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Home. History of Westminster Abbey. An architectural masterpiece of the 13th to 16th centuries, Westminster Abbey also presents a unique pageant of British history – the shrine of St Edward the Confessor, the tombs of kings and queens, and countless memorials to the famous and the great.
Jul 26, 2017 · Westminster Abbey, one of the most famous religious buildings in the world, has hosted British royal coronations, marriages and burials since the 11th century.
History. Explore our History. In this section. All. Art. Architecture. Christianity. Notable people. Royalty. Abbey bells. Abbots and deans. Benedictine monks. Britain's Oldest Door. Coronation Chair. Cosmati pavement. Funeral and wax effigies. Misericords. The Nave. Oil paintings. Order of the Bath. The Queen's Window. Retable. Stained Glass.
It was founded around 960 as a Benedictine monastery on what was then a marshy delta, Thorney Island, formed where two streams of the Tyburn met the river Thames.
The history of the Palace of Westminster began in the Middle Ages – in the early eighth century – when there was an Anglo-Saxon church dedicated to St. Peter the Apostle which became known as the West Minster (St. Paul's being the East Minster).
Westminster School can trace its origins back to 1178 and was re-founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1560. It is located around Little Dean’s Yard. The iconic silhouette of the ensemble is an intrinsic part of its identity, which is recognised internationally with the sound of “Big Ben” being broadcast regularly around the world.
The roots of Westminster Abbey can be traced back to the seventh century when a church was founded on the site, known as Thorn Ey (Thorn Island). It was during the reign of King Henry III that the construction of the present church commenced in 1245.
