Reluctantly Worth The Money

Laura has been vociferously opposed to paying f12 (about $17) per person to visit Westminster Abbey. It's not that one of the top tourist attractions in England isn't worth the money. It's the principle of the thing. Scott has tried to point out to Laura that she would pay that much money to see less interesting museums in London, but Laura has retorted that most of them are, in fact, FREE. Nonetheless, Scott knows my weak points and when he suggested that our principles shouldn't stand in the way of Olivia's education, I gave in. So it was that Laura and Olivia finally saw the Abbey today. The building is imposing and beautiful and full of history. Although I visited it once 10 years ago, I enjoyed it so much more now as I have spent the last 2 months studying British history. This time I was able to enjoy the irony of seeing Mary I buried in the same chapel with Elizabeth I (photo of their shared tomb at left.). I also enjoyed seeing the shrine to King Edward the Confessor, which is normally off limits due to its fragile condition. We happened to be in the right place at the right time and joined a priest and a couple of nuns in saying prayers at the chapel where it is contained. Otherwise, there is no way we would have seen this ancient and important monument, the housing of which is the reason Henry III built the church in the first place. The Abbey is, of course, renowned not just as the burial place of many English monarchs. It is also the site of royal coronations since William the Conqueror in 1066, and it contains the graves of some of Great Britain's most accomplished men and women. Sir Isaac Newton is buried here, as is Geoffrey Chaucer (originally earning burial at the Abbey because of his official positions with the king, but moving up to a fancy tomb 150 years later when he became known as a famous poet) George Friederic Handel, Charles Dickens, Edward Montagu (the first Earl of Sandwich, whose descendent is sometimes credited with inventing the sandwich because he was too lazy to leave the gaming table to eat) and Oliver Cromwell. Despite its beauty and imposing size, Westminster Abbey does not strike me as the most beautiful church in England (I think that honor goes to Lincoln Cathedral). Nor is it the most imposing (St. Paul's) or inspiring (to me, that is Temple Church though there are certainly other candidates). But nothing can top it when it comes to historical significance. I am willing to concede: it was well worth the f12.