Westminster Abbey
Greater London, England (1 castle)
Excellent remains
Only open at certain times
The real story of Westminster Abbey begins with Edward the Confessor. In 1042 Edward returned from exile after the death of Harthacanute. Edward had made a vow of pilgrimage to Rome, but the nobles that were advising him persuaded the King that his position as head of the country was too important to go on such a risky journey. The Pope sent word that Edward was released from the vow if he instead built a church in honour of St. Peter. To this Edward agreed and in 1050 work began on the Thorney Island site. The abbey was dedicated in 1065 just weeks before Edward died. He was buried in his new church in January of 1066. The new church was the site of another important event in 1066 when William the Conqueror was crowned King of England on 25 December.
The body of Edward was moved first in the reign of King Henry II and then again by his grandson King Henry III who began rebuilding the church starting with the Lady Chapel in around 1220. In 1245, in tribute to Edward the Confessor, Henry started much larger and expensive reconstruction work of the whole church. Enough of the new building was ready in 1269 for the church to be consecrated and the coffin of the Confessor to be moved again into its new home.
The abbey has been the main site for the coronation of English Kings and Queens since then and holds the remains of both the nobility and ordinary people. A Lady Chapel was constructed at the east end of the cathedral and, as it holds the remains of King Henry VII, is known as the Henry VII Chapel. The Italian scupltor Torrigiano was given the job of designing and constructing the King's tomb. Also buried here are the monarchs Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots.
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Related Episodes
Norman Conquest (click here)
Henry II and Thomas Becket (click here)
Civil War Stephen and Matilda (click here)
Stephen's succession to the throne (click here)
Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Day Queen (click here)
Edward II and Piers Gaveston (click here)
Henry VIII and his Six Wives (click here)
Isabella, She-Wolf of France and death of Edward II (click here)
Edward III - The Hundred Years War (click here)
Henry VI and Joan of Arc (click here)
Wars of the Roses Phase Two (click here)
Wars of the Roses Phase Three (click here)
Wars of the Roses Phase Four (click here)
Dimensions of main church
Section of Westminster Abbey across presbytery
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Timeline
1065
...
Edward the Confessor took lands from Pershore Abbey and allocated them to his new Abbey church at Westminster. [1]
December
Work on the Abbey at Westminster was either complete or very nearly so at its dedication. Edward the Confessor who had devoted himself to creation was to die less than two weeks later.
1066
December 25
On Christmas Day, William the Conqueror was crowned as King of England in Westminster Abbey. [2]
1068
May 11
William brought his wife Matilda of Flander to England to crown her Queen of England. Matilda's coronation took place at Westminster Abbey and the ceremony was performed by the archbishop of York. [2]
1087
September 26
William Rufus was crowned at Westminster Abbey by Archbishop Lanfranc after the death of his father William the Conqueror.
1100
August 5
King Henry I was crowned king at Westminster Abbey. [3]
November 11
King Henry I of England married Matilda of Scotland, daughter of Malcolm III and sister of Edgar, the King of the Scots. The ceremony took place at Westminster Abbey. [4]
1121
January 30
Shortly after her marriage to King Henry, Adeliza's coronation was performed at Westminster Abbey.
1135
December 26
Stephen of Blois was crowned King Stephen of England at Westminster Abbey.
1136
March 22
Queen Matilda, the wife of King Stephen, was crowned at Westminster Abbey.
1154
December 19
Henry of Normandy was crowned as King Henry II of England, and Eleanor of Aquitaine was crowned Queen, at Westminster Abbey. [5]
1155
Christmas
The king spent the festive period at Westminster Palace. Repairs must have been completed if the royal court spent time there. [6]
1163
October 13
The body of Edward the Confessor was moved to a more fitting location within the Abbey. The ceremony was attended by King Henry II and Thomas Becket.
1170
June 14
The coronation of Prince Henry, the eldest son of King Henry II took place at Westminster Abbey. King Henry was following the practice of the French kings who had their eldest son crowned during their lifetime to ensure the prince would automatically become king upon their death. King Henry used the Archbishop of York in the coronation service as an insult to Thomas Becket. This was an act that infringed the rights of the Archbishop of Canterbury. [4]
1189
September 3
Richard I was crowned king in Westminster Abbey. He was escorted along a path of woollen cloth. At the head of the procession was the clergy, first the priors next the abbots then the bishops. In the midst of the bishops were four barons holding golden candelabra, followed by Geoffrey de Lucy, John Marshal, William Marshal and William Fitzpatrick holding the Cap of State, golden spurs, golden sceptre and golden verge. The golden crown was carried by William de Mandeville. Richard was anointed with holy oil on his head, chest and hands. During the service a bat was seen to flutter around the throne which was seen to be an evil omen. [7]
1199
May 27
John is crowned as King of England at Westminster Abbey. [8]
1200
October 8
John and Isabella returned to England in late September and were both crowned at Westminster Abbey.
1220
May
At his coronation in Westminster Abbey, King Henry was reminded of his duties at king to maintain peace, defend the rights of the crown and to dispense justice where required. Henry was only around thirteen years old. The day before the coronation Henry laid the foundation stone of a new Lady Chapel at the Abbey.
1236
January 20
Queen Eleanor was crowned at Westminster Abbey.
1245
Henry started the work of rebuilding Westminster Abbey as a tribute to Edward the Confessor. [9]
1269
Sufficient parts of Westminster Abbey were completed for the monks to hold their first service in the new building. October 13th was chosen possibly to commemorate the moving of Edward the Confessor's body just over 100 hundred years earlier. King Henry III died before he could witness the completion of the whole church.
1274
August 19
Seventeen days after returning from the Crusade, Edward was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey.
1285
Several Welsh holy relics were paraded through London in a procession from the Tower of London to Westminster.
1306
May 22
At the 'Feast of the Swans' held at Westminster Abbey, Edward I knighted his son, the future king Edward II, and took an oath to avenge the murder of John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch by Robert Bruce. No mercy to be shown to any Scots captured in battle.
1307
October 28
After lying in state for several weeks at Waltham Abbey King Edward's body was moved to Westminster Abbey for burial.
1308
February 25
Edward II was crowned at Westminster Abbey. During the ceremony Gaveston was given the honour of carrying the crown. During the banquet that followed the King spent much more time with Gaveston than his wife. The Queen's uncles, who had travelled with her from France, left to report back to the King of France of the King's favouritism for Gaveston over Isabella. As part of the coronation ceremony Edward swore an oath that he should abide by the laws and customs that the community and realm determined. [10]
1327
January 25
King Edward III succeeded his father to the English throne on the 25th of January and was crowned at Westminster Abbey a few days later by Archbishop Walter Reynolds. [11]
1330
March 4
Philiippa of Hainault, the wife of King Edward III, was crowned at Westminster Abbey.
1361
October
Edward, the Black Prince married Joan of Kent at Westminster Abbey.
1362
Rebuilding work was begun on the nave and west cloister at Westminster Abbey. The architect in charge of the works was Henry Yevele. [12]
1377
June 21
King Edward III of England died in June 1377. One year earlier Edward's eldest son and heir to the throne, Edward the Black Prince died. Richard, the son of the Black Prince, was proclaimed heir to the throne. King Edward was ill for some time before his death, and John of Gaunt, another of Edward's sons, took the affairs of the nation under his control. Edward was buried in Westminster Abbey in a tomb designed by Henry Yevele. [13]
July 16
The ten-year old Richard II was crowned king of England. Ceremonies were overseen by his uncle John of Gaunt. Henry Percy was created Earl of Northumberland at the ceremony in recognition for his services as a soldier leading troops against the French.
1378
Westminster Abbey was closed for several months after a murder took place in the Choir. The Abbey was not reopened for services until it was reconsecrated. Two knights called Schakell and Hawle had taken a Spanish Count prisoner whilst fighting with the Black Prince. As usual a ransom was required for the release of the Count. The Count was allowed to return to Spain to organise the ransom leaving his son as a hostage to ensure the ransom was paid. At this time John of Gaunt was in the process of acquiring the crown of Castile and the saga with the Count's son was an embarrassment. When the two knights refused to release their prisoner they were arrested and sent to the Tower of London. They managed to escape from the Tower and fled to Westminster Abbey and sanctuary, but this was ignored by a group of soldiers led by the Constable of the Tower, Alan Boxhall. Schakell was captured but Hawle and a monk were murdered in the Choir. Several of those involved were excommunicated meaning that they could not be buried after their deaths. [14]
1382
January 14
Richard II married Anne, the sister of Wenceslas of Bohemia. This was a diplomatic move over the French as the king of France Charles V wanted Anne his marry his own son. The marriage was not popular as a large loan had to be paid to Wenceslas for the privilege. The coronation of Queen Anne took place a few days later at Westminster Abbey.
1395
Henry Yevele designed a tomb for King Richard II and his first wife Anne of Bohemia at Westminster Abbey, [12]
1399
Henry IV was crowned King of England after the abdication of King Richard II. Henry was crowned at Westminster Abbey.
1413
In an act of respect to Richard II, Henry had the dead king's body moved to its proper resting place in Westminster Abbey.
1421
February 23
Queen Catherine was crowned at Westminster Abbey.
1422
The lead coffin containing the body of King Henry V travelled to Calais and across the Channel to Dover. It passed through Canterbury and Rochester and arrived in London for burial in Westminster Abbey. The body was buried within the shrine of Edward the Confessor. [15]
1429
November 6
Although Henry was still too young to reign he was crowned as Henry VI, King of England in response to the Duke of Bedford's concerns over the events in France. Henry was crowned at Westminster Abbey.
1445
May 30
After a triumphant entrance to London a few days earlier Margaret stayed at the Tower of London for a few days before going to Westminster Abbey where she was crowned. [16]
1461
June 28
The Yorkists were in control after the battle of Towton and Richard and George were brought back to England where they were made Knights of the Order of the Bath. Edward took part in the crown-wearing ceremonies at Westminster Abbey and became King of England. Shortly afterwards his younger brother George was given the title of Duke of Clarence.
1465
May 26
Elizabeth Woodville was finally crowned Queen at Westminster Abbey.
1470
The present Lady Chapel at Gloucester Cathedral was built between 1470 and 1483. Lady Chapels at Canterbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey were built around the same time in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary. [17]
Quarter 4
King Edward IV's wife Elizabeth gave birth to her first son. Elizabeth had taken refuge at Westminster Abbey after King Henry VI had been restored to the throne by the Earl of Warwick and King Edward had fled to Burgundy. The baby was named Edward and would be heir to the English throne.
1476
William Caxton rented rooms near Westminster Abbey and set up the first printing press in England. The location for this first printing press may have depended on who he thought would be interested in purchasing the books.
1478
January 15
Richard, duke of York, married Anne Mowbray, daughter of the Duke of Norfolk, at Westminster. The two were only children. Anne died in 1481 at the age of 8 or 9.
1483
July 6
Richard, Duke of Gloucester, was declared the true heir to the English throne after the marriage of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville was deemed unlawful and their sons illegitimate. Richard III and Anne Neville, his wife, were crowned at Westminster Abbey.
1485
October 30
Henry Tudor is crowned as Henry VII at Westminster Abbey. [18]
1487
November 25
Elizabeth of York was crowned at Westminster Abbey.
1503
(to 1519)
Henry VII ordered the construction of a new Lady chapel at the east end of Westminster Abbey. The building work was carried out in the Perpendicular style.
1509
April 21
King Henry fell ill and within a day he had died. His body was first moved to St. Paul's and then to Westminster Abbey where he was buried next to his wife. [19]
Henry VII was buried inside the Lady Chapel that he had funded the construction of at Westminster Cathedral. [20]
June 24
King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon were crowned at Westminster Abbey.
June 29
Lady Margaret Beaufort died just two months after her son Henry. She was buried in Westminster Abbey within the Henry VII Chapel.
1533
June 1
Anne Boleyn was crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey by the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer.
1547
February 20
The coronation of King Henry VIII's son Edward took place at Westminster Abbey. He was crowned as Edward VI.
1553
August 8
The funeral service for the late King took place at Westminster Abbey.
October 1
The coronation of Mary Tudor took place at Westminster Abbey. Mary became the first true Queen of England. In the past, Matilda and Lady Jane Grey had come close but neither had ever been crowned.
1558
November 17
Queen Mary of England died at the age of forty two. She was buried at Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth became the new Queen of England.
1559
On the eve of her coronation, traditional pageants were held for Elizabeth. She viewed them all as she made her way from the Tower of London to Westminster Abbey. They were of a political nature showing the problems of the past and hopes for the future.
The coronation of Elizabeth I took place at Westminster Abbey. She was crowned by Bishop Oglethorpe of Carlisle as the other more senior bishops refused to crown her due to their reluctance to accept the new Protestant religion.
1603
March 24
Elizabeth's health was failing and before her death she reportedly named James of Scotland as her successor. She was buried in the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey.
1626
February 2
Charles I was crowned at Westminster Abbey.
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