Sure, there are a lot of dead monarchs in London, but some of the most English notable rulers, writers, philosophers, scientists, and many more lay within the walls of Westminster Abbey. With this many souls resting in one place, my mind couldn't help wandering... Do sites of religious sanctity ever have haunts? My instincts say, probably not, since many people find solace in knowing that their souls are meant to be resting peacefully in heaven after being buried in such holy ground as Westminster Abbey. Seeing the monumental structure in person, it's easy to see why many chose this as their final resting place, house of worship, and even school for the lucky few admitted.
During my spring semester this previous school year, I took a history class that I resented because of its unreasonable level of difficulty. While I still think it was way too hard for a Gen Ed course, I found a new appreciation for the vast amount of knowledge I somehow retained in that class while connecting the history of the Abbey to my prior knowledge. Knowing the same structure we walked within was seen through the eyes of King Henry III (who saw out the construction of parts of the Abbey) evoked an eerie, but profoundly mystical, feeling. To think Westminster has withstood the tests of time, the abolishment of Catholicism under Henry VIII, countless war-ridden periods, and the atomic bombs of WWII, is miraculous.
The amount of incredibly influential people who are laid to rest there is incredible in itself and something I was not expecting. Not only are more than eight monarchs buried there, like Elizabeth I with her sister Mary I (Bloody Mary), but so, so many modern age influences. To name a few: Issac Newton, Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, Chaucer, Rudyard Kipling, Lewis Carroll, and most recently, Stephen Hawking.
I can't imagine our tour having been the same without our wonderful, practically pocket-sized tour guide, David, who was very possibly the most informed and adorable British man I've ever had the fortune of meeting.This man was an encyclopedia of information. He could have given us a detailed explanation and anecdote about every brick of the Abbey. He was wonderfully enjoyable, and made the experience that much more pleasant.
While I could not take pictures within the main Abbey chapel, many would recognize it's massive insides from the fairly recent royal wedding between Kate and William in 2012. I already thought of the Abbey as massive on screen, but experiencing this feat of architecture in person could easily make a person feel minuscule. Every person inside its walls were witnessing a history, a cultural treasure that could never be replaced or compared.
To provide some perspective, a pretty radical fact about the Abbey had to do with its insane height. So tall, it would produce its own mist near the ceiling, causing dew to stick to the top walls. In the medieval era, caretakers didn't know the precise way to clean this away without damaging painted decoration within the Abbey, so they would end up unintentionally wrecking some of their own artwork.
This is one of the few buildings that has ever left me speechless to be within, let alone taken my breath away with its beauty. Although I truly wish my mom had been able to see it with me, like she wanted to while my family was here, a sense of personal connection lies in this experience for me. While I may not be Catholic, I am strong in my faith. Being inside such a fervently meaningful structure of religion was remarkable.
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