It might surprise visitors to the Palace of Westminster that it comprises over 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases and three miles of corridors over four floors.
Previous Buildings on the Site of Westminster Palace
Buildings have occupied this site dating back to Saxon times, it was strategically important because of its position on the bank of the Thames. In medieval times the site was known as Thorney Island, and Edward the Confessor (1003-1066), is credited with building a royal palace here as well as a stone shrine on what is now the site of Westminster Abbey (which was built by King Henry III (1207-1272). However the oldest remaining part of the Palace as it stands now, dates back to King William II (1056-1100). Indeed, the Palace of Westminster remained the principle residence of the monarch until part of the building was destroyed by fire in 1512.
Henry VIII (1491-1547) acquired York Palace from Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, renaming it the Palace of Whitehall. This then became the main London residence for English Monarchs from 1530 until 1698. Although the Palace of Westminster remained a Royal Palace it was used by the 2 Houses of Parliament and as a Court of Law.
During the night of 16th October 1834, a fire broke out, devastating the building. Westminster Hall, the Jewell Tower, Crypt of St. Stephen's Chapel and the Cloisters were the only parts of the Palace to survive
Due to the severity of the rebuilding that was required, King William IV (1765-1837) considered converting Buckingham Palace which was also undergoing renovations, into the new Houses of Parliament, but this was rejected. A Royal Commission was appointed to study the requirements of the rebuilding programme and announced, in June 1835, that the new Palace would be built in either of Gothic or Elizabethan style.
The foundation stone was laid in 1840 and took 30 years to complete. The Lords chamber was completed in 1847 and the Commons chamber completed in1852, at which point the architect in charge of the design and rebuilding of the Palace, Charles Barry, was knighted.
The Towers of Westminster Palace
The buildings that make up the Palace comprise of a number of towers. The tallest is Victoria Tower, named after the reigning Monarch at the time of construction. It stands at the south western end of the Palace and is 98.3 m (323ft) in height. As the highest point of the Palace this is where the Royal Standard flies when the Monarch is present or the Union Flag at all other times. The Sovereign's entrance is situated at the base of tower, and, as the name suggests, is the entrance used by the Monarch during the State Opening of Parliament etc.
Above the central lobby is the Central Tower. It is octagonal in shape and is 91.4m (300ft) in height.
The Clock Tower stands at the north eastern end of the Palace and houses the iconic bell, 'Big Ben'. The original plan for the Palace didn't include a clock tower; this was added later at the request of the Commission and has probably become the most instantly recognisable part of the whole building.
St. Stephen's Tower stands at the front of the Palace between Westminster Hall and Old Palace Yard and incorporates St. Stephen's entrance, the main entrance to the House of Lords, at its base. The Speaker's Tower stands at the north end of the building's river frontage and the chancellor's Tower at the South.
Chambers of the House
The Chamber of the House of Lords is located at the southern end of the Palace. The benches and furnishings are coloured red, which is in contrast to the green of the House of Commons. The gold canopy and throne used by the Sovereign are situated at the south of the chamber. In practice these are only used during the State Opening of Parliament.
The House of Commons is situated at the north end of the Palace. The Chamber was re-opened in 1950 having been bombed during World War II, 10th May 1947 killing 3 people. The Speaker's Chair, presented by the Commonwealth of Australia, sits at the north end of the chamber. In front of this is the Table of the House on which is placed the Commons Ceremonial Mace. At the end of this are the 2 despatch boxes, a present from New Zealand, on which the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader and Front benchers place their notes when speaking. The Chamber can only seat 427 of the 646 members, so many have to stand during full sittings.
There are two red lines on the floor 2.5 m (8ft) apart. Protocol dictates that members do not cross the line when speaking. Historically the distance is approximately 2 sword lengths apart and was designed to prevent disputes ending as duels.
The oldest part of the Palace is Westminster Hall built in 1097 and also has the largest clear span medieval roof in England. Westminster Hall staged the trials of King Charles I, Sir Thomas More and Guy Fawkes amongst others.
Westminster Hall and Layings in State
Westminster Hall is used for the lying in state of the Sovereign and their Consort. The last time this occurred was for the lying of state of the Queen Mother. The only commoners to be granted this honour during the 20th Century was Fredrick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts in 1914 and Sir Winston Churchill in 1965.
Sources:
- Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Parliament.uk.org
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