Palace of Westminster: History and Overview

General Overview

• The Palace of Westminster, located in London, is the meeting place for the Parliament of the United Kingdom
• It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament, referencing the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
• "Westminster" has become a metonym for the UK Parliament and the British Government.
• The Elizabeth Tower, nicknamed Big Ben, is a major landmark
• The palace has been a Grade I listed building since 1970
• It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

History

• Originally built in the 11th century as a royal palace
• It served as the primary residence for English kings until a fire in 1512 destroyed the royal apartments
• The monarch moved to the Palace of Whitehall, but Parliament continued to meet at Westminster, as it had since the 13th century.
• A larger fire in 1834 destroyed most of the palace
• Westminster Hall from the 12th century survived and was incorporated into the new building.
• Charles Barry won the competition to design the new palace, with a Gothic Revival style.
• Construction began in 1840 and lasted 30 years, facing delays, cost issues, and the deaths of Barry and his assistant, Augustus Pugin.
• The palace includes chambers for the House of Commons, House of Lords, and the monarch, covering 112,476 m2 (1,210,680 sq ft).
• Extensive repairs were needed after the Second World War, including rebuilding the Commons chamber.
• The Curia Regis, Parliament's predecessor, met in Westminster Hall when the king was present.
• The "Model Parliament" of 1295 is considered the first Parliament of England and met at the palace.
• Initially, the palace lacked dedicated chambers for the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
• The Commons adapted St Stephen's Chapel in the 16th century, and the Lords used the Painted Chamber, and later the White Chamber, from 1801.
• Significant alterations occurred from the 18th century onwards to address space limitations.
• John Vardy completed storage and committee rooms in 1770.
• A new residence for the Speaker of the House of Commons was completed in 1795.
• James Wyatt completed significant alterations and a new building in 1801.
• Sir John Soane added new library facilities and law courts between 1824 and 1827.
• A fire on 16 October 1834, caused by burning tally sticks, destroyed the Houses of Parliament and most of the palace complex.
• Westminster Hall, the Jewel Tower, and parts of St Stephen's Chapel survived.
• William IV offered Buckingham Palace to Parliament, but it was rejected as unsuitable.
• The Painted Chamber and White Chamber were temporarily repaired for use.
• In 1835, Parliament planned its permanent accommodation.
• Charles Barry's Perpendicular Gothic Revival design was chosen, with Augustus Pugin contributing Gothic details.
• The Lords Chamber was completed in 1847, and the Commons Chamber in 1852.
• Construction finished a decade later in 1860.
• During World War II, the palace was bombed 14 times
• A bomb in 1940 bent the sword of the statue of Richard the Lionheart.
• A major raid on 10–11 May 1941, caused 12 hits and 3 deaths.
• The Commons Chamber was destroyed but the Westminster Hall was saved.
• The Commons Chamber was rebuilt in a simpler style and completed in 1950.
• Additional office space was acquired in the Norman Shaw Building (1975) and Portcullis House (2000).
• All Members of Parliament (MP) now have their own office facilities.
• Urgent restoration is needed for the building.
• In January 2018, the House of Commons voted to vacate the palace for a complete refurbishment, expected to take at least six years and start no sooner than 2025.
• In September 2022, the Restoration and Renewal Client Board was formed to oversee the works.

Architectural Design

• Charles Barry's design uses the Perpendicular Gothic style.
• Barry was assisted by Gothic architect Augustus Pugin.
• Westminster Hall was incorporated into Barry's design.
• Anston limestone from South Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire was used for the rebuilding.
• The stone decayed due to pollution and poor quality.
• Clipsham stone, a honey-colored limestone from Rutland, replaced the decayed Anston stone starting in the 1930s and completing in the 1950s.
• A stone conservation and restoration program ran from 1981 to 1994.

Key Features

• The Sovereign's Entrance at the base of the Victoria Tower is used by the monarch for state occasions.
• The Parliamentary Archives are housed in the Victoria Tower, containing Acts of Parliament since 1497 and historical documents.
• The Royal Standard flag flies from the flagstaff when the Sovereign is present; otherwise, the Union Flag is flown.
• The Elizabeth Tower, nicknamed "Big Ben," is 96 meters (315 ft) tall and houses the Great Clock.
• The Great Clock was designed by Augustus Pugin and uses the original mechanism by Edward John Dent to designs by Edmund Beckett Denison.
• The Central Tower is octagonal and stands above the Central Lobby, originally intended for ventilation.
• St Stephen's Tower houses the public entrance.
• Speaker's Tower and Chancellor's Tower are at the northern and southern ends of the river front.
• Numerous turrets serve as ventilation shafts.

Gardens

• Victoria Tower Gardens is a public park south of the palace.
• Black Rod's Garden is a private entrance.
• Old Palace Yard is paved with concrete security blocks.
• Cromwell Green, New Palace Yard, and Speaker's Green are private.
• College Green is used for television interviews.

Interior

• Palace contains over 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases, and 4.8 kilometers (3 mi) of passageways spread over four floors.
• The ground floor has offices, dining rooms, and bars.
• The first floor includes the debating chambers, lobbies, and libraries.
• The top two floors are used for committee rooms and offices.
• J. G. Crace, in collaboration with Pugin and others, designed and painted some of the interiors.
• The palace is rectangular, with its long axis parallel to the River Thames.
• The Central Lobby is the building's central point.
• Royal Apartments are available for the monarch's use.
• There are separate entrances for the monarch, members of the House of Lords, members of Parliament, and the public.

Key Rooms

• The Sovereign's Entrance leads to the Royal Apartments.
• The Norman Porch contains stained glass windows depicting Edward the Confessor and Queen Victoria.
• The Robing Room is where the Sovereign prepares for the State Opening of Parliament, featuring the chair of state and frescoes of Arthurian legends.
• The Royal Gallery is used for the royal procession at State Openings, with paintings of British military history.
• The Prince's Chamber is an anteroom between the Royal Gallery and the Lords Chamber.
• It contains portraits of Tudor dynasty members and scenes from Tudor history.
• It also features a statue of Queen Victoria with allegorical statues of Justice and Clemency.
• The Chamber of the House of Lords is lavishly decorated in red.
• It includes the Throne, Woolsack, and Table of the House.
• The Peers' Lobby is an antechamber with a Tudor rose floor centerpiece and heraldic designs.
• The Central Lobby is at the heart of the Palace of Westminster, connecting the House of Lords, House of Commons, and other key areas.
• The East Corridor contains scenes from Tudor history.
• The Commons' Corridor mirrors the design of the Lords' part of the palace, with scenes of 17th-century political history.
• The Members' Lobby is similar to the Peers' Lobby but plainer, containing statues of 20th-century prime ministers.
• The Chamber of the House of Commons is at the northern end of the palace, decorated in green.
• It features the Speaker's Chair, Table of the House, and dispatch boxes.
• The Westminster Hall is the oldest part of the palace, used for judicial purposes, coronation banquets, and lyings in state.
• It has a hammerbeam roof, commissioned for Richard II.
• There are libraries for the House of Lords and House of Commons.
• State apartments are designated for the Speaker and Lord Speaker.
• The Strangers' Bar and other facilities are available for different users of the palace.

Security

• Black Rod oversees security for the House of Lords, and the Serjeant at Arms for the House of Commons.
• The Parliamentary Security Director is responsible for overall security.
• Concrete blocks were placed in roadways in 2003 to prevent vehicle attacks.
• There is a river exclusion zone.
• The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 previously restricted protests near the palace, but the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 repealed these provisions.
• A search of the cellars is carried out by the Yeomen of the Guard before every State Opening of Parliament.

Incidents

• The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 was a failed attempt to blow up the palace and assassinate King James I.
• Spencer Perceval was assassinated in the lobby of the House of Commons in 1812.
• Fenian bombs damaged the palace in 1885.
• A Provisional IRA bomb exploded in Westminster Hall in 1974.
• Airey Neave was assassinated by a car bomb in 1979.
• There have been numerous protests and direct actions, leading to increased security measures.
• A terror attack occurred on 22 March 2017, and another in August 2018.
• Various security breaches and protests have occurred, including scaling the Clock Tower and disrupting parliamentary proceedings.
• There have been fires on the Palace of Westminster site during 2019, and eight in 2018.
• In 2022, the body of the late Queen Elizabeth was left inside the hall for people to pay their respects.

Traditions and Customs

• Smoking has not been allowed in the House of Commons chamber since the 17th century; Members take snuff instead.
• Eating and drinking are not allowed in the chamber, except for the Chancellor of the Exchequer during the Budget statement.
• Formal attire is expected, and hats and certain decorations are prohibited.
• The Serjeant at Arms is traditionally the only person allowed to carry a sword armed.
• Speeches may not be read out, and visual aids are discouraged.
• Applause is not normally allowed.

Legal Status and Cultural Impact

• The status of the building as a royal palace raises legal questions regarding arrests within its "verges".
• Claude Monet painted the Palace of Westminster under various lighting conditions between 1899 and 1901.
• The palace is a major tourist attraction. "A dream in stone" – Tsar Nicholas I
• UNESCO classifies the palace as a World Heritage Site.
• There are various ways to gain admittance, including tickets from an MP or Lord, queuing for admission, committee sessions, and guided tours.
• A year-long programme of events called "Parliament in the Making" celebrated the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta and the 750th anniversary of the first representative parliament in 2015.