- Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, was founded by Benedictine monks in 960 AD.
- One of England's finest Gothic buildings and the country's national shrine, Westminster Abbey was founded by the Saxon king, Edward the Confessor.
- 11 Credits. Located next to the Houses of Parliament in the Westminster neighborhood of London, Westminster Abbey is a popular London tourist destination.
- Formally known as the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, Westminster Abbey is one of the UK’s most noteworthy religious buildings.
- Purbeck marble was used for the walls and the floors of Westminster Abbey, although the various tombstones are made of different types of marble.
- Every year Westminster Abbey welcomes over one million visitors and is very much part of the standard tourist trail complete with large coach parties.
- Westminster Abbey, one of the most famous religious buildings in the world, has hosted British royal coronations, marriages and burials since the 11th century.
- Incidentally, Westminster Abbey is also home to the UK’s oldest piece of furniture still being used for its original purpose: the Coronation Chair .
- Hoyle is in his mid-60s, with short white hair and dark-framed spectacles. He is the dean of Westminster, the abbey’s most senior priest.
- His lavish tomb, inlaid with gilded mosaic and coloured glass proved too tempting for pilgrims visiting the Westminster Abbey over centuries.