January 28 Monday
Today we have pre-booked tickets to tour Westminster Abbey. We have visited here before, but are looking forward to seeing all of the old tombs of kings and queens. We have also planned to take a guided tour, which should be very informative and will also grant us access to the Shrine of Edward the Confessor, which is not open to the public. We rose early to arrive at the Abbey by opening time, 9:30 AM. We took the Northern line from Warren Street to Embankment, then transferred to District/Circle line west to Westminster.
The weather today was clear and sunny for a change, but quite cold and breezy. We arrived on time only to see a very long line of people to buy tickets. Fortunately, we were able to bypass this line since we had pre-purchased our tickets online. We also were able to spend the additional five pounds each for the tour, which began at 10:30 AM, so we had some time to wander around on our own. Right away, we saw and walked on the grave of Charles Darwin. We would later learn on the tour that he was buried here against his wishes (he was not a Christian), but that burial in Westminster Abbey is based on national merit and/or achievement, not based on religious faith.
The tour was composed of ten people and led by a verger (a lay person wearing a black robe for some reason). We started at the front entrance where there is the burial place of the unknown soldier, the only place where you cannot walk. This was the final burial in the Abbey. Since then, any remains that have been interred have been ashes. Closer to the door is a monument to Winston Churchill, but he was not buried here but at Blenheim Palace, his home. There is also a monument on the wall to FDR. To the right (when facing the cathedral) is a chamber behind glass that contains the coronation chair. Thirty-eight monarchs have been crowned here at the Abbey. The coronation stone also known as the Stone of Scone (aka footstool for the chair) is not here any longer but has been returned to Edinburgh, Scotland, where it had been prior to 1296. In that year, Edward I captured the stone and brought it to England. It was returned to Scotland in 1996 as a gesture of goodwill. The Scottish will loan it back for future coronations. Near this room, there is also a portrait of Richard II, which is the oldest known painting of any English king.
The cathedral is built in the French style, similar to Reims. Henry III was the chief architect. The eastern section is the oldest. Just off the cloisters is the Pyx, which is the only surviving part of the original, with the only pre-reformation altar. We proceeded forward to the burial area for scientists, just to the left, where we saw Darwin's tomb, again saw Sir Isaac Newton, and then Stephen Hawking (ashes only). No photos were permitted; we will have to rely on our memories. Then we walked through the screen to the choir (beautiful blue colors) and admired the organ and an area up high that we were told can accommodate a ninety piece orchestra. Just at 11 AM our tour (and everyone’s else’s) was paused to for a prayer, which occurs at the top of every hour. We saw the Queen’s seat in the choir. The only day where she is guaranteed to be here is commonwealth day. Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s do not answer to the Archbishop of Canterbury, but are “Royal Peculiars” which answer directly to the crown. However, they are still part of the Church of England. The only time the Archbishop of Canterbury comes to Westminster Abbey is for a coronation. Authority over the Abbey is ceded to him at that time only.
We walked farther east to the altar area and saw the exact spot where the sovereign is anointed during his or her coronation. While being anointed, the sovereign will have his / her back to the “audience.” For Queen Elizabeth, the coronation was televised for the first (and so far only) time. However, a tent like structure was erected so that the cameras could not capture the anointing. Charles sat off to the side on Anne of Cleves' grave, also known as the royal box. There were 8,000 people present, and “bleachers” were constructed up the sides of the “T” almost as high as the rose windows in order to accommodate the people. Prior coronations may have crowded as many as 15,000 people in the Abbey. People speculate how large Charles’s coronation will be; our guide guesses 5 to 6,000. The Abbey will be closed for about six months to allow for the alterations needed to stage the ceremony.
We then entered the shrine of Edward the Confessor, where William and Kate signed their wedding register. The current shrine is a replacement, since Henry VIII destroyed the original. However, monks did save the bricks and the body/coffin was not destroyed. So, when Mary Tudor became queen and restored Catholicism, she had it rebuilt. This is Edward’s third burial place, and there are other royals in this spot. Edward’s son Edward I (Longshanks) with Eleanor of Castile; Richard II with Anne of Bohemia; and Edward III. Edward is called the Confessor wince he confessed his Christian faith.
The worst that the Abbey has seen was in the time of Oliver Cromwell, who used the building as his headquarters with some of the main area used as stables. During WWII, an incendiary device came right through the center, but did not explode, thankfully.
We then toured to the left, the chamber with Elizabeth I’s tomb with a casket that allegedly contains the bones of the Princes of the Tower (Edward V and brother). The bones have never been tested, and it is unlikely that the queen would assent to that. To the right is the room with Mary Queen of Scots, relocated here by her son James I. Also in the room is her mother-in-law Margaret Lennox, who was the daughter of Henry VIII’s sister Margaret Rose. In the back is a crypt for Stuart Royalty with Charles II, William and Mary and Queen Anne. No big monument for them, though, oddly. There is also Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII.
The main center area behind the altar is the monument for Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Although not marked James I is buried in this spot. There is a new marker on the floor to indicate the burial spot of Edward VI, son of Henry VIII. Henry VIII is buried at Windsor Castle with Jane Seymour. This area is also a military themed area, aka Knights of the Garter. The ceiling is carved with soft white stone that has been recently restored. It is very ornate and quite stunning.
George II and his wife Caroline were the last royals buried here. Windsor has been the burial choice for recent royals. At the very back and center we see the grave of Oliver Cromwell (why?).
We then continued on to Poets’ Corner, a popular area. There are not a lot of burials here, but a lot of monuments. By the way, the monuments are not maintained by the Abbey. If they get old looking, it is up to the family to restore if they choose. We saw Chaucer (burial), Browning, Tennyson, C. S. Lewis, Sir David Frost, Samuel Johnson (burial -- just saw his bible at Oxford), Sir Lawrence Olivier, and graves for Charles Dickens (against his wished also) and Handel.
We then climbed up to the new Queen’s Galleries, opened in 2018 to house some of the Abbey’s artifacts. We saw lots of funeral effigies: Edward III, which is the oldest, Mary Tudor (cancerous stomach), James I (no head), Charles II (the final royal effigy), William and Mary, Elizabeth I (replica only, but corset is original), and Queen Anne (seated)
We also saw the second coronation chair, needed only once for the joint coronation of William and Mary. It has quite a bit of graffiti from schoolboys. There is also a red velvet footstool used for Victoria, when she was crowned. Since she was so young, her short legs needed a place to rest. There is also, surprisingly, one of the twenty-four surviving Magna Carta’s.
Our touring complete, we descended down to the Cellarium restaurant where we had quiche with mixed lettuce and diet cokes. We then walked around the Parliament area, where there were many anti-Brexit protesters (really more flags than people). We admired the view, although the clock tower (Big Ben) was encased in scaffolding. We crossed the bridge, then crossed back and then walked along the river to the Embankment tube stop, stopping to admire the gardens at Whitehall. It was about 3 PM when we returned to the flat, allowing us some time to get our suitcases in order for our journey to Paris the following day.
Dinner had been reserved well in advance (at home, based on an article in The New York Times) at the restaurant, Cora Pearl, in Covent Garden. We walked the 1.3 miles to the restaurant, again enjoying the lively sidewalk scene in London. The restaurant, named for an 19th century courtesan who got her start in Covent Garden but mostly lived in Paris, was small and very charming. The staff was efficient and friendly, and very appreciative when Rob handed over the actual newspapaer article from the Times. Dinner began with agnolotti with cow's curd for Roy (rich and delicious) and cured salmon for Rob with an order of bread with yeast butter. For mains Roy had a fish “stew”, which was three different priced of fish (bream, cod and something else) with five mussels crammed into one shell with a yellow cream broth poured over by the waiter. Rob had cod with turnips three ways (fluff, pickled, and grilled). We had a french white wine, Pouilly-Fume, crisp and good. We also had a side of broccoli with almonds, also very good.
We passed on dessert and walked “home” to our flat. It will be an early morning tomorrow.
The weather today was clear and sunny for a change, but quite cold and breezy. We arrived on time only to see a very long line of people to buy tickets. Fortunately, we were able to bypass this line since we had pre-purchased our tickets online. We also were able to spend the additional five pounds each for the tour, which began at 10:30 AM, so we had some time to wander around on our own. Right away, we saw and walked on the grave of Charles Darwin. We would later learn on the tour that he was buried here against his wishes (he was not a Christian), but that burial in Westminster Abbey is based on national merit and/or achievement, not based on religious faith.
The tour was composed of ten people and led by a verger (a lay person wearing a black robe for some reason). We started at the front entrance where there is the burial place of the unknown soldier, the only place where you cannot walk. This was the final burial in the Abbey. Since then, any remains that have been interred have been ashes. Closer to the door is a monument to Winston Churchill, but he was not buried here but at Blenheim Palace, his home. There is also a monument on the wall to FDR. To the right (when facing the cathedral) is a chamber behind glass that contains the coronation chair. Thirty-eight monarchs have been crowned here at the Abbey. The coronation stone also known as the Stone of Scone (aka footstool for the chair) is not here any longer but has been returned to Edinburgh, Scotland, where it had been prior to 1296. In that year, Edward I captured the stone and brought it to England. It was returned to Scotland in 1996 as a gesture of goodwill. The Scottish will loan it back for future coronations. Near this room, there is also a portrait of Richard II, which is the oldest known painting of any English king.
The cathedral is built in the French style, similar to Reims. Henry III was the chief architect. The eastern section is the oldest. Just off the cloisters is the Pyx, which is the only surviving part of the original, with the only pre-reformation altar. We proceeded forward to the burial area for scientists, just to the left, where we saw Darwin's tomb, again saw Sir Isaac Newton, and then Stephen Hawking (ashes only). No photos were permitted; we will have to rely on our memories. Then we walked through the screen to the choir (beautiful blue colors) and admired the organ and an area up high that we were told can accommodate a ninety piece orchestra. Just at 11 AM our tour (and everyone’s else’s) was paused to for a prayer, which occurs at the top of every hour. We saw the Queen’s seat in the choir. The only day where she is guaranteed to be here is commonwealth day. Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s do not answer to the Archbishop of Canterbury, but are “Royal Peculiars” which answer directly to the crown. However, they are still part of the Church of England. The only time the Archbishop of Canterbury comes to Westminster Abbey is for a coronation. Authority over the Abbey is ceded to him at that time only.
We walked farther east to the altar area and saw the exact spot where the sovereign is anointed during his or her coronation. While being anointed, the sovereign will have his / her back to the “audience.” For Queen Elizabeth, the coronation was televised for the first (and so far only) time. However, a tent like structure was erected so that the cameras could not capture the anointing. Charles sat off to the side on Anne of Cleves' grave, also known as the royal box. There were 8,000 people present, and “bleachers” were constructed up the sides of the “T” almost as high as the rose windows in order to accommodate the people. Prior coronations may have crowded as many as 15,000 people in the Abbey. People speculate how large Charles’s coronation will be; our guide guesses 5 to 6,000. The Abbey will be closed for about six months to allow for the alterations needed to stage the ceremony.
We then entered the shrine of Edward the Confessor, where William and Kate signed their wedding register. The current shrine is a replacement, since Henry VIII destroyed the original. However, monks did save the bricks and the body/coffin was not destroyed. So, when Mary Tudor became queen and restored Catholicism, she had it rebuilt. This is Edward’s third burial place, and there are other royals in this spot. Edward’s son Edward I (Longshanks) with Eleanor of Castile; Richard II with Anne of Bohemia; and Edward III. Edward is called the Confessor wince he confessed his Christian faith.
The worst that the Abbey has seen was in the time of Oliver Cromwell, who used the building as his headquarters with some of the main area used as stables. During WWII, an incendiary device came right through the center, but did not explode, thankfully.
We then toured to the left, the chamber with Elizabeth I’s tomb with a casket that allegedly contains the bones of the Princes of the Tower (Edward V and brother). The bones have never been tested, and it is unlikely that the queen would assent to that. To the right is the room with Mary Queen of Scots, relocated here by her son James I. Also in the room is her mother-in-law Margaret Lennox, who was the daughter of Henry VIII’s sister Margaret Rose. In the back is a crypt for Stuart Royalty with Charles II, William and Mary and Queen Anne. No big monument for them, though, oddly. There is also Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII.
The main center area behind the altar is the monument for Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Although not marked James I is buried in this spot. There is a new marker on the floor to indicate the burial spot of Edward VI, son of Henry VIII. Henry VIII is buried at Windsor Castle with Jane Seymour. This area is also a military themed area, aka Knights of the Garter. The ceiling is carved with soft white stone that has been recently restored. It is very ornate and quite stunning.
George II and his wife Caroline were the last royals buried here. Windsor has been the burial choice for recent royals. At the very back and center we see the grave of Oliver Cromwell (why?).
We then continued on to Poets’ Corner, a popular area. There are not a lot of burials here, but a lot of monuments. By the way, the monuments are not maintained by the Abbey. If they get old looking, it is up to the family to restore if they choose. We saw Chaucer (burial), Browning, Tennyson, C. S. Lewis, Sir David Frost, Samuel Johnson (burial -- just saw his bible at Oxford), Sir Lawrence Olivier, and graves for Charles Dickens (against his wished also) and Handel.
We then climbed up to the new Queen’s Galleries, opened in 2018 to house some of the Abbey’s artifacts. We saw lots of funeral effigies: Edward III, which is the oldest, Mary Tudor (cancerous stomach), James I (no head), Charles II (the final royal effigy), William and Mary, Elizabeth I (replica only, but corset is original), and Queen Anne (seated)
We also saw the second coronation chair, needed only once for the joint coronation of William and Mary. It has quite a bit of graffiti from schoolboys. There is also a red velvet footstool used for Victoria, when she was crowned. Since she was so young, her short legs needed a place to rest. There is also, surprisingly, one of the twenty-four surviving Magna Carta’s.
Our touring complete, we descended down to the Cellarium restaurant where we had quiche with mixed lettuce and diet cokes. We then walked around the Parliament area, where there were many anti-Brexit protesters (really more flags than people). We admired the view, although the clock tower (Big Ben) was encased in scaffolding. We crossed the bridge, then crossed back and then walked along the river to the Embankment tube stop, stopping to admire the gardens at Whitehall. It was about 3 PM when we returned to the flat, allowing us some time to get our suitcases in order for our journey to Paris the following day.
Dinner had been reserved well in advance (at home, based on an article in The New York Times) at the restaurant, Cora Pearl, in Covent Garden. We walked the 1.3 miles to the restaurant, again enjoying the lively sidewalk scene in London. The restaurant, named for an 19th century courtesan who got her start in Covent Garden but mostly lived in Paris, was small and very charming. The staff was efficient and friendly, and very appreciative when Rob handed over the actual newspapaer article from the Times. Dinner began with agnolotti with cow's curd for Roy (rich and delicious) and cured salmon for Rob with an order of bread with yeast butter. For mains Roy had a fish “stew”, which was three different priced of fish (bream, cod and something else) with five mussels crammed into one shell with a yellow cream broth poured over by the waiter. Rob had cod with turnips three ways (fluff, pickled, and grilled). We had a french white wine, Pouilly-Fume, crisp and good. We also had a side of broccoli with almonds, also very good.
We passed on dessert and walked “home” to our flat. It will be an early morning tomorrow.
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