Westminster Abbey

Exactly one month had passed since my last visit into London. On 1 January, I was standing on Westminster Bridge in the wee hours of the New Year. It was dark, wet, crowded...and cold.



This morning as I stood on Westminster Bridge, it was almost a completely different story. It was bright, dry, spacious...and cold. But if I was only allowed to change 3 of the 4 variables, this is exactly what I would have chosen!



The entrance to Westminster Abbey is through the Great North Door. When we came over in July, the featured "Best of British" movie on the plane was Amazing Grace, and since that time I had been looking forward to seeing where William Wilberforce is buried. (He is in the north transept, not far from where you enter the church.) I took an excellent verger-led tour in the morning, and the four of us (nothing like an off season visit!) were taken to several parts of the building not open to the general public, including the shrine of St Edward the Confessor. We also stood close enough to touch Isaac Newton's memorial (of The Da Vinci Code fame) instead of viewing it from a distance.



I spent the afternoon retracing some of my steps, and visiting additional areas highlighted on the audio tour. (I could've spent hours staring at the Lady Chapel and its ceiling.) The exit from Westminster Abbey is through the Great West Door, and I was obviously impressed by the view of the west towers from the front...



...and the side...



...and the back! I completed my day by attending a special service at 5:00. Because it is the Eve of Candlemas (The Presentation of Christ in the Temple), traditional Evensong was replaced with Blessing of Candles and Sung Eucharist. We all assembled in the Nave, and then followed the Choir (with our lit candles) into the Quire and Lantern for the remainder of the service. The bells were pealing as I left the church, and I could hear them all the way across Westminster Bridge - now dark, but still dry, spacious...and cold.