Westminster Hall and Westminster Abbey

[An Ard Ri]

Westminster Abbey will hold a Memorial Evensong for the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu who passed away on December 26th.
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/abbey-plans-memorial-evensong-for-archbishop-tutu

 

[LauraS3514]

Its simply amazing that the Prayer Book of the Lady Margaret Beaufort,Countess of Richmond and Derby survived the Reformation given all the damage done to English art work, statues, monuments and manuscripts.

Richard III's Book of Hours also survived. It includes prayers written in his own hand and is kept at Lambeth Palace. https://www.medievalists.net/2015/03/richard-iiis-book-of-hours/
https://www.medievalists.net/2017/02/richard-lll-book-hours-now-online/

 

[Heavs]

I suppose we have to be thankful for what did survive. And there is still much wonderful treasure surviving in English churches & cathedrals. But yes what was lost forever was cataclysmic. A great tragedy.

Of course sometimes we can glimpse that lost world of ancient English Catholicism when some long whitewashed church walls are discovered to be hiding medieval painting. Moments when you can literally touch history.

I love it when someone moves a chair or a piece of stonework that hasn't been moved for 500 years and beautiful, colourful murals pop out from behind whitewashing, like the Wheel of Fortune at Rochester Cathedral.

Some churches have also done a lot more research into traces of surviving colours (often red and blue) on their masonry in recent years to map out how it might have looked and what might be behind the whitewash with equipment from local universities and other projects.

But sigh, the whitewash...

 

[An Ard Ri]

The last Abbots of the Benedictine house of Saint Peter - Westminster Abbey

William Benson (died 1549)
Hugh Weston 1556
John Feckenham was the last abbot of Westminster 1556-1560

Mary I restored it as a Benedictine House and it was dissolved in 1560 by queen Elizabeth I.

 

[An Ard Ri]

The latest question and answer session from Westminster Abbey with Dr Miranda Kaufmann, author of "Black Tudors: The Untold Story" (2017).

 

[An Ard Ri]

The Service of Thanksgiving for the late Dame Vera Lynn will be held at the Abbey on Monday 21st March 2022.

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/a.../a-service-of-thanksgiving-for-dame-vera-lynn

 

[Durham]

The latest question and answer session from Westminster Abbey with Dr Miranda Kaufmann, author of "Black Tudors: The Untold Story" (2017).

This is very interesting but what I find confusing is what she means by "African". Does she mean black Africans only or people from North Africa as well? She uses black & African interchangeably but that's not accurate.

So is her book Black Tudors about black Africans only or about all Africans? Maybe I need to read it to find out!

It would also have been useful to find out many Africans were living in Tudor London. A handful? A hundred? More than that?

 

[An Ard Ri]

A Service to Commemorate the Life of Florence Nightingale will be held at Westminster Abbey on Wednesday the 11th May 2022.

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/abbey-to-commemorate-the-life-of-florence-nightingale

 

[An Ard Ri]

Anyone watching the Thanksgiving Memorial Service at Westminster Abbey would have noticed the main altar was covered in white linen and wondered why it was covered ?

For Lent from Ash Wednesday until Easter Day.

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/about-the-abbey/history/vestments-and-frontals

 

[Durham]

The Guild of St Faith does a wonderful job repairing & creating new vestments & frontals. Reminds me of the work done by textile conservators in the Royal Collection & Historic Royal Palaces.

Hampton Court & its wonderful tapestries come to mind.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Today Westminster Abbey joined churches across the UK and Ireland in an act of witness to pray and light candles for Ukraine.
in an act of witness to pray and light candles for Ukraine

 

[An Ard Ri]

Sir David Cannadine and Dan Snow explore the history of Westminster Abbey.

 

[Durham]

Fascinating programme. It's funny how Disaraeli & Gladstone are facing away from each other.

It's a shame there isn't more public access to hidden parts of the abbey complex.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Preparing for the 1953 coronation and the abbey today!

 

[An Ard Ri]

A new Mass was celebrated yesterday at Westminster Abbey to mark St Peter’s Feast Day (Wednesday 29th June 2022)

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/new-mass-setting-to-premiere-on-st-peter-s-day

 

[An Ard Ri]

The Princess of Wales will preside over the annual Royal Christmas Carol Service on December 15th ,this will be filmed and will be aired on ITV One in the UK on Christmas Eve.

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/a...ol-service-to-take-place-at-westminster-abbey

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Westminster Abbey Bells
Here is a few minutes recording of the bells ringing from around the abbey.

 

[An Ard Ri]

A Festive performance of Bach's magnificent Weihnachtsoratorium (Christmas Oratorio) will take place on Thursday December 1st at the Abbey.

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/a...d-music/2022/december/bach-christmas-oratorio

 

[An Ard Ri]

St Margaret's at Westminster will host a Carol Service by candlelight tonight at 6pm in connection with The Passage homeless charity.
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/a...as/2022/december/carol-service-by-candlelight

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Westminster Hall Through Time

 

[An Ard Ri]

Elizabeth Russell and her monument at Westminster Abbey.

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/john-and-elizabeth-russell

 

[An Ard Ri]

The Choir of Westminster Abbey will perform one final Christmas concert this evening at 7pm.

There will also be telling of the story of the Nativity and other Seasonal readings.

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-events/choral-and-music/2022/december/christmas-concert-2022

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The bells of Westminster Abbey rang for The Princess of Wales' birthday.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

New bells for Westminster Abbey when Queen Elizabeth II attended the dedication ceremony on November 15, 1971

 

[An Ard Ri]

A new entrance to the Great West Door has been completed after a 4 month project.

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/beautiful-new-entrance-for-westminster-abbey

 

[An Ard Ri]

A prayer Service to mark the first anniversary of Ukraine War was held on Friday 24th February,the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom aws in attendance.

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-news/abbey-marks-first-anniversary-of-ukraine-war

 

[An Ard Ri]

A look at the tomb of Sir George Villiers +1606 and Lady Mary Villiers,Countess of Buckingham at the Chapel of St Nicholas in Westminster Abbey.
Mary was a Catholic convert and the mother of James I's favourite Sir George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham.
The Countess died in 1632.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Ahead of the Coronation,Westminster Abbey is also preparing for Holy Week and Easter Day.

Palm Sunday
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/a...th-the-blessings-of-palms-and-procession-2023

Good Friday

https://www.westminster-abbey.org/a...-easter/2023/april/good-friday-solemn-liturgy

Holy Saturday
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/a...aster/2023/april/vigil-first-eucharist-easter

Easter Day
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/a...d-easter/2023/april/holy-communion-easter-day

 

[CyrilVladisla]

How many people realize that Westminster Abbey is built in the shape of a cross?
Why one part of Westminster Abbey was specially designed for coronations – Royal Central

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The Westminster Abbey bells are ringing for the Coronation of King Charles III
http://www.facebook.com/Westminster...he-coronation-our-bells-ringe/562386132721497