Corona at Westminster Abbey

On Thursday, I was fortunate to be invited to the Chapter House of Westminster Abbey where the Dean, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall, unveiled a new exhibition of his proposal to construct a Corona on the roof of the Abbey. The Corona will be above the Crossing where monarchs have been crowned since 1066 and it is hoped that it will be in place by 2013, the 60th anniversary of Elizabeth II’s accession. What is especially interesting about the exhibition is that it shows that alterations to the Abbey’s architecture have taken place with great regularity from the beginning. Some of the very greatest church architects have made their mark on the Abbey, including Wren, Hawksmoor and Gilbert Scott. In that sense, the Dean’s plans are wholly in keeping with the Abbey’s remarkable history. Equally exciting is the announcement that Triforium, the Abbey’s upper gallery is to be opened to the public. John Betjeman described its view as the finest in Europe. The exhibition is free and opens to the public tomorrow. Visitors are positively encouraged to comment on the proposals and to make their own suggestions.

What is a Corona?

According to Answers.com, a Corona is 'The overhanging vertical member of a cornice, supported by the bed moldings and crowned by the cymatium; usually with a drip to throw rainwater clear of the building.' Learn more about Coronas and Cornices.

On the subject of Westminster Abbey, our August edition will feature an article, written by the distinguished medievalist William Chester Jordan, about Richard de Ware, Abbot of Westminster in the 13th century, and his great rivalry with the Abbot of St-Denis in Paris.