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The Palace of Westminster was the monarch's principal residence in the late Medieval period. The predecessor of Parliament, the Curia Regis (Royal Council), met in Westminster Hall (although it followed the King when he moved to other palaces).
- A Very Brief History of The Palace of Westminster
- A Hall Fit For A King
- The Mind-Blowing Hammer-Beam Roof
- Royal Symbols
- Six Medieval Statues
- The Plaques on The Floor
- The War Memorial
- St Stephen’s Hall
- How to Visit
The first Palace of Westminster was constructed for Edward the Confessor in the 1040s and 50s. It was rebuilt and added to over the course of the medieval period and onwards. The Palace of Westminster was the primary royal residence until 1512 when a fire destroyed much of the residential part of the palace. It later became home to the two Houses o...
Westminster Hall was built from 1097-99 in the reign of William II, son of William the Conqueror. Measuring 240ft by 67 ft, it was, most likely, the largest hall in Europe at the time of its construction, designed to impress the King’s subjects. The stone walls are 6ft thick and curve, meaning that it is about 2.5ft wider in the middle. The hall ha...
The first sight that will grab your attention when you enter the hall is the incredible hammer-beam roof. Commissioned in 1393 by King Richard II when he remodelled the hall, it is the largest medieval timber roof in Northern Europe. It was framed near Farnham in Surrey and then all 660 tons of it was transported on wagons and barges to Westminster...
All around the hall also look out for the personal emblem of Richard II: the white hart. You will also see the white harts on the staircase in the centre as well. Rather unfortunately for Richard II, after all this remodelling the first major event to take place in his newly designed hall was his own deposition in 1399.
One of the other changes that Richard II made was to commission 13 statues, made of Reigate stone, of all the kings of England from Edward the Confessor to himself. You can see six surviving statues today on the South wall of the hall today, in niches.
On the floor are a number of easily-missed brass plaques, commemorating events that have taken place in the hall. There is a plaque, for example, to the fact that it was here, on the 1st July 1535, that Sir Thomas More was condemned to death. There are also plaques to show where various monarchs and figures bodies lay in state. George VI and the Qu...
At the far end of the hall there is a memorial to members of both houses, or their staff, who died in World War One and above a stained glass window to those that died in World War Two.
Ok this is not inside Westminster Hall, but it is absolutely also worth looking inside St Stephen’s Hall, that leads from Westminster Hall to the chambers of the Houses of Parliament. St Stephen’s Hall is part of the Palace that was rebuilt after the devastating fire of 1834. It was conceived as a ‘National Valhalla’; lined with statues of famous P...
Anyone can visit Westminster Hall when Parliament is sitting. You can watch debates in the chambers, PMQ’s on Wednesdays or book onto one of their guided tours. Find out more about visiting here. Thank you for reading! More of London’s amazing historical sights below…
May 26, 2024 · For nearly 150 years, the Palace of Westminster has served as the meeting place of British democracy, bearing witness to countless historical debates, speeches, and decisions. It has survived the Blitz, major fires, and the ever-present threat of decay and disrepair.
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The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative chambers which occupy the building.
Sep 14, 2022 · The hall survived a devastating fire in the 19th Century that destroyed most of the rest of the Palace of Westminster. The building of Westminster Hall was commissioned by King William II -...
Mar 13, 2020 · One of London’s most famous landmarks and the home of Big Ben suffers from leakage, decay and even rodent issues. Standing proud on the left bank of the River Thames, the Palace of...
