used in churches to carry the consecrated host) Later this room held the royal treasury and the pyx was used for gold and silver that was used to make coins. Before leaving the Cloisters, visitors should take time to see the small museum located in the vaulted undercroft beneath the former monks’ dormitory. Visitors should then walk around the Cloisters and reenter the Abbey through the side door.

The Nave – After viewing the Cloisters, visitors will reenter the Abbey into the Nave. (nave means the central part of a church which is intended to accommodate the congregation) Many important memorials can be seen in the Nave and one of the most important of these is Grave of the Unknown Warrior. In 1920, in a special ceremony at the Abbey attended by King George V, Queen Mary and with over 100 Victorian Cross recipients lining the Nave the body of an unknown soldier was buried near the west entrance. It is the only memorial in the Abbey that it is forbidden to walk on. Also located nearby is a stone memorial honoring the former Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Another item of note at the west entrance are the beautiful Waterford crystal chandeliers that were a generous gift from the famous Guinness family in 1965 on the occasion of Westminster Abbey’s 900th anniversary. Finally, as visitors end the tour and exit the Abbey there is the Abbey Bookstore on the left where they can purchase all types of souvenir items.

For information regarding admission fees, hours of operation, tours, including restrictions and other limitations, please see the website Westminster Abbey Trivia Legend has it that a fisherman named Aldrich was on the River Thames, not far from the site of the present-day location of Westminster Abbey, and saw a vision of Saint Peter. This would explain the annual custom of the presentation of salmon that Abbey has received in the past from the Thames fisherman and still being presented currently by the Fishmonger’s Company every year. There is old saying, “robbing Peter to pay Paul”, which has it origin in the sixteenth century when money that was intended for the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster (Westminster Abbey) was used for St. Paul’s Cathedral. Since the late eighteenth century, it was determined that after the death of the British monarch, the time between their predecessor’s accession to the coronation day should be extended to at least one year to allow more time for the ceremony’s preparation which traditionally takes place at Westminster Abbey.

There is one exception to this rule, when King George V died in January 1936 his son became King Edward VII who ultimately abdicated in December 1936 to his brother who became King George VI and the original coronation date of May 12, 1937 remained unchanged. (In British history, 1936 has become known as “the year of the three Kings”) The tradition of Royal brides laying their bridal bouquets at the tomb of the unknown warrior in Westminster Abbey can be traced back to 1923. When Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later known as Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother) married the Duke of York, Prince Albert (later King George VI) she placed her bouquet at the tomb in memory of her brother that had been killed in World War I. This symbolic gesture continues and when Kate Middleton married Prince William in 2011 she also had her bridal bouquet placed on the tomb.

(For more information and further details about these two weddings, please click on the links to Royal Weddings Part Three and Part Four ) An Oxford Lion Joins the Giants - British Heritage Travel You are at: Home » Cultural Leaders »An Oxford Lion Joins the Giants An Oxford Lion Joins the Giants Welcoming C.S. Lewis to Poets’ Corner Jack Lewis and his brother Warnie regularly attended worship together at Holy Trinity Church in Headington Quarry. The memorial unveiled to C.S. Lewis in Poets’ Corner commemorates a literary life lived in Oxford, where the much-loved writer is buried in Headington Quarry churchyard. ON NOVEMBER 23, 2013, THE NEWEST MEMORIAL was unveiled in famous Poets’ Corner—the north transept of Westminster Abbey. On the 50th anniversary of his death, C.S. Lewis joined the chorus of timeless bards and sages stretching back to Geoffrey Chaucer beside the likes of John Donne and Tennyson, Wordsworth, the Bronte sisters and other newcomers such as T.S. Eliot and W.H. Auden. C.S.

Lewis may have more hardcore fans for more different reasons than any other writer of the 20th century. Three generations of children have passed through the wardrobe, losing themselves with delight in the possible world of The Chronicles of Narnia. Countless questers have found their faith or found it more sharply defined by the mere Christianity of a score of literate, reflective books that mark Lewis as perhaps the most effective Christian apologist of the century. Science fiction and fantasy buffs regularly include his “Space Trilogy” in their classical canon. There are Lewis books of poetry, psychology and philology as well. Of course, those were all side interests for Lewis, who was one of the premier Renaissance literature scholars of his generation. Known to one and all as “Jack,” Clive Staples Lewis was born in Belfast in 1898, but will always be a writer associated with Oxford. Lewis’ father was a prominent attorney. He lost his mother at an early age, and spent a peripatetic boyhood being educated in England, arriving at Oxford in 1916. With a break in the trenches of France during the Great War, Oxford was home for the rest of his life.

After earning Triple Firsts, Jack Lewis was made a fellow of Magdalen College in 1925. He remained on the Magdalen faculty until 1954, when with some reluctance he accepted the role of Professor of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge. Throughout Lewis’ adult life the companion with whom he shared his home and his world was his older brother, Major Warren “Warnie” Lewis. Together, they kept house in the suburb of Headington and a quasi-rural retreat in a rambling manor called “The Kilns.” They shared house with Mrs. Moore, the mother of a friend of Lewis’ killed in the war. During the week, however, Jack Lewis generally stayed at his rooms in college, the New Building tucked next to the River Cherwell in the Magdalen College close. LEWIS BEGAN HIS WAY through the rarified world of Oxford academia and its politics as a fashionable atheist. Oxford, however, is hardly the place for any belief to go unchallenged, and the atheism of a young literary tutor was no exception. As way leads on to way, through the early years of the 1920s Lewis found himself confounded by the claims of Christian.

His closest friend and colleague became J.R.R. Tolkien, Anglo-Saxon scholar at Merton College, just across the High Street from Magdalen. From the early 1930s through the 1940s, they became the bright lights of a changing, informal coterie of men who casually referred to themselves as the Inklings. Known colloquially to them as the Bird and Baby, the St. Giles pub was a favorite meeting place of the Inklings. Over the years its membership included such writers and scholars as Owen Barfield, Neville Coghill, Hugo Dyson, Charles Williams, John Wain and many others. The one constant figure was Warnie Lewis, whose diary became the de facto journal of the Inklings’ proceedings. On Tuesday evenings, the group would gather in Lewis’ rooms at Magdalen to share their “work in progress,” reading aloud to the company from their current writings—and following the conversational tangents where they led. There was a jug of beer on the table, and copious cups of tea were gulped through the blue haze of tobacco smoke.

Thursday mornings the Inklings gathered at the Eagle and Child pub across from the Martyr’s Memorial on St. Giles to drink beer and talk ideas. No, this wasn’t beer for breakfast. Opening time was 11 a.m. and a “morning session” ended when the pub closed for the afternoon at 2 p.m. No known record exists of how much beer was routinely consumed. From that cauldron, however, Lewis and his mates brewed their imaginative worlds, argued moral philosophy and literary theory, and drew sides in the academic politics of the day. Lewis shared the famous pulpit of the University Church in 1939, preaching “The Weight of Glory.” TO THIS DAY, the pub known to the Inklings and their legion of worldwide fans as “the Bird and Baby” remains the “must-see” sight on a visit to Oxford. Black and white photos of Jack Lewis, Warnie, Tolkien, Williams and mates hang on the dark walls in the snugs where they raised their pints and smoked their pipes.

In fact, Oxford is littered with pubs where in twos and threes Lewis shared beer and conversation: the Eastgate Hotel and the Mitre on the High Street, and the famous Turf Tavern (later frequented by Inspector Morse). The “City of Dreaming Spires” hardly needs C.S. Lewis as a drawing card. The much-loved author does, however, bring thousands of visitors from across the globe every year. Like many Oxford colleges, Magdalen is open to visitors most afternoons from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Their ancient quads and chapels echo with centuries of academic promise and social history. The gentlemen at the Porter’s Lodge at Magdalen College maintain, though, that its association with C.S. Lewis is the principal reason why visitors today specifically seek out a visit to Magdalen. Lewis’ home in the suburb of Headington, known as The Kilns, is now a residential study center for visiting writers and Christian scholars. Another regular stop for Lewis’ fans is the nearby University Church of St.

Mary’s, where at the beginning of World War II Lewis preached a famous sermon titled “The Weight of Glory,” from a pulpit shared by such figures as John Henry Newman and Desmond Tutu. The success that C.S. Lewis enjoyed as a writer with popular books as diverse as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and his deeply personal A Grief Observed was not without controversy among his academic colleagues. After all, scholars were supposed to produce scholarship, not become famous. Lewis’ very popularity was somehow not “on” for Oxford’s crusty reputation—a sign that he was not quite serious. In actuality, however, Lewis built an academic reputation early with The Allegory of Love, still the benchmark study of medieval courtly love. Late in his career, he published The Discarded Image, drawn from his popular lectures on how the medieval world view was supplanted by the Reformation and the Enlightenment. Among his works whose enjoyment is largely confined to literary students, Lewis’ masterpiece is his 700-page study English Literature in the Sixteenth Century for the Oxford University History series. EXPLORING LEWIS A legion of websites offer information on C.S. Lewis and on visiting the vibrant university city of Oxford.

Fans might like to discover the C.S. Lewis Foundation site at . Always a private man, later in life Lewis slipped into a relationship with a woman, an American fan of his writings who crossed the Atlantic to see him. Joy Davidman ultimately became his wife and joined the brothers at The Kilns. Lewis’ new domestic joy lasted only a few years, however, and Joy died of cancer in 1960. Lewis’ pain and processing was recorded as A Grief Observed, the most personal of his books and the only one published originally under a pseudonym. The story of their relationship has been retold in the book and film Shadowlands. Under the Lamppost Jack Lewis, his brother and varying companions relished walking holidays together. Among their favorite routes were the Malvern Hills, where Lewis spent a year in school preparing for Oxford. Across the ridge on the A449 in Great Malvern, the sidewalk is lit by a string of Edwardian gas lamps to this day. Walking along with his brother on a snowy night, Lewis paused in front of one such lamppost and remarked, “That would make a great opening scene for a book.” And the rest, as they say, is history.

IN ALL, JACK LEWIS published 52 books as well as countless essays, articles and letters. The author died at home at The Kilns at 65 of a weak heart and sundry complications. Lewis maintained that he had done what he wanted to do and was ready to go. Lewis is buried with his brother at Holy Trinity churchyard in Headington Quarry, the parish church where they regularly attended services for years. In the church, generally open, due attention is paid its most famous parishioner, and visitors love the Narnia Window in his memory. Tucked away across the busy A4142, The Kilns is today owned by the C.S. Lewis Foundation, and maintained as a residential study center for Christian scholars and writers on stays in Oxford. Though the house is not open to the public, you can follow past it off Kiln Lane to the C.S. Lewis Nature Reserve, a public oasis in spreading metropolitan Oxford—which was once part of his back garden. In the half-century since Lewis’ death, there has been no diminution in his popularity as a writer. Virtually all of his books remain in print, and each somehow becomes important in its own way to the reader who discovers it.

Studies, reflections and personal accounts of C.S. Lewis’ life and works number in the hundreds. To compare Lewis to other writers and to trace his considerable influence as an author and intellect is their province. Anyone who has had an “Aha!” moment with C.S. Lewis or met Tumnus at the lamppost, though, knows his place in Poets’ Corner was reserved. Westminster Abbey Review | Fodor's Travel Published 08/30/2016 Fodor's Review Steeped in millennia of rich and often bloody history, Westminster Abbey is one of England's most iconic buildings. An abbey has stood here since the 7th century, although the current building mostly dates to the 1240s. It has hosted 38 coronations—beginning in 1066 with William the Conqueror—and no fewer than 16 royal weddings, the latest being that of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. But be warned: there's only one way around the abbey, and it gets very crowded, so you’ll need to be alert to catch the highlights.

Enter via the North Door; as you walk east toward the apse, you'll see the Coronation Chair at the foot of the Henry VII Chapel. It’s been used for nearly every coronation since Edward I’s in 1301, right up to Queen Elizabeth II’s in 1952. Farther along, the exquisite confection of the Henry VII's Lady Chapel is topped by a magnificent fan-vaulted ceiling. The tomb of Henry VII lies behind the altar. Elizabeth I is buried above her sister "Bloody" Mary I in the tomb just to the north, while her arch enemy, Mary Queen of Scots, rests in the tomb to the south. Continue through the South Ambulatory to the Chapel of St. Edward the Confessor, which contains the shrine to the pre-Norman king, who reigned from 1042 to 1066. Because of its great age, you must join the vergers' tours to be admitted to the chapel (£3; book at the admission desk), or attend Holy Communion within the shrine on Tuesday at 8 am. To the left, you'll find Poets' Corner.

Geoffrey Chaucer was the first poet to be buried here in 1400, and other statues and memorials include those to William Shakespeare, D. H. Lawrence, T. S. Eliot, and Oscar Wilde. The medieval Chapter House is adorned with 14th-century frescoes and a magnificent 13th-century tiled floor, one of the finest in the country. Near the entrance is Britain's oldest door, dating from the 1050s. Continue back to the nave of the abbey. If you walk toward the West Entrance, you'll see a plaque to Franklin D. Roosevelt—one of the Abbey's very few tributes to a foreigner. The poppy-wreathed Grave of the Unknown Warrior commemorates soldiers who lost their lives in both world wars. Exact hours for the various parts of the abbey are frustratingly long and complicated, and can change daily, so it's important to check before setting out, particularly if you're visiting early or late in the day, or off-season. The full schedule is posted online daily (or you can call).

Certain areas of the abbey are completely inaccessible to wheelchair users; however, you will get free entry for yourself and one other. The best of the Bard: Britain’s top Shakespeare attractions | VisitBritain The best of the Bard: Britain’s top Shakespeare attractions Monday 23 April 2012 Whether you’re a devotee of Shakepeare’s plays or just curious about life in 16th-century England, Britain’s Shakespeare attractions are absolute gems. You’ll find theatres devoted to his works, exhibitions and beautiful historic buildings - even the original houses he and his loved ones lived in. We've put together a few of the best for you: Stratford: the Shakespeare Properties Shakespeare's birthplace Hallowed ground for lovers of literature and history alike, Shakespeare birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564 remains a star attraction to this day. A half-timbered, Tudor-style cottage, it’s furnished as it would have been in Shakespeare’s time and transports visitors into the atmosphere of England’s past. See the house, the exhibition on Shakespeare’s life and be sure to explore the gardens too.

Anne Hathaway's cottage As well as Shakespeare’s own house, you’ll find a collection of other Tudor cottages in and around Stratford that belonged to his friends and relatives. Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare’s wife, lived in an idyllic cottage a short walk away from central Stratford, and this is where Shakespeare would have come to see her while they were courting. It’s a spectacular example of a Tudor farmhouse, and still contains furniture that belonged to the Hathaways themselves. The gardens are also beautiful, so be sure to explore. Hall's Croft Shakespeare’s eldest daughter lived nearby in Hall’s Croft with her husband, Dr Hall — a medical visionary in his day. Another splendid Tudor house with a beautiful garden, you’ll be treated to an array of 16th- and 17th century paintings and furnishings, together with an exhibition on Dr Hall and medicine of that era. You can also buy herbs and plants, and take guided tours of the house. Mary Arden's farm Next up is Shakespeare’s mother’s farm, which is a little way outside Stratford in the rural setting of Wilmcote.

The stunning timbered Tudor farmhouse is still there, and is now home to the Shakespeare Countryside Museum. This is a great one for families with young children as there’s a lot to see and do, from falconry displays to demonstrations at the blacksmith’s forge, and even Tudor archery lessons. Copyright Shakespeare Birthplace Trust /Amy Murrell Shakespeare’s grave Shakespeare is buried in the Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, the same church where he was baptised in 1564. His final resting place is famous for its inscription, believed to have been penned by the Bard himself, which lays a curse on anyone who moves Shakespeare’s bones. In case you’re curious, the verse reads: Good friend for Jesus sake forbeare, to digg the dust encloased heare. Blese be the man that spares thes stones, and curst be he that moves my bones. Shakespeare’s Globe See Shakespeare's plays in his very own Jacobean theatre! A faithful restoration of Shakespeare’s 16th-century playhouse, it’s a truly atmospheric way to take in the Bard’s work, not to mention a rather grand building in its own right.

Entry is just £5, which gets you a standing place as a 'groundling'. Photo by Linda Nylind Royal Shakespeare Company The primary theatrical body responsible for producing Shakespeare performances is the Royal Shakespeare Company. Based in Stratford-upon-Avon, visitors can tour the Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres by day or by night on the RSC's spooky after-dark tour. This is the other main place to see Shakespeare performed, but you can catch the company in action elsewhere on its national tours. Shakespeare in Love film locations You’ve seen the film, now see the settings! It just so happens that they include some of Britain’s most delightful places. Viola’s House: The setting used for Viola’s House was Broughton Castle near Banbury, a bustling market town in Oxfordshire . A medieval manor house, it’s surrounded by lush woodlands, beautiful gardens and a spectacular moat. Photo by David Stowell The ‘Greenwich’ fireworks party: This scene took place in Hatfield House , just north of London in Hertfordshire . It’s a glorious Jacobean mansion full of rich oak panelling, artwork and period furniture, surrounded by acres of parkland. Just the place to spend a sunny day.

Photo by Stuart Burns Shakespeare begs forgiveness: Right in the heart of the City of London, the Church of St Bartholomew the Great was the grand backdrop to this scene in the film. Affectionately known as St. Barts, it was founded in 1123 and built when William the Conqueror’s son, Henry, was king. Visitors can stop in to hear the choir sing Evensong, take in the soaring architecture then explore the bustling bars and restaurants of Smithfields itself. Shakespeare memorial in Poets Corner, Westminster Abbey Keep your eyes open for the Shakespeare memorial in Westminster Abbey. While Shakespeare’s actual grave is in Stratford, you’ll find a special memorial statue in the famous Poets’ Corner, together with a collection of other famous writers. London's Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey by Katie Calvert The site of royal coronations and royal entombments, Westminster Abbey holds more history than almost any building in London. The crypts for the kings and queens may have prominence, but royalty shares the church with the more than 3,000 people who are buried or have memorials there. The honored in Westminster Abbey include British politicians, scientists, soldiers, writers, poets, musicians, and actors.

Westminster Abbey has served as the backdrop for every British coronation since the Norman Conquest . That would be 38 for those keeping score—from William the Conqueror on Christmas Day 1066 to Elizabeth II in 1953. (Note that young Edward V and playboy Edward VIII were never crowned; the former was deposed and then imprisoned and probably killed in the Tower by his uncle Richard, the latter abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee.) Westminster Abbey displays the oak Coronation Chair made by order of King Edward I that has been used in every investiture since 1308. The site for many royal marriages throughout the centuries, the church has also been the destination of funeral corteges for British notables, including Lord Louis Mountbatten and Diana, Princess of Wales. The Abbey traces its beginnings to a humble Benedictine monastery (c. 960). When the Anglo-Saxon King Edward (later canonized as St. Edward the Confessor ) set up his royal palace close by in the 1040s, he decided to create a larger stone church named in honor of St. Peter the Apostle.

The church would become known as the “west minster,” differentiating it from St. Paul’s Cathedral, the “east minster.” The remains of this saintly king are enshrined in Westminster. Only traces of his early church can be found in the columns and arches of the Cloisters that house the Abbey's museum. From the middle of the 13th Century, when King Henry III began a new church in the Gothic style, through 1745, when the west front towers were completed, Westminster evolved into the church and grounds that visitors see today. While reading the tombstones and plaques of the famous dead in Poets’ Corner or the royal tombs, don’t forget to take the time to admire the sheer majesty of Westminster. Consider the thousands of skilled but unsung craftsmen and masons that created the 13th Century octagonal Chapter House, the vaulted ceiling in the Lady Chapel, and the flying buttresses that enable the roof of the nave to reach 101 feet. Westminster commemorates the great and the famous, but two poignant memorials honor the sacrifice of the common man.

The Grave of the Unknown Warrior is a reminder of the thousands who died on World War I battlefields and still rest in unmarked graves. The Royal Air Force chapel and its stained glass window honor the RAF squadron members who fought and died in the Battle of Britain —the period from July 10 through October 31, 1940 when a total of 1,497 pilots and crew members died as the German Luftwaffe attempted to gain air superiority before a planned invasion of Britain. Westminster Abbey is still a place of daily worship; special services and other events may alter opening hours. Opening hours vary for the Abbey, the Cloisters, the museum, and the College Garden, so check the schedule. Picture taking is not allowed in Westminster; the Abbey Shop's assortment of postcards may help fill out your photo album. Pictures are permitted in the Cloisters and College Garden.

Slideshow —all photos on this page Victorian London - Buildings, Monuments and Museums - Westminster Abbey Victorian London - Buildings, Monuments and Museums - Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey ...This venerable pile is opened for divine service daily, at 10 in the morning, and 3 in the afternoon, when the choral parts, aided by its powerful organ, are performed in great perfection. Admission to the choir is at those hours free; but to view the whole building, which may be seen for 6d., in the summer from 9 to 6, and in the winter from 10 to 3, admission is obtainable at the door in Poets' Corner, the only one open upon ordinary occasions. The cloisters, that, to the admirers of architectural antiquities, will prove a real treat, are always open; the dwellings therein being principally inhabited by the officials of the establishment.

Westminster Abbey was commenced by Henry III., who, with his son, Edward I., erected all the eastern part of the present church; the nave and its aisles were principally erected by different abbots in the succeeding reigns, down to the time of Henry VII., but the western towers were not completed till the reign of George II., when Sir Christopher Wren had the honour of finishing the great work. This magnificent pile is built in the form of a Latin cross, in the pointed style of architecture; and to its eastern extremity is attached the Chapel of Henry the Seventh, who founded it as a royal burial-place for himself and succeeding sovereigns and princes. The view of the interior of the Abbey, from the west end, is uncommonly grand ; from this point the whole body of the church is brought into view, and many others might be mentioned, where the various divisions and ornaments of the building range in very beautiful perspective. The west window is enriched with full-length paintings on glass of Moses and Aaron, the Patriarchs, &c. ; and the large and elegant rose-window in the north transept is embellished with similar paintings of Christ and the Apostles.

The marigold window in the south transept was erected in 1814, and is still more elaborate in its designs than the one just mentioned ; but, from being glazed with plain glass only, its appearance is far less impressive. The choir, which, is comparatively of modern date, was constructed under the direction of the late Mr. Keene, surveyor to the abbey. It is executed in the ancient Gothic style. The nave is separated from the choir by an elegant stone screen, erected from designs by Mr. Blore. The mosaic pavement before time altar-piece is a very interesting specimen of ancient art, though damaged. The modern marble altar-piece, which was designed by Sir C. Wren for the chapel at Whitehall, and given to this abbey by Queen Anne, was taken down at the coronation of George IV., and the original altar- piece restored as nearly as possible to its ancient design. Immediately behind the choir is the very interesting Chapel of St. Edward the Confessor, in the midst of which stands the shrine in which the ashes of that superstitious yet pious sovereign lie entombed.

here also is a beautiful but dilapidated screen, on the frieze of which the principal events of the legendary history of that king are sculptured in bold relief; near it are the coronation chairs, in the frame work of the oldest of which is the famous stone which Edward the First brought from Scone in Scotland, and is traditionally said to have been the very pillow on which Jacob reposed, when he had his beatific vision in thin Holy Land. Round the chapel are the tombs of Henry the Third; Edward the First and his faithful Queen, Eleanor; Edward thin Third and Queen Philippa ; Richard the Second and Anne his first Queen; and Henry the Fifth. The recumbent effigies of Henry III., Queen Eleanor, and Edward III., are particularly beautiful works of art. A splendid monumental chapel, enriched by numerous statues and other sculptures, surmounts the tomb of Henry the Fifth. Nine or ten other chapels, dedicated to various saints, open to the ambulatory round the choir, and like the transepts and aisles, are crowded with monuments of the illustrious deceased: of these, Islip's Chapel is particularly elegant.

In the north transept were buried, near to each other, the great Earl of Chatham, those two great rivals Pitt and Fox, Grattan, the Marquis of Londonderry, and Canning. Here also are the monuments of Lord Mansfield, the Earl of Chatham, Sir Eyre Coote, C. J. Fox, and .J. P. Kemble. The south transept is generally called Poets' Corner, from being chiefly appropriated to the reception of the monuments and mortal reliques of poets and men of letters. Chaucer, Spenser, Shakspeare, Camden, Ben Jonson, Milton, Sir W. D'Avenant, Dryden, Butler, Gay, Rowe. Thomson, Gray, Goldsmith, Addison, Handel, Garrick, R. B. Sheridan, and numerous other persons of distinguished genius, have memorials here. In the neighbouring aisles are the splendid monuments of Lord Robert Manners, Admiral Vernon, General Wolfe, the Right Honourable William Pitt, and many others, Sir Isaac Newton, the great Earl Stanhope, Sir Godfrey Kneller, Major Andrï¿½, Lord Howe, Dr. Watts, Dr.

Burney, Dr. Arnold, Dr. Croft, Mr. Percival, and a crowd of other eminent characters, have also memorials here. The most beautiful of these performances, both for design and execution, is the monument of John, Duke of Argyle and Greenwich. The Chapel of Henry VII., which Leland, from the florid richness of its architecture and airy lightness has designated the "Wonder of the World," experienced a thorough reparation between the years 1809 and 1823, at an expense of 42,000l., supplied by Parliament. It is one of the most expensive remains of the ancient English taste and magnificence. The exterior is ornamented by fourteen octagonal towers, from which spring an equal number of beautiful flying buttresses, that extend to and strengthen the roof; the whole being adorned with a profusion of sculpture. This chapel was originally designed by its royal founder, whose name it bears, as a sepulchre for himself, and others of royal blood, and in which none but such as could trace a regular descent direct from royalty were to be interred; a rule that has hitherto been preserved inviolate.

Of the interior the very beautiful tomb of Henry VII. and Elizabeth his Queen occupies the centre: various other monuments are likewise arranged here, and in the aisles. The best are those of the Countess of Richmond, mother of Henry VII.; Queen Elizabeth, and Mary Queen of Scots; the figure of the Countess of Richmond is one of the finest ever cast. In the north aisle are deposited the remains of the murdered princes, Edward V. and his brother Richard; and here also is preserved the armour of General Monk. The aisles are divided from the nave by the stalls and banners of the Knights of the Bath, to whose use this chapel was appropriated in George the First's reign. The tracery and pendants of the vaulting are exceedingly elegant; and many of the statues which decorate the walls display great character amid excellent workmanship. The chapel of St. Blaize, the Cloisters, the Chapter House (now the Record Office), Chapel of the Pix, and other ancient parts of the Benedictine Monastery connected with the Abbey, are all deserving of attentive inspection. In the Chapterhouse is kept the original Domesday Book, which was compiled in the time of William the Norman, and is still in fine preservation.

Mogg's New Picture of London and Visitor's Guide to it Sights, 1844 [ ... back to main menu for this book] Westminster Abbey , from its historical associations the most famous of all English buildings with the exception of the Tower, was originally founded by Edward the Confessor between the years 1055 and 1065. Previously, however, it is believed that Sebart, king of the East Saxons, built a church upon the present site some time during the seventh century. The name Westminster was used to distinguish the abbey from the cathedral church of St. Paul, which. was once known, as East-minster. Of the Confessorï¿½s work but little remains saving the pyx-house, which lies to the south of the present abbey adjoining the chapter-house, and that part of the cloister which Westminster schoolboys now use as a gymnasium. Henry III, who exhibited a rare taste in building, erected the principal portion of the existing edifice; he pulled down the greater part of Edward the Confessorï¿½s work, and built a chapel to the Virgin at the east end. Henry VII.

in his turn demolished Henry III.ï¿½s work, and immortalised himself by his chapel, which now stands behind the head of the cross in the form of which the abbey has been constructed. With the exception of the two towers, the upper parts of which were built by Wren, at the western entranceï¿½ the foot of the cross ï¿½ which faces the Aquarium and the Hotel Westminster Abbey as regards it outward aspect is very much what Henry VII. left it. Inside, the abbey is at once imposing and inspiring. The height of the building, the symmetry of its proportions, the solemn grandeur of ï¿½the long-drawn aisles,ï¿½ the fact that the sightseer is at every step treading upon the graves of Englandï¿½s wisest and noblest, cannot but render a visit to Westminster-abbey a thing to remember and to respect.

Possibly to some minds this house of God may have been made, through an over-zealous desire to pay due regard to the worthy, a too conspicuous monument of manï¿½s achievement; at all events, most liberal-minded men will allow that the abbey is overcrowded with sculptural designs which have not always been executed with the artistic sense which is in favour today. An attempt to describe the statues, the bas-reliefs, the busts, and the allegorical illustrations in marble of departed prowess and virtue, would occupy more space than is permitted us. A few of the must prominent relics we may, however, refer to. The chapel of Edward the Confessor, which lies behind the present altar-screen, contains the shrine of that monarch, besides which devout persons used to sit in order to cure themselves of earthly disorders. The remains of Henry III. are also supposed to rest here; also what is left of Edward I., Edward III and Henry V., whose saddle and helmet, used at Agincourt, are fixed to a rail over the gallant monarchï¿½s tomb.

Against the a1tar-screen stand the coronation chairs, two highly uncomfortable receptacles made of wood, disfigured with the initials and names of ambitious persons who have years ago eluded the vigilance of the abbeyï¿½s officials. Under the seat of the kingï¿½s chair is the identical stone which Edward brought from Scone, and on which the Scottish kings were crowned. The second chair was made for the coronation of Mary the much beloved consort of William III. Round the Confessorï¿½s chapel are a number of smaller chapels filled with the tombs and emblazoned eulogies delicately expressed in Latin, of bygone peers and peeresses. Immediately behind the sarcophagus of Henry V. is the chapel built by Henry VII., intended as a place of sepulture for himself and his successors, as fine a specimen of what is called florid Gothic architecture as exists. The exterior was restored by Wyatt. The gates aret brass, cunningly wrought, but are now dingy and look more like iron. Knights of the Bath are intstalled in this chapel, and at some distance above the stalls hang the tattered banners of many famous members of the order.

On the left of the chapel, which contains the tomb of Henry VII. and Edward VI., is the burial place of Queen Elizabeth; on the right lies Mary Queen of Scots. At the south-east corner is the slab which rests over the remains of Lady Augusta Stanley, wife of the present Dean of Westminster, and the intimate friend of Queen Victoria. Fresh flowers and chaplets lie over the grave of a lady whose memory is cherished, not only by her sovereign, but by hundreds of poor and suffering creatures whom she was wont to relieve. To the left of Lady Augusta Stanley is the marble tomb of time Duc de Montpensier, brother of Louis Philippe, King of the French. The last distinguished Briton buried in the abbey was Sir Gilbert Scott, the architect, whore slab in the nave is decorated with a cross of flowers constantly renewed by loving hands. A few yards from Scott is the grave of Livingstone. Poetï¿½s Corner, which forms the most southern portion of the arm of the cross, is by no means the least imposing portion of the building. Here is the grave of Charles Dickens, by whose side is Cumberland, the dramatist.

At his feet is Sheridan, and above is Handel, the composer; close by are Tom Campbell, David Garrick, and Samuel Johnson; marble busts of Thackeray and Macaulay are placed on brackets within a few feet of these illustrious dead. Close to Edward the Confessorï¿½s shrine, and up a winding flight of steps, is a collection of waxen effigies to which the general public are not admitted. The figures are life size, and are enclosed in glass cases, on which the vulgar have scratched their names with persistent enthusiasm. They are eleven in number, and are considered remarkable as portraits. Charles II. stands in ordinary costume, with, however, an undignified smut on his nose. Next to his merry majesty is the Duke of Buckingham, lying in state, a coronet upon his head. Queen Anne, looking uncomfortable, in her state robes and crown, is sitting on her throne, and holds with some difficulty her orb and sceptre.

The Duchess of Buckingham and her little son, and the Duchess of Richmond (1702), are standing immediately opposite the dead Duke; and the Earl of Chatham, in his robes of office, does not look quite the energetic statesman we would fain regard him. William and Mary are in a glass case together, and by their side is Queen Elizabeth, with a magnificent ruff of real lace, and next to her is a life-like effigy of Nelson. Admission to see the wax-work may be obtained from the Dean or a member of the chapter. At the south of the abbey are the cloisters, which contain some of the oldest graves in the country; one inscribed with the name of Gervasius de Blois, Abbas, 1106, is in excellent preservation. From the ï¿½loisters admission is gained to the chapter-house, which was built by Henry III., in 1250, and restored by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1865. The building is an octagon, with a central pillar rising some 35 ft. composed of Purbeck marble.

Former1y the chapter-house was used as a council chamber for the monks and the abbot, and we are assured that offending recluses were flogged at the central pillar. The House of Commons subsequently met here until the days of Henry VIII., after which the house was used as a depository for public records. When the documents were removed to Fetter-lane, it was considered desirable that the chapter-house should be restored, and accordingly Sir Gilbert Scott was employed, with results which the public may see without charge to-day. The illustrations of the on the walls were executed by one of the monks attached to the abbey in the fifteenth century. The chapter-house also possesses a modern picture representing a fifteenth century lady taking sanctuary in the Abbey, painted by Mr. William Holyoake. In the vestibule is a Roman sarcophagus, discovered in the North Green ten years ago. Services are held every day in the abbey to which the public are admitted free. Admission fee to the smaller chapels, including that of Henry VII., is 6d.

Charles Dickens (Jr.), Dickens's Dictionary of London, 1879 Stepping away from the river side, we come to the chief temple of the West of London, the venerable and beautiful WESTMINSTER ABBEY. Where this grand building now stands, there once was a marsh covered with briers and brushwood, and surrounded by a branch of the river Thames so as to form an island, which from its rough nature was named ï¿½Thorney Island.ï¿½ On this solitary and dreary spotï¿½for the nearest part of Old London was that perhaps where the old Lud-Gate afterwards stoodï¿½Sebert, King of the East Saxons, built a church. It was replaced by a monastery named West Minster, to distinguish it from East Minster, as St. Paulï¿½s was formerly called. Many fabulous stories were circulated by the old monks, who had a happy knack of drawing attention to their church, and obtaining for their own benefit the gifts of the people. They told of miraculous visits of St.

Peter, and holy angels, accompanied with heavenly music; and so succeeded in working upon the minds of a superstitious people, that for many years the fishermen of the Thames, in accordance with a command given in one of these legends, sent presents of fish for the use of the authorities in the Abbey. When the Danes invaded England, the little convent was destroyed; but 7 being restored soon afterwards by King Edgar, it dragged on a languishing existence until the time of Edward the Confessor. This good king built the first Abbey of which we have any certain account, a part of which still remains. He personally superintended the work, hastening it on as he felt the approach of a severe illness, which proved fatal a few days after the grand opening ceremony. Westminster was now no longer a marshy, deserted island, but a beautiful suburb where the royal palace and other noble buildings stood. To make a nobler and more stately Abbey, Henry III. pulled down the greater portion of the Confessorï¿½s building and erected one, the principal parts of which form the larger portion of the existing Abbey. Edward I., II., III., and Richard III. improved the building; and Henry VII.

during his reign added the richly decorated and magnificent chapel known by his name. Thus you see, much of this building is over six hundred years old, and, if only for its great age, should be regarded with esteem. Sir Christopher Wren restored it from the ruinous state to which, through neglect and the ravages of war, it had been brought; besides this, lie built the two towers at the western end. The interior, especially the view obtained from the western doors, greatly impresses us with its grandeur, as we gaze at the long and lofty aisles, the elegant pillars, and the beautiful harmony of its ribbed vault, all so graceful and delicate, and so venerable. We think, too, of the kings and others through whose enterprise and ability the noble structure was raised. Turning, we notice the statuary crowded around the base. What a contrast! From the dim light of the upper part and the dull grey of the time-worn stonework, our eyes are somewhat dazzled by the glaring white of the marbles, some massive, others crowding one upon another, each storied with menï¿½s praises, and each seeming to thrust itself upon us as most worthy our attention.

They do not all add to the beauty of the building; but they have been placed here in honour of great and good men, chiefly to the memory of heroes whose fame has been achieved by noble, peaceful deeds, and by the use of the pen rather than the sword. In our walks around, we stop before the monuments, and hook interestedly at the features of Wilberforce, Granvilhe Sharp, Buxton, and others of that gallant little band who devoted all their energies to abolish the slave trade; and who, fighting against almost overwhelming opposition, finally obtained freedom for nearly 800,000 slaves in the British dominions. There is a spot in the floor of the nave, not very conspicuous, but marked by a black marble slab, uhich becomes very dear to us as we stand and read the inscription, commencing, ï¿½Brought by faithful hands over land and sea, here rests David Livingstone.ï¿½ Who can tell the benefits which shall yet follow from this patient and good manï¿½s work of peace during the many years lie spent in that dark continent of Africa? Sir John Franklin, too, is honoured by a monument.

Of scientific heroes we find here Sir Isaac Newton, the great astronomer; James Watt, the engineer; and Sir Humphry Davy, whose lamp is such a safeï¿½guard to miners. Another monument must not be passed without notice. It is that erected in honour of the Wesleys, the founders of the great body of Methodists, whose influence is now felt in all parts of the world. With kindly feeling the late Dean Stanley permitted this monument to be placed in the Abbey. It is of white marble, and on it are carved the profiles of the two brothers, and a representation of John Wesley preaching on his fatherï¿½s tombstone in Epworth churchyard; with this inscription: JOHN WESLEY, M.A., Born June 17th, 1703: Died March 2nd, 1791. CHARLES WESLEY, M.A., Born December 18th, 1708: Died March 29th, 1788.

Question: Poets' Corner, which commemorates and contains remains of writers, is in which London building?
Answer: Westminster Abbey