Westminster Abbey
Written by Hedy Sadoc
Throughout the world people feel that "The Abbey", as Westminster Abbey is affectionately
called, is theirs. It is indeed many different things to many different people: the
setting for every coronation since 1066 and for many other royal events, world famous
burial place of royals and other celebrities, a sculpture gallery of world renown, a
quirky place...But it was founded as a Christian monastery and remains to this day first a
place of worship.
Westminster Abbey - A Very Brief History of Coronations
With only two exceptions, every single English monarch has been crowned here, beginning
with William the Conqueror on December 25, 1066, right down to Queen Elizabeth II, on June
2, 1953. The Archbishop of Canterbury has this special right, a special chair is made at
each coronation and the formula of the coronation oil is secret.
Westminster Abbey - Bells, Chimes and Burials
Westminster Abbey has had bells since 1220 and the Westminster Abbey Company of Ringers
provides ringing at the Abbey for major church festivals, Royal and civic
events. The half-muffled Abbey bells were included in the worldwide broadcast of the
funeral service for Princess Diana. In August 2000, the bell ringers of Westminster Abbey
took their skills on tour for the first time, on a visit to the U.S. Westminster Abbey has
no clock chimes. The "Westminster Chimes" are the chimes of the bells in the clock tower
of the Houses of Parliament, where Big Ben is the bell that chimes the hour. As for
burials, approximately 3,300 persons are buried in the Abbey, famous poets and writers
like Charles Dickens and Robert Browning, musicians like George Frederic Handel, actors
like Laurence Olivier and many famous people from all walks of life. The oldest man buried
here is Thomas Parr who lived for 152 years and 9 months through the reigns of ten
monarchs, and the only one who is buried standing up is the Elizabethan poet Ben Jonson
who, dying in great poverty, begged 18 inches of ground in the Abbey from King Charles I,
or so the story goes.
Westminster Abbey - Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the Abbey? - Floor area: 2972 square meters; height of West Towers: 68 meters;
seating capacity at Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953: about 8,200 Are Westminster
Abbey and Westminster Cathedral the same building? - No. Westminster Abbey
is an Anglican Church, part of the Church of England. Westminster Cathedral is a Roman
Catholic Church, near Victoria Station. Is there really an inscription of 1100 AD
beginning "When I was young I thought I could change the world"? - We are sorry to say
there is no such inscription even though it is quoted as such in a popular American
anthology called "Chicken Soup for the Soul"!
Location and Hours of Operation
Westminster Abbey (Chapter Office), 20 Deans Yard, London SW1, near Parliament Square and
Westminster Bridge Open Monday - Friday 9:00 - 16:45, Saturdays 9:00 - 14:45 (last
admission 13:45); Sundays Worship only - no tourist visiting Admission Charges: Adults 6
Pounds, concessions 3 Pounds, Family (2 adults + 2 children) 12 Pounds, Under 11 years
FREE
For further information, please call telephone No. 020 7222 5151 in London,
England
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