Royal funerals and weddings and meetings of court and Parliament were held at the Abbey. Monks lived, worked and worshipped here for more than 400 years. By this time the older parts of the Abbey would have been in need of repair! One of the most important additions was the Lady Chapel in 1314, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, at the east end of the church. It was such a large and ornate construction that building continued for almost 200 years after the original foundation in 1121. The Abbey was the fourth largest church in Britain. The opening ceremony dedicated the church to the Virgin Mary and St John the Evangelist. The ceremony was attended by King Henry II (grandson of Henry I) and his noble followers. The Abbey and the ground immediately outside became a desirable location for other royals and nobles to be buried.īuilding work was still going on when the Abbey church was officially opened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, on 19 April 1164. King Henry I died before his Abbey was complete and was buried here in 1136 in front of the high altar.
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