Is it possible to truly grasp a thousand years of history in a single visit? Here at Westminster Abbey, you can certainly try. Formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, this Anglican church stands as a testament to British history. Since 1066, it has been the coronation church for English and British monarchs. It is also a burial site for numerous kings and queens.
Westminster Abbey’s origins are ancient. By the mid-10th century, an abbey housing Benedictine monks stood on this very site. King Edward the Confessor commissioned the first large building in the 1040s. He is buried here. The present church’s construction began in 1245, ordered by Henry III. In 1559, Elizabeth I made Westminster Abbey a royal peculiar. This meant the church was directly accountable to the sovereign. In 1987, the abbey became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its historic and symbolic significance.
Notice the Abbey’s Gothic architecture. It draws inspiration from 13th-century French and English styles. The Henry VII Chapel, at the east end, showcases Perpendicular Gothic architecture. An antiquarian once called it “the wonder of the world”.
Step inside. You are now standing on ground that holds the remains of over 3,300 people. Monarchs, prime ministers, poets laureate, actors, musicians, and scientists are all interred here. Artist William Morris called Westminster Abbey a “National Valhalla” because of the fame of those buried within.
Let’s delve deeper into the Abbey’s story. Historians believe a monastery dedicated to Saint Peter existed here before the 11th century. Legend says Saxon King Sæberht of Essex founded it. Another tale credits the fictional 2nd-century British King Lucius. One tradition speaks of a young fisherman on the River Thames who saw a vision of Saint Peter. This is said to be the origin of the salmon that Thames fishermen offered to the abbey.
In 959, Dunstan and King Edgar established a community of Benedictine monks here. The location was then an island in the Thames called Thorney Island. While that building is gone, archaeologists have found pottery and foundations from that time.
Between 1042 and 1052, Edward the Confessor rebuilt Saint Peter’s Abbey. He wanted a royal burial church for himself. It was built in the Romanesque style and was the first church in England with a cruciform floorplan. Construction finished around 1060. It was consecrated on December 28, 1065, just before Edward’s death.
The Bayeux Tapestry holds the only surviving depiction of Edward’s abbey. The foundations still exist beneath this church. Some lower parts of the monastic dormitory remain in the undercroft.
In 1245, Henry III began rebuilding Westminster Abbey in the Gothic style. He sought to create a shrine to Edward and a burial place for his family. Construction began on July 6, 1245. Part of the new building included a shrine and chapel to Edward the Confessor.
Edward I captured the Scottish coronation stone, the Stone of Scone, in 1296. He had a Coronation Chair made to hold it. He entrusted it to the abbot at Westminster Abbey.
From 1376, Abbot Nicholas Litlyngton and Richard II donated funds to finish the church. The remainder of the old nave was pulled down and rebuilt. In 1495, construction finally reached the end of the nave.
Under Henry VII, the 13th-century Lady chapel was demolished and rebuilt in a Perpendicular Gothic style. It is now known as the Henry VII Chapel. Work started in 1503 and finished by 1509.
In the 1530s, Henry VIII broke from the Catholic Church and seized control of England’s monasteries, including Westminster Abbey. The monastery was dissolved. In 1560, Elizabeth I re-established Westminster as a “royal peculiar”.
Westminster Abbey has hosted many royal occasions. Since William the Conqueror in 1066, 40 English and British monarchs have been crowned here. At least 16 royal weddings have taken place at the abbey.
Pause for a moment. Reflect on the countless historical figures who have walked these same floors. From royal coronations to poignant funerals, Westminster Abbey has been the backdrop to centuries of British history. Its stones whisper tales of power, faith, and artistic achievement. As you leave, carry with you a sense of the Abbey’s enduring legacy.