Triforium project at Westminster Abbey

The CBA organised a visit to the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Galleries at Westminster Abbey.  This 13th Century space has been cleared up and has been turned into a gallery with amazing views down onto the Abbey - particularly great to see the Cosmarti floor from on high.

Here is their video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPYi45hZ-uE


We heard about excavations just by Henry VII's gallery in what was called Poets Corner Yard. Here they found archaeological sequences which included

Dump levels containing prehistoric finds and Roman remains (but not in situ)
the original chalk raft for the Abbey
burial ground for monks including some coffins with head shaped ends for the corpses head.
Shops and workshops in the area that Chaucer and Caxton had house and workshop in.
Building levels from Henry III through to Gilbert Scott.

The archaeological team cleared out all the dust of years that had accumulated in the gallery.  It included thousands of fragments of medieval painted window glass,  sherds, tobacco pipes, tiles, bricks, moulded stones. Amongst the many pieces of paper found was the wrapping for a 17th Century  tobacco pouch; and invites and seating plans for Queen Anne's coronation.

Well worth a visit (if you can afford it -currently £20 to get in and another £6 to see the Triforium.)






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