On Saturday 28th January, members of the Society explored Westminster Abbey, grand venue for great national occasions, on a tour led by Blue Badge Tourist Guide Caroline Piper.
The tour explored the gorgeous gothic architecture of Abbey and its long rich history, since the first Abbey church was completed for Edward the Confessor in 1065. Royalty is inextricably linked with Westminster Abbey, as it is the coronation church, so we reflected on some of the great royal events of recent history that have taken place there, including the funeral of Princess Diana, the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton and the funeral of HM The Queen. Of course we also dwelt extensively on the last coronation to be held at the Abbey, for the Queen in 1953, and speculated on how this might be updated for King Charles III in May 2023. It was particularly interesting to see the 700 year old Coronation Chair, which we expect to be used (with the essential Stone of Scone returned by the Scots for the occasion) for The King.
Of course Westminster Abbey isn’t all royalty and you are literally falling over burials and monuments to all the “great and the good” of British history, especially in the inspiring Scientists’ and Poets’ corners, although they are joined by politicians, statesmen, musicians, engineers, theologians, and Tudor and Stuart nobility, sometimes rubbing up against each other in most incongruous fashion!
Caroline is confident that she left the group with a firm grasp of the Abbey’s history, architecture and use, and expects all attendees to be ready to perform the role of Huw Edwards on 6th May 2023 and dazzle their family and friends with bespoke commentary during the coronation service!
Some photos of the day are available in our Facebook Group
Organised by Caroline Piper
