Lady Chapel At Westminster Abbey, London: ‘Wonder Of The World’

The spectacular fan-vaulted ceiling within the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey, London is a glorious example of medieval architecture.

Better known as the Henry VII Chapel, it’s the last great masterpiece of English medieval architecture.

The 16th-century historian John Leland called the Lady Chapel ‘a wonder of the world’.

The Lady Chapel is the burial place of fifteen kings and queens including Elizabeth I, Mary I, Mary Queen of Scots and what is thought to be the remains of Edward V.

In the 13th century, a movement toward devotion to the Virgin Mary inspired the building of chapels in her honour across Europe.

Henry III’s Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey was part of this trend.

In 1502, Henry VII planned a new chapel - the old one was demolished in 1502 and construction of the new foundation began January 24, 1503.

Henry VII had three goals when planning his chapel, the first was to build a shrine to honour and hold the body of Henry VI, who was expected to be canonized.

Ultimately, canonization did not occur and Henry VII and his wife were interred in the tomb intended for Henry VI.

Second, Henry VII wished to dedicate a more elaborate chapel to the Virgin to replace the older, simpler structure; and third, he wanted a royal mausoleum for him, his family, and his heirs at an important religious site that would enhance his legitimacy as king and his legacy.

Henry VII allocated more than £14,000 for its construction between 1503 and 1509.

In his will, he stipulated that more funds were to be provided as needed. The final cost of the chapel is estimated at £20,000.

According to one nobleman, Lord Bacon, “He lieth at Westminster in one of the stateliest and daintiest monuments of Europe.

So that he dwelleth more richly dead in the monument of his tomb than he did alive at Richmond or in any of his palaces.”

Below the central aisle is the Hanoverian vault where George II and members of his family are buried.

The Sovereign and the Great Master of the Order continue to install new knights in the chapel, usually every four years. 

A Lady Chapel is a chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and is common to most cathedrals and large churches.

The outstanding feature of the chapel is the spectacular fan-vaulted roof with its carved pendants.

Andrew Reynolds refers to the vault as “the most perfect example of a pendant fan vault, the most ambitious kind of vaulting current in the perpendicular period.”

Notably, this ceiling was also the first to combine pendants with fan vaulting.

The fan vault is created by first dividing the ceiling into groin vaulted compartments.

These groin vaults are created by the combination of arches along the wall and larger, transverse arches bridging the nave of the chapel.

In the fan vault at the Henry VII Chapel, the compartments are nearly square in shape.

The compartments are then ribbed and paneled. Ribs, of the same curve and size, are cut from single pieces of stone and rebated so to best fit with the panels.

The curved ribs, extending from the same point on the wall, are spaced equidistant from each other, forming conoid shapes.

The resulting conoids, however, require great compressive forces to keep shape.

Royal Airforce Chapel

Situated at the eastern end of the Lady Chapel, the Royal Airforce Chapel is a dedication to the brave soldiers that gave their lives in the Battle of Britain in 1940.

This part of the building was also damaged during the war and a hole made in the stonework is preserved to this day behind glass.

In 1943, Viner-Brady approached the Dean of Westminster to create a memorial for “The Few” and this part of the abbey was chosen for the same.

Funds were then raised to build this chapel, which was then decorated with a stained glass window that symbolizes Redemption.

The chapel was later unveiled by King George VI on 10th July 1947. 

Westminster Abbey itself is a magnificent and world-famous building that has been the site of every coronation since that of William The Conqueror in 1066.

Many royal weddings have taken place at Westminster, including the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011.

One of the most famous sections within the abbey is Poet's Corner, where the tombs or memorials of many poets, writers, and playwrights, including William Shakespeare, are located.

In 1987, Westminster Abbey was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its cultural and historical significance.

Today, it’s a major tourist attraction, drawing visitors from around the world who come to explore its history, architecture, and cultural significance.

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