Westminster Abbey: Carroll, Austen, & Gaskell

Today we went and visited Westminster Abbey. This is a royal church that has served as the site of many royal weddings, such as Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, and all coronations of the British monarchy since William the Conqueror in 1066. Inside, there are many important people memorialized or buried, including many royal figures and monarchs. But in 1657, national figures joined in burial and memorial under Oliver Cromwell, starting with the burial of Admiral Robert Blake. Today, there are over three thousand people buried at Westminster Abbey, and many areas within the halls dedicated to certain expertise. One in particular that was fascinating to see was the section of writers. 

The first plaque that caught my eye was Lewis Carroll. Carroll, also known by his real name Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, is most notable for writing Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Prior to his Alice books, Carroll  wrote lots of poetry and short stories. His work would appear in national publications, being recognized for his humorous and satirical language and illustrations. He was born January 27, 1832 in Daresbury, UK, and lived sixty-five years, dying of pneumonia on January 14, 1898. He is buried at All Saints’ Church in Daresbury, which commemorates him by depicting stained glass windows of his characters from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Next, I saw Jane Austen’s plaque, who is a literary legend. Writing numerous novels, such as Pride & Prejudice(1813), Sense & Sensibility(1811), & Emma(1815), Austen actually achieved little fame in her lifetime. After her death in July of 1817, her novels grew in popularity and rose to the timeless fame they hold, and maintain, today. Austen’s writing was clever, witty, and often critiqued the British gentry. Many plots of Austen’s novels explored female independence while being stuck in a patriarchal dependent world. Austen is now buried at Winchester Cathedral.

And lastly, I saw this beautiful stained glass memorial of Elizabeth Gaskell. Gaskell wrote works such as, Mary Barton(1848), Ruth(1853), & Sylvia’s Lovers(1863). She also wrote dozens of novellas and short stories. She was born September 29, 1810, in Chelsea, London, and was the youngest of eight children. She died of a heart attack in 1865, and her grave is near Brook Street Chapel, Knutsford.