Westminster Abbey, formally known as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is one of the United Kingdom's most notable religious buildings. It is the traditional coronation and burial site for English and, later, British monarchs. Neither a cathedral nor a parish church, Westminster Abbey is a place of worship owned by the royal family.
Located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster, it is in the heart of London. The history of the Abbey dates back to its foundation by Edward the Confessor in the 1040s in a location that was, at the time, well removed from the heart of the city. The present building, however, dates from the reign of Henry III, who ordered a reconstruction in a Gothic style, a process that started in 1245 and took many years to complete.
The tradition of burying significant figures at Westminster Abbey began in the 13th century with Edward the Confessor's re-interment there in 1269. His shrine subsequently attracted royal patronage, and it became one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in England.
Famous Burials
Royalty
Many English and British monarchs were interred in Westminster Abbey, including Edward I, Edward III, Richard II, Henry III, Henry V, and all the Tudors except for Henry VIII and Mary I. Queen Elizabeth I is buried in the same tomb as her half-sister, Mary I, in what is known as the "Lady Chapel". The last monarch to be buried in the Abbey was George II in 1760; subsequent monarchs have been buried in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Scientists
Westminster Abbey is also the resting place of some of the greatest minds in science. Sir Isaac Newton, renowned for his laws of motion and universal gravitation, was buried in the Abbey in 1727. In 1738, a monument was erected in his honor, featuring a sculpture of Newton leaning against a globe.
Charles Darwin, who developed the theory of natural selection, was buried beside Newton in 1882, a decision that was somewhat controversial due to Darwin's impact on religious thought. More recently, the renowned physicist and cosmologist, Stephen Hawking, was interred in the Abbey in 2018, near Newton and Darwin. Hawking's ashes were interred, and his memorial stone is inscribed with his famous equation for the entropy of a black hole.
Writers and Poets
The Abbey is also notable for "Poets' Corner", a section of the South Transept where literary figures are either buried or commemorated. This tradition started with the burial of Geoffrey Chaucer in 1400. Other famous writers buried or commemorated there include William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, and many more.
Modern Burials and Memorials
While the Abbey no longer regularly holds burials, it still serves as a site for memorials. For example, there is a memorial for Sir Winston Churchill, although he is buried in a family plot in Oxfordshire. There are also memorials for people who significantly contributed to British society, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela.
The long and storied history of Westminster Abbey as the final resting place for many of Britain's most famous and influential figures has evolved over the centuries, from a royal mausoleum to a pantheon of the country's greatest minds and talents. Today, it remains a rich historical tapestry and a place of remembrance for those who have shaped British history.