4 November 2009 - History of the Building & Restoration of Westminster Abbey

I am pleased to report on our November 4th 2009 meeting. Our speaker for the morning was Mr. Roberts, Project Manager for the restoration of Westminster Abbey. He worked for 4 years prior to his retirement on the biggest restoration work ever undertaken, at the Abbey.

The original site on which the Abbey stands was called Thorney Island. The site was picked by the Romans and Edward the Confessor had the first building built there in the first century. It was known as the Minster in the West. Thorney Island was a sacred spot originally and was consecrated by Henry of Reims. Later Henry then changed the original design with a Gothic theme, which was quite different from the original concept. Much of the stone was carved by stonemasons who favoured stone excavated from mines in Beer in Devon. The stone , however, was very soft and had to weathered in the London air for about 6 months to harden, before they could start to carve it.

Stone was brought from other mines in the country and much of it transported up the River Thames. ( Why, I wonder, cannot more materials be transported in this manner, instead of by road! )
The Abbey remained largely as originally built, until Christopher Wren designed and added the great West Towers in about the 1730’s.

The present restoration was started in 1973 and 19,000 cubic feet of new stone has been used. Many of the stonemasons learnt their trade whilst working on the Abbey. One such sculptor started as an apprentice and finished as the Foreman in Charge. There were also two women sculptors involved in the restoration, one of whom always signed her work incorporating a dolphin into her carvings.

Mr Roberts suggested that when we next visit Westminster Abbey, to take a pair of binoculars, in order to properly see the range of animals etc. carved into this great building.

It was gratifying to learn that we still have craftsmen able to do this work in this 21st century.

The next meeting of Dean Rise W.I. will be at 9.45 a.m. on Wednesday the 2nd December, when it will be our Christmas Meeting. Our Hostess for the morning is Mrs. Maureen Lawrence.