Westminster Abbey

Westminster Abbey Review

A monument to the nation's rich—and often bloody and scandalous—history, the abbey rises on the Thames skyline as one of London's most iconic sites. The mysterious gloom of the lofty medieval interior is home to more than 600 statues, tombs, and commemorative tablets. About 3,300 people, from kings to composers to wordsmiths, are buried in the abbey. It has been the scene of 16 royal weddings and no fewer than 38 coronations—the first in 1066, when William the Conqueror was made king here.

There's only one way around the abbey, and as there will almost certainly be a long stream of shuffling tourists at your heels, you'll need to be alert to catch the highlights. Enter by the north door then turn around and look up to see the painted-glass rose window, the largest of its kind. Step into the small Chapel of St. Michael, where a tomb effigy of Joseph Gascoigne Nightingale fights off a sheet-draped figure of death. Next enter the adjacent Tomb of St. John the Baptist past a lovely statue of the Virgin Mary and child.

As you walk east toward the apse you'll see the Coronation Chair, at the foot of the Henry VII Chapel, which has been briefly graced by nearly every regal posterior since Edward I ordered it in 1301. Farther along, the exquisite confection of the Henry VII's Lady Chapel is topped by a magnificent fan-vaulted ceiling. The wooden seats are known as stalls, carrying the heraldic banners of knights. The tomb of Henry VII lies behind the altar; his queen, Elizabeth of York, is also here, as are, it is believed, the bodies of the so-called Princes in the Tower, Edward V and Richard. Elizabeth I is buried above arch enemy Mary Tudor in the tomb just to the north, while Mary Queen of Scots is buried in the tomb to the south. In front of the High Altar, which was used for the funerals of Princess Diana and the Queen Mother, is a black-and-white marble pavement laid in 1268. The intricate Italian Cosmati work contains three Latin inscriptions, one of which states that the world will last for 19,683 years.

Continue through the South Ambulatory to the Chapel of St. Edward the Confessor, which contains the shrine to the pre-Norman king. Because of its great age, you must join of the vergers' tours to be admitted to the chapel (details available at the admission desk; there is a small charge), or attend Holy Communion within the shrine on Tuesdays at 8 am). To the left, you'll find Poets' Corner. Geoffrey Chaucer was the first poet to be buried here in 1400, and other statues and memorials include those to William Shakespeare, D.H. Lawrence, T.S. Eliot, and Dylan Thomas as well as non-poets, Laurence Olivier and George Frederick Handel among them; look out for the 700-year old frescoes. A door from the south transept and south choir aisle leads to the calm of the Great Cloisters, filled in part with the headstones of 26 monks who died in 1348, during the Black Death. A café is nicely tucked into the cloisters.

The medieval Chapter House is adorned with 14th-century frescoes and a magnificent 13th-century tiled floor, one of the finest in the country. The King's Council met here between 1257 and 1547. Near the entrance is Britain's oldest door, dating from the 1050s. Take a left out of the Chapter House to visit the Abbey Museum, which houses a collection of deliciously macabre effigies made from the death masks and actual clothing of Charles II and Admiral Lord Nelson (complete with eye patch). Past the museum, the Little Cloister is a quiet haven, and just beyond, the College Garden is a delightful diversion. Filled with medicinal herbs, it has been tended by monks for more than 900 years. On the west side of the abbey, the Dean's Yard is the best spot for a fine view of the massive flying buttresses above.

Continue back to the nave of the abbey. In the choir screen, north of the entrance to the choir, is a marble monument to Sir Isaac Newton. If you walk towards the West Entrance, you'll see a plaque to Franklin D. Roosevelt —one of the Abbey's very few tributes to a foreigner. The poppy-wreathed Grave of the Unknown Warrior commemorates soldiers who lost their lives in both world wars; nearby is a portrait of Richard II.

Arrive early if possible, but be prepared to wait in line to tour the abbey. Photography is not permitted.