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Westminster Abbey is a Gothic abbey church in London, England. It’s located in the City of Westminster and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
History of Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey was originally founded by Benedictine monks in 960. It was rebuilt by Edward the Confessor and consecrated on December 28, 1065, just a week before Edward’s death. The current church was constructed by Henry III starting in 1245, and was mostly finished in the late 14th century during the reign of Richard III. Henry VII added a chapel, built from 1503 to 1519. The two western towers were built between 1722 and 1745 and were designed by architect Nicholas Hawksmoor (c. 1661-1736).
Westminster Abbey was a Benedictine monastery until 1539. From 1540 to 1556, it was designated a cathedral. Since 1560, it has had the status of a Church of England Royal Peculiar, which means it’s directly under the jurisdiction of the monarch. All but two English and British monarchs have been crowned in the church since the coronation of William the Conqueror on December 25, 1066. The church has also hosted several royal weddings.
Burials and Memorials at Westminster Abbey
More than 3,300 people are buried inside Westminster Abbey, including kings and queens of England, Scotland, and Britain, as well as many important British citizens. One of the highest honors for British citizens is to be buried in the church. High-profile burials at Westminster Abbey include Isaac Newton (1642-1726), Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343-1400), Charles Darwin (1809-1882), Neville Chamberlain (1869-1940), Charles Dickens (1812-1870), Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), and Stephen Hawking (1942-2018). Other people are memorialized in the church but buried elsewhere, including Jane Austen (1775-1817), Lord Byron (1788-1824), Winston Churchill (1874-1965), Princess Diana (1961-1997), Francis Drake (c. 1540-1596), Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), William Shakespeare (1564-1616), and C.S. Lewis (1898-1963).
Statues of Christian Martyrs
Above the Great West Door, there are statues of 10 Christian martyrs from around the world. They were added in 1998 and include (from left to right): Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941, Poland); Manche Masemola (1913-1928, South Africa); Janani Luwum (c. 1922-1977, Uganda); Grand Duchess Elizabeth of Russia (1864-1918); Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968, USA); Óscar Romero (1917-1980, El Salvador); Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945, Germany); Esther John (1929-1960, Pakistan); Lucian Tapiedi (c. 1921-1942, Papua New Guinea); and Wang Zhiming (1907-1973, China).
Visiting Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey is open to the public daily, generally from 9:30am to 3:30pm. Times vary, so check the official website. Adult admission is £29 (as of December 2023). It costs an additional £5 to visit the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries on a timed entry (as of December 2023), which is highly recommended (see below). Photos are forbidden inside the building. The nearest Tube stations are Westminster and St. James’s Park. Check the official website for more info.
A free multimedia guide is provided to all visitors, which allows for an excellent self-guided tour of the highlights of the church. It’s available in 14 languages, with English narration provided by Jeremy Irons.
Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries is a museum located in the 13th century triforium, 52 feet above the floor. You can get amazing view of the interior of the church, the Palace of Westminster, and the Chapter House. In the museum, you can see some of the greatest treasures of the abbey, including effigies of several kings and queens.
Cloisters at Westminster Abbey
The only place I was able to take pictures was in the cloisters. Each cloister is about 100 feet in length and dates back to the 13th through 15th centuries. There are several memorials in the cloisters.
Cellarium Café
If you’re feeling hungry during your visit, you can pop into the Cellarium Café, which serves snacks, full meals, and drinks. You can access the café by walking through the cloisters.
Field of Remembrance
On my very first visit in November 12, 2004, I was able to see the Field of Remembrance in the yard next to Westminster Abbey. The Field of Remembrance is decorated with thousands of poppies for Remembrance Day. Remembrance Day is marked on November 11 each year to commemorate the end of World War I on that day in 1918.
Westminster Scholars War Memorial
Finally, in front of Westminster Abbey is the Westminster Scholars War Memorial, also known as the Crimea and Indian Mutiny Memorial. It was erected in 1861 to commemorate those educated at Westminster School who died in the Crimean and Indian Wars from 1854 to 1859. It was designed by George Gilbert Scott and features a statue of St. George slaying a dragon on top. The statue was carved by J.R. Clayton of Clayton and Bell.
