9/25/2025 Breakfast is almond croissant From PAUL and the scone from Claridge's that we brought home. I'm feeling much better. Plan for today is to take the tube to Westminster.
Tube. Easy walk to Earl's Court Station. We took the District Line to Westminster-tap in, tap out-and then it was another short walk to Westminster Abbey.
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| Believe this is St. Margaret's Church |
Westminster Abbey. London's oldest and most important church. Founded as a large Benedictine monastery. No one knows exactly when the first church was built on this site. King Edward (known as the Confessor because he was a holy man) founded his church on the site so from then on we are certain of its history. It was consecrated on 28 December 1065. The Abbey is world famous as the resting place of Britain's monarch, as the setting for coronations, and other great pageants. One of the most glorious examples of medieval architecture in London. Half national church, half national museum. Stands alongside the Houses of Parliament. The West Front Towers were completed in 1745 designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor. The interior is mind blowing. Nave, Lady Chapel, Poets' Corner, Tomb of Elizabeth I, Coronation Chair............... This will be a revisit as last time was 2008 and back then you were not allowed to take pictures inside. I used my 2 for 1 voucher. Cost for the both of us was 30.00£/$40.61 I got a free pamphlet/leaflet that actually showed a recommended visit route. At the Abbey Shop I bought some postcards for 5.00£/$6.77 There are also multi media guides that you can get which we did, as well as Verger guided tours.
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Admission tickets
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Free pamphlet
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| Postcard |
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 | Queens Window
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| South Rose Window |
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| Postcard-South Rose Window. Depicts religious and other figures and was dedicated in 1902 |
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| West window in the Nave |
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| Grave of the Unknown Warrior |
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| Nave |
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| Nave Window |
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George Frideric Handel-composer
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Sir Isaac Newton
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| Nave-West Window-Ceiling |
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North Transept-Rose Window
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| North Transept-contains statues of 18th and 19th century prime ministers |
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Lady Elizabeth Nightingale who died in childbirth being protected by her husband as he fends off the spear aimed at her by the skeletal figure of death.
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| Quire-church within a church-where the monks worshipped though not in these stalls which are Victorian. Here is where the choir sit for choral services. |
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| Quire screen |
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| Postcard-Quire |
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| High Altar |
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| Cosmati pavement-Designed and laid in 1268. More than 30,000 pieces of porphyry, glass, and onyx set into Purbeck marble-now rather worn. Swirling patterns. |
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| Can follow along on your visit with this guide that we got |
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| Lantern ceiling |
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| Last Supper |
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 | | Chapel built above King Henry V's tomb |
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Tomb of Queen Elizabeth I and her half sister Mary is a single large white marble monument. Elizabeth is buried on top of Mary. Single effigy of Elizabeth I which sits above the vault where both sisters are interred.
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| Henry VII's Lady ChapelRenowned for elaborate fan-vaulted ceiling. English Gothic architecture. Burial place for Henry VII and his wife Elizabeth of York as well as other monarchs like Mary Queen of Scots. Displays banners of the Knights of the Order of the Bath. |
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| Altar in Lady Chapel |
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| RAF Chapel |
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He was initially buried in Westminster Abbey in 1658 after his death but his body was exhumed in 1661 following the restoration of the monarchy and eventually moved from the Abbey. This inscribed stone commemorates him in the RAF Chapel
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| Mary Queen of Scots |
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| Henry VII Chapel |
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| Verger tour |
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| Composer, conductor, and pianist |
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Cloister Garth-central open air courtyard within the cloister which is a covered 4 sided walkway
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Cloister
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| My first attempt was a blurry mess |
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| He campaigned for the abolition of the slave trade |
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| Anti slavery MP |
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| 14th century painting of Richard II said to be earliest portrait of an English sovereign |
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| Medieval wall painting in the south transept |
Parliament. We walked here from Westminster Abbey. Passed by some interesting buildings. Neo Gothic. Intriguing history. 1215-King John is made to sign the Magna Carta making him subject to the rule of law paving the way for the beginnings of Parliament in 1265. I have booked us a guided tour which was the only way to do this. Our tour was for 2:40 pm and supposed to last for 90 minutes. However we spent at least 2 hours on this tour. At times the guide was nice enough to allow Richard to sit in areas where the rest of us could not sit. It was good for him to be able to do this as a lot of walking is still not his thing. He's been getting better but is still recovering from being so sick. Cost 68.00£/$92.34 We will see the Commons Chamber, the Lords Chamber, and more. Unfortunately no pictures allowed except in Westminster Hall. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and we learned so much about the history and work of the Parliament.
House of Commons. Green seats/benches. Publicly elected. Dominant chamber with power to approve or reject legislation and control government finances. Exclusive authority over taxation and public spending and it is where the government is formed. Can pass a vote of no confidence to bring down the government. No king or queen has entered since 1642 when King Charles I with armed guards entered and unsuccessfully tried to arrest some of the members. Ruling party on the left, opposition on the right. Speaker's Chair. 2 red lines on the floor-run in front of the government and opposition front benches. Traditionally spaced 2 sword lengths apart, they prevent opposing members from dueling during debate. Members cannot step over or speak from between these lines during proceedings.
House of Lords. Red seats/benches. Appointed or hereditary. Lord Speaker presides. Revising chamber-scrutinizes and amends legislation that originates in the House of Commons. Works to make laws-examines and improves draft legislation that can start in either the House of Lords or the House of Commons. Checks the government's work. Holds the government accountable by questioning ministers and debating important topics. Acts as a revising chamber-focuses on details of laws and sometimes asks the House of Commons to reconsider its plans. Selects committees to investigate public policy, proposed laws, and government activity. Members are a mix of life peers/appointed based on their expertise from a wide range of fields such as business, law, and science; heredity peers; and Lords Spiritual/which includes Church of England bishops and archbishops. Majority of members are life peers-expertise such as business, law, and science. Lords Spiritual is a group Of Church of England bishops and archbishops. Also heredity peers/inherit their status from their family. This tour was so informative and very interesting.
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| Walking from Westminster Abbey to Parliament |
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| St. Margaret's Church |
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Parliament
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| Admission ticket |
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| Westminster Hall |
The following-pavers "lay in state" information
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| King George V-1936; Queen Mary-1953 |
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| King George VI-1952; Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother-2002 |
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| Queen Elizabeth II-2022 |
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| Winston Churchill-1965 |
We walked over to Westminster Station to take the tube back to the apartment. Total cost for the tube today was 5.70£/$7.68 for each of us round trip.
Uber to the restaurant for dinner. Cost 18.93£/$25.63
Mayfair Chippy. Knightsbridge location. We got a bottle of sparkling water, a black cab stout pint, and a non alcohol Mai Tai. I had the fried haddock and also ordered a side salad. Richard had the Mayfair Classic-chose fried haddock. It came with fries, mushy peas, tartar, and either curry sauce or gravy but I can't remember if he got the curry sauce or the gravy. Both of our haddock/fish was done perfectly. Just the right amount of batter coating. Fish was not overcooked. It melted in your mouth. It was fantastic and so much better than the fish & chips we had on our 2008 trip. Service was fine. Food was outstanding. Cost 74.98£/$101.01
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| Black cab stout-pint |
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| No alcohol Mai Tai |
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| Fried haddock and side salad |
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| Mayfair Classic-fried haddock |
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| Lots of fries |
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Richard gave me some of his fries
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| Sparkling water |
Uber back to the apartment. Cost 6.68£/$9.04 It amazes me that sometimes the uber costs are so different between going and returning. Example-our return Uber was 12£ less than what it cost to go there! It was a long day today. Tomorrow the hope is to revisit the Tower of London and also the British Museum. Can't believe that our trip is almost over and we head back home in a few days. And today I walked 3.72 miles!
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| Uber back to the apartment |
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