The Gothic Lives on in London: Westminster Abbey

The Gothic Lives on in London:
Westminster Abbey

also revered. "Edward loved both equally, Peter for his primacy over the Church, John for being privileged with a greater degree of affectionate love in virtue of his special relationship with Christ.: The significance of these ties to Westminster are that St. Peter's association represents independence of royalty to everything except church and royal authority, and St. John's, representing to the Mass. Edward became a saint during the reign of Henry II and at this time the financial responsibilities of the realm, the state exchequer, was placed at Westminster palace. Edwards's canonization and ties through this to the founding of the apostolic church made him the ideal candidate for the patron of the great Westminster abbey built by Henry III.

ANGEVIN AND PLANTAGENET HISTORY

Henry III (1216-1272) leveled the original church of Edward's and rebuilt the church as we know it today in honor of St. Edward. Work began on July 6, 1245, and to this day, additions and restorations are still being made to Henry Is edifice. By this time, "the product at Westminster…was the administrative focus of a highly organized medieval state with the single most important branch of the royal works." It was a residential, economical, administrative, and above all, a royal district. The new building of the new church was completely beyond the resources of the Abbey Henry funded and chose the style in which the Abbey was to be executed by deciding upon the stone masons himself. The three master masons were Henry de Reyns, John

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