Old Palace Yard: Difference between revisions
Quote confirming important original character of 'Old Palace Yard' and its original purpose so far as connection with Westminster Abbey is concerned. Peter Judge |
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{{Short description|Area nearby the Palace of Westminster}} |
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[[Image:National.security.parliament.arp.750pix.Clean.jpg|thumb|240px|Part of '''Old Palace Yard''', with concrete barriers to restrict access in the foreground.]] |
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'''Old Palace Yard''' is immediately to the west of the [[Houses of Parliament]] (aka the [[Palace of Westminster]]) in [[Westminster]], [[London]], [[England]], near the eastern end of [[Westminster Abbey]]. It provides pedestrian access to the Houses of Parliament via St Stephen's Entrance. A square of grass opposite is often used by television journalists to interview [[Member of Parliament (UK)|Members of Parliament]]. It is also known as the location of the execution of [[Sir Walter Raleigh]], and of [[Guy Fawkes]] and other conspirators of the [[Gunpowder Plot]]. |
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[[File:The Palace of Westminster - geograph.org.uk - 1408776.jpg|thumb|320px|Old Palace Yard and the [[Palace of Westminster]], with the statue of [[Richard I of England|Richard Coeur de Lion]] in the middle and the Peers' Entrance on the right]] |
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'''Old Palace Yard''' is a paved open space in the [[City of Westminster]] in Central London, England. It lies between the [[Palace of Westminster]] to its north and east and [[Westminster Abbey]] to its west. It is known as the site of executions, including those of [[Walter Raleigh|Sir Walter Raleigh]], [[Guy Fawkes]] and other conspirators of the [[Gunpowder Plot]], and [[James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton]], following the [[Battle of Preston (1648)|Battle of Preston]]. |
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As detailed in a Parliamentary document,<ref>Information Office: 'The Palace of Westminster'. URL: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/G11.pdf Date accessed: 16 February 2010.</ref> Old Palace Yard is also home to an [[Analemmatic sundial]], a gift to the [[Elizabeth_II_of_the_United_Kingdom|Queen]] from [[Parliament of England|Parliament]] on the occasion of her [[Golden Jubilee]] in 2002, this being the year in which the Parliament decided to construct the southern section of the historical 'Old Palace Yard' in the architectural form of a separate 'yard' relating to the Parliament in the sense that a 'yard' can be defined as an enclosed paved piece of land next to or surrounded by a building or buildings and in this case bordered by a building on one side and a public road on the other; historically however the 'Old Palace Yard' was evidently an area defined architecturally as well as in point of law as one between the buildings Westminster Abbey and the House of Lords. It is to be assumed that this continues to be its definition or architectural form in theory with the fact in point of law perhaps in some ways unfortunately contradicted from the beginning of the 21st Cent. by the form of the newly designed architecture on the southern section.<ref>Information Office: 'The Palace of Westminster'. URL: http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/palace/estatehistory/the-middle-ages/oldandnewpalaceyards-/ Date accessed: 8 March 2012.</ref> The House of Lords side of the Old Palace Yard is also as from 2002 home to an [[Analemmatic sundial]], a gift to the [[Elizabeth_II_of_the_United_Kingdom|Queen]]. |
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St Margaret Street/Abingdon Street divides Old Palace Yard into |
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two parts, running diagonally from the north-west to the south-east. The eastern, larger part belongs to the grounds of the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]]. To the north of the Yard is St Stephen's Entrance, the public entrance into the Palace, as well as the great South Window of Westminster Hall. Standing near this window and facing away from it is a bronze equestrian [[Richard Coeur de Lion (statue)|statue of Richard Coeur de Lion]] ([[Richard I of England|King Richard I]], also known as "Richard the Lionheart"). Created by Baron [[Carlo Marochetti]], the statue was completed in 1856 and installed in its present location in 1860. The eastern side of Old Palace Yard is defined by the West Front of the Palace, which is part of the precincts of the [[House of Lords]]; the carriage porch of the Peers' Entrance marks the middle of this frontage, and the [[Victoria Tower]] its southern end. |
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Access to this part of Old Palace Yard is restricted for security reasons by means of concrete barriers. For most of the year it is used as a car park for the House of Lords, but it is cleared of barriers and street furniture for the annual [[State Opening of Parliament]], the formal opening of the legislative session by the British monarch. Conveyed from [[Buckingham Palace]] to Parliament in a horse-drawn carriage, the monarch passes through the Yard en route to the Sovereign's Entrance, at the foot of the [[Victoria Tower]]. |
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The western part of Old Palace Yard is freely accessible to the public. To its west are located the [[Henry VII Chapel]] and the [[Westminster Abbey#Chapter house and Pyx Chamber|Chapter House of Westminster Abbey]], while to its south stands 6–7 Old Palace Yard, the sole survivor of the row of houses that used to surround the Yard. The building is now part of the [[Parliamentary Estate]]. Close by is a [[Statue of George V, Westminster|statue of King George V]], made of [[Portland stone]]; sculpted by [[William Reid Dick|Sir William Reid Dick]] and unveiled in 1947, it stands on a pedestal by [[Giles Gilbert Scott|Sir Giles Gilbert Scott]] and faces the Peers' Entrance of the Palace of Westminster. In 2002, an [[analemmatic sundial]] was fitted into the Yard's pavement in front of the statue, as a gift to [[Elizabeth II|Queen Elizabeth II]] from Parliament on the occasion of her [[Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II|Golden Jubilee]]. |
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<gallery mode=packed heights=150> |
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File:Old Palace Yard, Westminster, 1720.jpg|Old Palace Yard in 1720, showing the [[Jewel Tower]] at far left and the east end of [[Westminster Abbey]] at centre |
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File:Print of Houses of Parliament before 1834 Fire.jpg|Parliament before the [[Burning of Parliament|1834 fire]] that destroyed most of its mediaeval buildings,<ref>Drawn by J. Shury & Son, Printed by Day & Haghe</ref> with Old Palace Yard in the foreground<ref>[[James Fenimore Cooper|Cooper, James Fenimore]]. ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=e4NFAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA68 Gleanings in Europe: England]'', Plate III following p. 68 (SUNY Press 1982).</ref> |
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File:Henry VIIs chapel, Westminster Abbey (geograph 2507750).jpg|The [[Statue of George V, Westminster|statue of George V]] and the [[Henry VII Chapel]] of Westminster Abbey |
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File:Old Palace Yard (geograph 2507777).jpg|The [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] 6–7 Old Palace Yard, now part of the [[Parliamentary Estate]], is the only visible reminder that Old Palace Yard was once a residential street. |
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</gallery> |
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== See also == |
== See also == |
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* [[New Palace Yard]] |
* [[New Palace Yard]] |
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* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/303111559/page1/ Analemmatic sundial at Old Palace Yard] |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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{{Commons}} |
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* [http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/palace/estatehistory/the-middle-ages/oldandnewpalaceyards-/ "History of the Parliamentary Estate: Old and New Palace Yards"] – UK Parliament |
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{{London-geo-stub}} |
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[[it:Old Palace Yard]] |
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[[Category:Execution sites in England]] |
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[[Category:London crime history]] |
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[[Category:Odonyms referring to a building]] |
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Latest revision as of 19:16, 16 December 2024
Old Palace Yard is a paved open space in the City of Westminster in Central London, England. It lies between the Palace of Westminster to its north and east and Westminster Abbey to its west. It is known as the site of executions, including those of Sir Walter Raleigh, Guy Fawkes and other conspirators of the Gunpowder Plot, and James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton, following the Battle of Preston.
St Margaret Street/Abingdon Street divides Old Palace Yard into
two parts, running diagonally from the north-west to the south-east. The eastern, larger part belongs to the grounds of the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. To the north of the Yard is St Stephen's Entrance, the public entrance into the Palace, as well as the great South Window of Westminster Hall. Standing near this window and facing away from it is a bronze equestrian statue of Richard Coeur de Lion (King Richard I, also known as "Richard the Lionheart"). Created by Baron Carlo Marochetti, the statue was completed in 1856 and installed in its present location in 1860. The eastern side of Old Palace Yard is defined by the West Front of the Palace, which is part of the precincts of the House of Lords; the carriage porch of the Peers' Entrance marks the middle of this frontage, and the Victoria Tower its southern end.
Access to this part of Old Palace Yard is restricted for security reasons by means of concrete barriers. For most of the year it is used as a car park for the House of Lords, but it is cleared of barriers and street furniture for the annual State Opening of Parliament, the formal opening of the legislative session by the British monarch. Conveyed from Buckingham Palace to Parliament in a horse-drawn carriage, the monarch passes through the Yard en route to the Sovereign's Entrance, at the foot of the Victoria Tower.
The western part of Old Palace Yard is freely accessible to the public. To its west are located the Henry VII Chapel and the Chapter House of Westminster Abbey, while to its south stands 6–7 Old Palace Yard, the sole survivor of the row of houses that used to surround the Yard. The building is now part of the Parliamentary Estate. Close by is a statue of King George V, made of Portland stone; sculpted by Sir William Reid Dick and unveiled in 1947, it stands on a pedestal by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and faces the Peers' Entrance of the Palace of Westminster. In 2002, an analemmatic sundial was fitted into the Yard's pavement in front of the statue, as a gift to Queen Elizabeth II from Parliament on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee.
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Old Palace Yard in 1720, showing the Jewel Tower at far left and the east end of Westminster Abbey at centre -
![Parliament before the 1834 fire that destroyed most of its mediaeval buildings,[1] with Old Palace Yard in the foreground[2]](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e0/Print_of_Houses_of_Parliament_before_1834_Fire.jpg/328px-Print_of_Houses_of_Parliament_before_1834_Fire.jpg)
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The statue of George V and the Henry VII Chapel of Westminster Abbey -
The Georgian 6–7 Old Palace Yard, now part of the Parliamentary Estate, is the only visible reminder that Old Palace Yard was once a residential street.
![Parliament before the 1834 fire that destroyed most of its mediaeval buildings,[1] with Old Palace Yard in the foreground[2]](/wiki/File:Print_of_Houses_of_Parliament_before_1834_Fire.jpg)
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See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Drawn by J. Shury & Son, Printed by Day & Haghe
- ^ Cooper, James Fenimore. Gleanings in Europe: England, Plate III following p. 68 (SUNY Press 1982).
External links
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