pumpkinstrokemarrow

Earlier in the week to Westminster Abbey, part of the spin-off from current reading material. See yesterday's history for the other part. The last visit, according to the blog record, since January 8th 2009, although I had thought that I have been back since then.

Walking across from Waterloo rather alarmed by the number of people sculling about. Round the eye, on the bridge, outside the Palace of Westminster. Were they all heading for the Abbey? Luckily this turned out not to be the case, although the place was pretty crowded. Not too pleased to find that they have implemented a one way system for one's tour of the abbey. One can see why this is necessary, but it does not improve the visit experience and does best as a tour of the many tombs and monuments in the place. At the end we tried to sneak back to the beginning by tagging onto the end of a guided tour. Promptly detected and pulled out of line by a red cloaked trusty, but he did the decent thing and let us go round again without extra charge. We could, I suppose, have gone back against the flow but this would have been a bit tiresome, as well as ending up at the entrance rather than the exit.

Prompted by Roy Strong, took a good look at the Cosmati Pavement, the pavement on which crownings are done, and which I had not bothered with before. Impressive looking thing, but it would be more impressive if one was allowed to walk on it or even look at it from above, rather than from the side. Strangely modern looking thing by design, although a touch worn with its 750 years or so. Rather like an eastern carpet. Strong interesting on coronations at that time, the ceremony being not unlike that by which one becomes a priest. Prostration, undressing, annointing, redressing, rebirth and all that sort of thing. Since then coronation has become less priestly and more secular, the church not really liking the idea of the king being a chief priest, this getting in the way of the pope and his chaps.

Very strange carvings on the underside of the wooden misericords of the new lady chapel, which was not, as it happens, very lady like. All knights in armour rather than virgin marys. Rather like some of the exuberant stone carving in the lady chapel at Ely and including at least one green man. Something which, as it happens, they are big on at Ely.

Came across the tomb of Richard II and wondered how he came to be there, having expired in some provincial castle on the orders of his usurper, Henry IV. It turned out, according to Wikipedia, that the usurper's son, Henry V, had had his bod moved to the Abbey, partly as an act of penance and partly to quieten rumours that Richard still lived. Rumours despite the fact that said bod had been put on exhibition for a few days shortly after death. All of which was very appropriate given that Richard spent a lot of time and treasure on the Abbey in life. See note about the Richard following at 4th September. Clearly becoming prescient.

Also came across the tomb of Sir Clowdisley Shovell, a very grand affair. I remembered wondering about the name, in particular wondering why I was wondering. This turned out to be on August 28th 2008, and not as far as I could see anything to do with a visit to the abbey.

All in all a tremendous building, but not very sacred. Hard to get a proper view with its being chopped in half by the choir (this to make a suitably grand space for royal coronations) and with all the clutter of monuments. The worst offender seemed to be the renaissance, the lords and ladies of which went in for very fancy boxes and box holders. Not equalled since.

But an opportunity to turn the pages in my large book of the abbey, 100 years old itself, weighing in this morning at just 7lbs and costing £10 from somewhere in Bridport (I think). Not suitable for vegetarians as the spine looks like parchment or something of that sort. Said to be a limited edition but the space to put the number in is blank so I don't know. But I do now know that while most of the building is ancient, the west front was stuck on by Christopher Wren and the north front was stuck on by Gilbert Scott. Just like the churches in Florence.